"Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart" is the first track of Retired From Sad and this song is about falling for somebody who has moved on from you before you have realized your true feelings for them. Mitski states that her heart has "blossomed" for this person, and she wishes they would "spare [her their] voice if she called," signifying that this person has moved on but Mitski still wishes they were together.
Length: 2:17Retired from Sad, New Career in Business
Retired from Sad, New Career in Business is Mitski's second studio album. It was released on August 1, 2013 during her senior year at Purchase College. This album fits into a unique genre of indie rock that utilizes more traditional orchestral instruments such as violin and flute. Mitski's lyrics continue to be poetic and captivating, and although the experiences Mitski wrote about in this album are unique to herself, her vivid lyricism makes it feel as though the listener experienced them with her. She draws from the unspoken yet universal aspects of the female experience, such as comparing oneself to other women, in order to create her second masterful album.
"There's nobody better than you. It took me a while 'til I knew. But you knew from the start it was us, didn't you? It just took me a while 'til I knew."
"Your room was square. I once noticed from there in your bed, as you slept, and I held my breath. Everything had its own place, and I wondered what space would I take in the order you kept."
This song features heavy orchestral elements such as trombone, french horn, clarinet, and flute. These instruments accompany slow and melodic lyrics that discuss a relationship in which Mitski does not feel adequate. She hints towards starvation and other means of making herself seem more fit to play the part of this man's girlfriend. At the end of the narrative, they part ways with a handshake, solidifying their relationship as merely acquaintances in the end.
Length: 3:10
"Look at you, strawberry blond. Fields rolling on, I love it when you call my name."
This song is far more upbeat than all of the other songs on the album, creating a stark departure from the solemn narratives that the rest of the songs tell. In this song, Mitski describes the desire, love, and devotion that she feels towards this person. She describes the positive feelings of being in love, while also hinting at the bitter disappointment that occurs when the person you're in love with does not return your feelings.
Length: 1:54
"All the eggshells are on the ground and I try, I'm trying to pick them up. But, they crack and crumble. It's all too much, too frail for me to touch."
This song uses the motif of eggshells to describe frailty and vulnerability. Mitski relates herself to Humpty Dumpty, the English folktale character, who fell from a wall and broke apart.
Length: 3:21
"You're coming back, and it's the end of the world. We're starting over and I love you, darling, and I am done, dear."
This song describes the feeling of being in a one-sided relationship and how one may struggle to try and save the failing relationship. Mitski feels apprehensive about the relationship, but she still wants to salvage what they have because of her love for them. She sings about blindly falling for someone and not being prepared for the tumultuousness of the relationship to come.
Length: 3:03
"I never was very good. I haven't been so good. But, right outside the door, nobody knows. They're right outside the door and they don't know."
In this song, Mitski grapples with feeling shame about her body. The crescendos indicate rising feelings of disgust and hopelessness that she relates to her image of her body. This song utilizes string instruments, mostly violin, to give a formal/classical touch to a song that deals with anguish and despair, creating an interesting juxtaposition.
Length: 2:24
"So darling, play your violin. I know it's what you live for. Darling, play your violin. We will manage somehow."
This song is about comparing one's dreams for the future with what society deems plausible. It tells a story of a young girl who longs to play her violin professionally. The story takes the perspective of someone dear to the girl, possibly a parent, who looks on helplessly as they decide between telling the girl she can't continue her career path or facing the possibility of failure.
Length: 3:05
"And in the morning I walked home alone, and the businessmen saw my bones. With my skirt in their eyes, they remembered the nights when they were that man you knew."
This song personifies Mitski's commitment issues that she feels towards the man she is seeing. She feels guilty that he is far more dedicated to the relationship than her. She also feels a complicated sort of resentment towards him because he, believing that their deep love is mutual, expects her to give him more affection than she truly feels for him.
Length: 2:51
"Mom, am I still young? Can I dream for a few months more?"
This song was written as Mitski was graduating college. It describes her fear of the unknown and her uncertainty that her chosen career path will lead anywhere. She expresses a desire to return home and be under the care of her mother one more time before she enters the adult world.
Length: 1:49