Clairo’s lyrics “Add Up My Love” explained

After viral hits like “Pretty Girls,” “Bags,” and her second album in 2021 loopClairo has proven herself to be one of indie rock’s most captivating troubadours. Fittingly, she explores the idea of ​​charisma from a 360-degree perspective on charmher third full-length (and first self-released) album. Utilizing the lilting production and nostalgic power of songwriters like Harry Nilsson, the 25-year-old’s confessional lyricism looks a little different this time around.

Every song on the tracklist is influenced by the concept of “charm” – which she had tattooed on her knuckles – but no song approaches this theme from such an unexpected angle as the groovy farewell song “Add Up My Love”.

The ’70s-inspired and piano-dominated track sounds like a Fleetwood Mac-esque confrontation after a breakup. “Add up my love / Honey, was it enough? Is it ever enough,” asks the chorus. Yet the “Sexy to Someone” singer makes it clear early on that this is a conversation that’s only happening in your head – or in this case, a song. The premise is established in the first verse: “If I could wait for a time to be sad about it / I’d pick a day when you’re gone / And I’m all alone upstate.”

While her earlier works were characterized by beating in the city, “Add Up My Love” (and the majority of charm) was influenced by a recent move to upstate New York. In the isolated environment, Clairo told the New Yorker She has gained a new appreciation for being alone. “It’s the loneliest thing ever,” she said. “But I still think it’s really cool that I do it. I want to be independent. I think it’s valuable if someone can bring that into a relationship.”

Elsewhere on “Add Up My Love,” lyrics touch on memories of a relationship: “hands hanging around your neck,” “my name, said it between your breaths,” and a laugh heard “from the back of the room.” The moments feel emotive and memorable, but as the singer revealed, they are partly intended as the album’s “charm” theme. Sticking to the “concept” of the record, Clairo wrote songs that made her feel like she had “just a piece of information and then a lot of longing.”

Nevertheless, fleeting moments and resounding question marks proved to be a fitting metaphor for “dating in your twenties”. As the New Yorker“There’s this cyclical energy that you constantly radiate and experience through every person you date, whether it’s a casual four-month relationship or a two-day romance. It completely takes over.”