COPYCAT

"COPYCAT" is a song by Billie Eilish that directly confronts the issue of plagiarism and unoriginality. In interviews, Eilish has explained that the song was inspired by a specific girl who relentlessly copied everything she did, from her style to her expressions. The lyrics serve as a sassy and confrontational response to this person, asserting Eilish's originality and dominance. The core message revolves around the idea that while someone can imitate your actions and style, they can never capture your essence or claim your success. It's a declaration of self-worth and a warning to those who lack their own identity. Eilish uses the song to express her annoyance, framing the copycat as someone who is ultimately powerless because their every move is dictated by the person they are copying. The song also touches on the dynamic of control, as Eilish sings, "you got your finger on the trigger, but your trigger finger's mine," metaphorically stating that she controls the imitator's actions.

The narrative begins with a direct and cautionary address to an imitator. The speaker sets a boundary, asserting that while the copycat may try to provoke or mimic her, she ultimately holds all the power. The line, "You got your finger on the trigger, but your trigger finger's mine," establishes a dynamic of control; the imitator's actions are entirely dependent on the speaker's own moves. The imagery used to describe this relationship is stark and powerful: "Silver dollar, golden flame" juxtaposes something valuable with something destructive, while "Dirty water, poison rain" suggests that the imitation is a polluted, more toxic version of the original. The speaker declares her independence and uniqueness, stating, "I don't belong to anyone, but everybody knows my name." This highlights her public persona and originality, which the copycat can only follow.

As the song progresses, the speaker explicitly calls out the imitator's lack of originality. The phrase "By the way, you've been uninvited, 'cause all you say are all the same things I did" serves as a direct dismissal. The chorus becomes a taunt, repeatedly labeling the person a "Copycat trying to cop my manner" and "cop my glamour." The question, "Why so sad, bunny, you can't have mine?" is both mocking and a statement of fact, emphasizing that authenticity and personal style cannot be truly stolen. The speaker continues to assert her dominance and originality through bold declarations. She describes herself as "italic" versus the copycat's "bold," a clever play on words to denote her as the definitive, emphasized original. She demands respect and dismisses the imitator as "just a clone," a mere copy without substance.

The bridge introduces a sudden shift in tone. The music softens, and the speaker's voice becomes deceptively gentle. She feigns sympathy with lines like, "I would hate to see you go, hate to be the one that told you so." This builds a moment of false vulnerability, making the listener believe she might feel a shred of pity for the person who has "crossed the line" and "run out of time." However, this empathetic facade is shattered with the single, sharp interjection: "Sike!" This twist reveals her true feelings—utter contempt and a lack of remorse. The sudden return to the confrontational chorus reinforces her unwavering confidence and dismissiveness. The song concludes by reiterating the central theme: the copycat's attempts are futile because they will always be a step behind, a mere shadow of the person they are trying to emulate.

"COPYCAT" was written by Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, who also solely produced the track. The song was born out of a real-life experience Eilish had with a girl who was imitating her. Eilish shared in an interview with Genius that she went into her brother's room and said, "Yo! There's this fucking girl and she keeps doing everything that I do. And I want to write about it." The creative process was a collaborative effort between the siblings in Finneas' room. Finneas developed the "weird, creepy bass sound" that forms the foundation of the track's instrumental. The song was released on July 14, 2017, as the fourth single from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me. The mastering was done by John Greenham and the mixing by Rob Kinelski. A remix of the song by Sofi Tukker was later released on January 12, 2018.

The rhyme scheme in "COPYCAT" is relatively straightforward, often using couplets (AABB) or simple alternating rhymes, which makes the lyrics direct and impactful. For example, in the verses, "kind" rhymes with "crime," and "anytime" with "mine." The chorus uses a similar structure with "manner" and "glamour." The song's rhythm is defined by its slow, lurching hip-hop-influenced beat. This syncopated rhythm gives the track a confident, swaggering feel that complements the sassy and defiant lyrics. The lyrical rhythm often plays against the beat, with Eilish's phrasing sometimes falling just behind or ahead, adding to the song's cool, effortless, and slightly unsettling vibe. The stark contrast between the heavy rhythm of the verses and chorus and the free, ballad-like rhythm of the bridge before the "Sike" is a crucial element that builds and releases tension, highlighting the song's deceptive and confrontational nature.

