hostage

by Billie Eilish

A whispery, minimalist vocal performance over a slow, haunting melody creates an unsettling portrait of obsessive and possessive love.
Release Date December 22, 2017
Duration 03:49
Album dont smile at me
Language EN

Emotions

anger
bittersweet
calm
excitement
fear
hope
joy
longing
love
nostalgia
sadness
sensual
tension
triumph

Mood

positive
negative
neutral
mixed

Song Analysis for hostage

"Hostage" delves into the darker, more unsettling aspects of love, exploring the fine line between intense affection and problematic obsession. The song portrays a love that is so consuming it becomes possessive and controlling. Billie Eilish, as the narrator, expresses a desire to not just be with her lover, but to completely own them, as articulated in the opening lines: "I wanna be alone / Alone with you, does that make sense? / I wanna steal your soul / And hide you in my treasure chest". This isn't a sweet, romantic sentiment; it's a confession of a desire for absolute control. The title itself is the central metaphor, framing the relationship as a capture. The plea, "Just let me hold you like a hostage," is a stark and disturbing admission of wanting to trap her partner, removing their free will for the sake of her own emotional security. The song also touches on themes of emotional vulnerability and the fear of loss, suggesting that this possessiveness stems from an unhealthy attachment and the idea that love is pain ("Gold's fake and real love hurts"). Eilish herself described the song as exploring the unhealthy side of love, about feeling you can't be without someone and can't bear to see them with anyone else.

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Most Frequently Used Words in This Song

let like gold chain hold hostage crawl inside veins build wall give ball mean wanted fingertips shirt hurts alone against cheek leaf across lips kiss until speak beneath wear home

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this song

Song Discussion - hostage by Billie Eilish

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