It is a common belief that each song represents a grade so I’m going to be going off that belief and also talking about the movie because its visuals are paired with the songs but not delving too deep into it’s plot.
*Favorite Lyrics from each song at the end :>*
First song: Wheels on the bus (Kindergarten)
During this song Crybaby is on the bus heading to school. She’s essentially describing the scenery of the bus and just what’s around her. The visuals show how annoying her classmates are, we also witness some of her classmates bully her for her gap. We see this boy Crybaby seems to have a crush on pass her to sit next to Kelly, Crybaby’s main bully. We also witness Crybaby and her friend use their powers (which are signified by black eyes which were alluded to in Crybaby, the first album) to play pranks on their annoying classmates and eventually save the bus from drowning when a distracted bus driver drives it into a lake.
Second Song: Class fight (First Grade)
In this song Crybaby and Kelly get into a fight, which is encouraged by both Crybaby’s parents. Nothing too much to say here…The fight is caused by jealousy over the boy previously mentioned and during this fight Crybaby uses her powers to nearly strangle Kelly until broken up by a teacher. In the visuals predating this song provided by the movie we see guards from the school drag a black boy away for not standing for the pledge of allegiance.
Third Song: The Principal (Second Grade)
In this song Crybaby expresses disdain for their principal after she learns that the school has been doping the kids up with pills to make them obedient. The viewers also get to see the displeasure of him firing a teacher because of their gender identity. We see a couple of students perform a dance to this song with the song in front of what I can assume is the school board.
Fourth Song: Show and Tell (Third Grade)
In this song Crybaby appears to be a puppet and she’s made to preform for the entertainment of her classmates during Show and Tell. The message of this song as I interpreted it is Melanie talking about fame and feeling like more of a prop under everyone’s eyes. The visual constantly switches between the actual Crybaby and a doll that resembles her and ends with the doll falling out bleeding and the class grimacing at the sight before refocusing their attention to something else.
Fifth Song: Nurses Office (Fourth Grade)
In this song Crybaby visits the nurse’s office, the lyrics suggest that Crybaby only does this to get out of class and hopefully go home. As far as visuals all we see is the nurse’s interesting ideas of treatment. The lyrics do entail more about her negative feeling towards class specifically being picked on and having a rude teacher.
Sixth Song: Drama Club (Fifth Grade)
In this song Crybaby gets into an argument with a guy in her class who appears to be misogynistic, talking down about women. To which she defends them and is taken away by guards similar to the ones who took away the black boy. I’ve spoken about the song itself before. Its lyrics doesn’t criticize the topics our society seems to be sensitive about themself but judges the criticism. Putting the feelings around in question. The visual for this song ends with Crybaby somehow snapping her classmates out of the trance being at the school has put them in during what looks like a school play, after they are freed, they all run to find the principal then rip him to pieces (literally they disembody him).
Seventh Song: Strawberry Shortcake (Sixth Grade)
Before this song begins, we see Crybaby and her friends having a conversation about what is usually deemed as female anatomy. The songs meaning is very apparent it’s a conversation on the culture of sexual assault and how the blame is very rarely placed on the perpetrator and instead put on the victim. It also mentions how young boys are excused for predatory behavior and how in response to said behavior young girls are just told to cover up. Also, certain lyrics speak about young girls compare their bodies to others.
Eighth Song: Lunchbox Friends (Seventh Grade)
Before this song begins one of Crybaby’s friends gets her first period and they struggle with finding a tampon. I interpret this song to be about the struggle to find loyalty within friends. I think it could also be relevant to Melanie (the woman who created and plays Crybaby) about how fame can make it complicated to form genuine relationships. I also think it could be about how most friends you make in school specifically so young won’t last forever or even till the end of the year, I get this from the lyric, “We can be friends if you wanna be but only till the clock hits three.” The visual for this song involves Crybaby being invited to sit with the popular girls (some of which bullied her, I’m looking at you Kelly) but turns them down for her real friends and ends up meeting another girl who like Crybaby and her other two friends, has powers.
Ninth Song: Orange Juice (Eighth Grade) TW: eating disorders.
In this song we see one of the popular girls is clearly different from the rest is struggling with an eating disorder. The visual for this song provides very vivid imagery of her eating disorder. The song is essentially telling her how perfect she is. We also learn that this girl also has powers and becomes a part of Crybaby’s friend group.