Musically, "COPYCAT" is characterized as an electronica and pop track with a significant hip-hop influence. The production, handled by Finneas, is minimalist, featuring a prominent, lurching bass line, piano, and syncopated electronic beats. The tempo is slow and steady at 64 BPM, and the song is in the key of E minor. Eilish's vocal delivery is a key stylistic element. It ranges from quiet, whispery, and ethereal vocals to a more sassy, confrontational, and taunting tone, especially in the chorus. There's a dramatic shift in the bridge where the instrumentation pulls back to a simple piano ballad and her voice becomes soft and apologetic, building to a falsetto before the sharp, spoken-word twist "Sike". This sudden change in dynamics is a recurring technique in her music, creating surprise and emphasizing the song's cynical and mocking nature. Lyrically, the song employs a direct address and a confrontational narrative voice, making the listener feel like a witness to a personal call-out.

"COPYCAT" was released as a single from Billie Eilish's debut EP Don't Smile at Me (2017) and was instrumental in establishing her unique, dark-pop persona. While not her biggest chart-topper, the song performed respectably, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and receiving platinum certifications in countries like Mexico. It became a fan favorite and a key part of her live shows, performed during the "When We All Fall Asleep Tour" (2019) and the "Where Do We Go? World Tour" (2020). The song is often discussed in relation to "idontwannabeyouanymore" from the same EP, as Eilish herself has pointed out their opposing themes—one about someone wanting to be her, and the other about her not wanting to be herself. This duality added depth to her early artistic identity. A well-known remix by Sofi Tukker gave the track a club-ready, disco-influenced vibe, expanding its reach. Critically, the song was praised for its brooding, hip-hop-influenced sound and lyrics that were seen as sophisticated for a then-15-year-old artist.

"COPYCAT" is rich with metaphors that emphasize the theme of originality versus imitation.

• "You got your finger on the trigger, but your trigger finger's mine": This is a powerful metaphor for control. It suggests that while the copycat might seem to be taking action, their every move is dependent on and dictated by the original person.
• "Silver dollar, golden flame / Dirty water, poison rain": Eilish explained this lyric as comparing two similar things where one is a more extreme or degraded version of the other. She sees herself as "dirty water" and the imitator as "poison rain," a copy that's not only unoriginal but also more toxic.
• "You're italic, I'm in bold": This clever typographic metaphor distinguishes between the original and the copy. 'Bold' text stands out and is definitive, while 'italic' is a variation, a slant on the original. Eilish is establishing herself as the primary, more impactful figure.
• "Clone": By directly calling the person a "clone," Eilish strips them of any individuality, reducing them to a mere replica without a mind of their own.

The most significant recurring phrase is the word "Copycat," which appears in the chorus and serves as the central theme and accusation of the song. The repetition of "Copycat trying to cop my manner / Watch your back when you can't watch mine / Copycat trying to cop my glamour / Why so sad, bunny, you can't have mine?" functions as a taunting, memorable hook. The line "Why so sad, bunny, you can't have mine?" is repeated to mock the imitator's futile efforts. Another key recurring element is the feigned apology in the bridge, "Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry, sorry," which is immediately undercut by the word "Sike," a motif of deception that reveals the singer's true lack of remorse. This musical and lyrical motif of building false empathy before shattering it is a powerful tool in the song's emotional arsenal. The juxtaposition of "COPYCAT" with its conceptual opposite on the same EP, "idontwannabeyouanymore," also creates a larger thematic motif across her work, exploring the dichotomy of someone wanting to be her while she struggles with her own self-image.