• Next week, Olivia Rodrigo launches her Daisy Chain Fields festival in Irvine, CA., and in addition to spending the lead up to the event discussing the charities involved, she’s been recruiting local businesses for the event. And now she’s teamed up with a local independent record store to release a new song.
• The song, ‘serena joy’ comes from the You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love sessions, but was cut from the main album. Olivia provided 500 CDs to the record shop, and it quickly sold out. The social media post seems to indicate that the song will be more widely available on Monday as preparations for the festival are in full swing.
• The song title takes inspiration from the character of Serena Joy from The Handmaid’s Tale (1985). The main character, Offred, notes that pre-Gilead, Serena Joy had been a singer and then an advocate for the continued subjection of women. Serena Joy’s side wins but Offred offers a window to what victory looks like for her: “She doesn’t make speeches anymore…She stays in her home, but it doesn’t seem to agree with her. How furious she must be now that she’s been taken at her word.”
Yeah it’s all for the cause
For the good of us all
And if you close your eyes
Then it can’t be your fault
Yeah it’s all for the cause
For the good of us all
Here’s a tower we built
Painted gold on the walls
And we’ll never be beat
No we never will fall
While they’re out on the streets
Man, we’re having a ball
Come in close, come in close
Come a little bit closer
Sing along, sing along
What they tell you to do
Comin’ ‘round, comin’ ‘round
Comin’ around the corner
If they do it to them
They’ll do it to you
If they do it to them
They’re gonna do it to you
Have a Coke and a smile
In the hot summer bliss
Now go bother your neighbors
While we do what we wish
Have a Coke and a smile
Let me show you a trick
If you can’t throw a punch
You can learn how to spit
And we’ll never give up
And we’ll never submit
Look, the life of your dream
Is beyond that cliff
Come in close, come in close
Come a little bit closer
Sing along, sing along
What they tell you to do
Comin’ ‘round, comin’ ‘round
Comin’ around the corner
If they do it to them
They’ll do it to you
If they do it to them
They’re gonna do it to you
That’s what you
That’s what you
What you get, what you get
It’s automatic
Go ahead, go ahead
Don’t think about it
What you get, what you get, what you get
Rotting in the sunshine
What you get, what you get
It’s automatic
Go ahead, go ahead
Don’t think about it
What you get, what you get, what you get
Everything is just fine
Everything is just fine
Everything is just fine