Tenth Song: Detention (Ninth Grade)
In this song talks about faking your emotions to save face. And referencing this as being a sort of purgatory, detention. It mentions not actually being important to those over you and just being used for profit. The song references these people as teachers but for Melanie we can assume this means managers and people in charge of record labels. The visuals of this song also show the extent to which the school dopes these kids up, injecting them with syringes and binding them to their desks. We’re also introduced to this new character who is the principal’s son and frees Crybaby while seeming to be under some trance, possibly by Crybaby but we’re shown her eyes switching from black to normal signaling that she’s struggling to use her powers. We also get a visual of Crybaby dancing in a glass enclosure which she escapes from by the end and seems to be about to seek revenge on the kids she was made to dance for before the song ends. We also see a kid who was previously seen looking at Crybaby slide a note in her locker, becoming her secret admirer.
Eleventh Song: Teacher’s Pet (Tenth Grade) TW: Grooming
In this song Crybaby’s closest friend, the one whose been with her since the first song is being groomed by a teacher. The lyrics themselves describe a relationship between teacher and student, it is sung from a third person perspective at the beginning but then switches to the perspective of the student presumably heartbroken at the teacher not putting her first. It mentions the teacher having a wife and kids. They display the student’s disdain for being a secret and her justification for the relationship itself. And then being very upset when the teacher attempts to end the relationship. The visuals just show flirting between the two, still very disturbing to watch. Until the teacher shrinks her and attempts to dissect her until Crybaby comes in and saves her. We then see the student get revenge on the teacher; she kills him.
Twelfth Song: Highschool Sweethearts (Eleventh Grade)
This song talks about expectations when it comes to love and relationships. These expectations being to be accepted for yourself and not have your heartbroken. After this song we see her secret admirer attempting to work up the urge to ask her to the dance before being interrupted by the principals’ son) who asks her instead and takes credit for writing the note. She says yest to him.
Thirteenth Song; Recess (Twelfth Grade)
Before the song plays we see that the dance is trap set up by Leo (principal’s son) as revenge for killing his father). The song itself seems to be recounting the past which I think fits for the last year of high school and about not letting people exploit you or kill your spirit. And also about having everything you want and still not being happy. Crybaby manages to save the school and learns the true identity of her secret admirer, Ben who also has powers. The movie ends with a door opening for the girls which seems to hold all they’ve ever wanted, and Crybaby is faced with a choice between that or perusing a relationship with a Ben. The movie ends before she gets to make this choice.
note: The door is opened by Lillith a goddess who saved the girls from the nurses in nurses office and has been guiding them. She appears after rejecting them before telling them of their purpose at the school and that soon things will be better. Lillith is also an empath which is interesting to me given not only Crybaby’s name but also her sensitivity.
-Favorite Lyrics from each song:
Wheels on the Bus: “I know the drivers sees it. I know he’s peekin.”
Class Fight: “Teacher broke us up after I broke her. And my one true love called me a monster.”
Principal: “Shooting at the angels while claiming you’re a good guy.”
Show and Tell: “I’m just like you, you’re like me. Imperfect and human are we.
Nurse’s Office: “I’m pale as the loose-leaf paper they grow.” (bar)
Drama Club: “You’re faking all your pain yet you’re bleeding on a stage.”
Strawberry Shortcake: “Now, the boys want a taste of the strawberry shortcake. That’s my bad, that’s my bad, no one taught them not the grab.”
Lunchbox Friends: “We can be friends if you wanna be. But only till the clock hits three.”
Orange Juice: “Your body is perfectly imperfect.”
Detention: “You’re too busy seeking selfish wishes, look at how I’m feeling.”
Teacher’s Pet: “If I’m so special, why am I a secret.”
High School Sweethearts: “If you can’t handle a heart like mine, don’t waste your time with me.”
Recess: “People gonna try. To tell you that you’re fine with dollars in their eyes.”
For me personally there are so many things that puts these songs apart from others. Melanie Martinez was one name on the long list of music I began listening to in middle school, and it means a lot knowing that people are still talking about it.
I’ve only listened to three of these songs on the album, but I never thought about the deeper meaning of them. I probably said this before, but I really do appreciate you breaking down these songs because a lot of what Melanie Martinez does with her image is bring up issues in society that other celebrities are uncomfortable talking about. It’s a good thing to notice an artist is trying to get a message across.
Dude I listened to teacher’s pet after reading these.