Pacify Her

"Pacify Her" is a song from Melanie Martinez's debut album, Cry Baby, which tells the story of the titular character. In this particular chapter of Cry Baby's story, she has become jaded and cynical about love. The song explores themes of jealousy, possessiveness, and the competitive nature of romantic pursuit from a skewed perspective. Cry Baby desires a boy who is already in a relationship and tries to convince him to leave his girlfriend for her. The term "pacify her" is a double entendre, on one level meaning to appease or calm the other girl, but also infantilizing her by comparing her to a baby who needs a pacifier. Martinez has explained that at this point in the album's narrative, Cry Baby has become a 'homewrecker' and is toying with the boy's affections not out of genuine love, but for the thrill of the game and a sense of power. This behavior may stem from her past traumas and her father's own infidelities, as depicted earlier in the album. The song captures the moment Cry Baby embraces a more aggressive and manipulative side of her personality.

The song's narrative unfolds from the perspective of a character, Cry Baby, who observes a boy she desires, referred to as 'Blue Boy,' in a seemingly unhappy relationship with another girl, whom she dismissively calls 'basic.' Cry Baby sees the boy as tired and emotionally drained from his current relationship. She waits for the moment his girlfriend leaves to make her move, asserting her belief that she can 'take her man.'

There's an internal conflict acknowledged by Cry Baby, a whisper of societal norms suggesting she should 'stay away from things that aren't yours.' However, she quickly dismisses this, justifying her actions with the rhetorical question, 'But was he yours, if he wanted me so bad?' This line becomes a central justification for her subsequent actions. The chorus is a direct and repetitive plea to the boy: 'Pacify her, she's getting on my nerves. You don't love her, stop lying with those words.' Here, 'pacify' is a loaded term, suggesting the other girl is childish and needs to be quieted, like a baby with a pacifier. Cry Baby is convinced the boy's affirmations of love for his girlfriend are lies.

The second verse continues to belittle the other girl. Cry Baby can't stand her 'whining' and mockingly asks, 'Where's her binky now?' She perceives the act of loving this other girl as 'tiring' and offers herself as a more desirable alternative, urging the boy to 'just love me, down, down, down.' The pre-chorus and chorus repeat, reinforcing Cry Baby's obsessive and determined mindset. The song portrays a character who, having become numb to the idea of genuine love, engages in the game of seduction for the sake of it, embracing the role of a 'homewrecker' without remorse. The story culminates in a sense of frustration and desperate desire, where Cry Baby's jealousy and perceived entitlement drive her to disrupt an existing relationship, convinced that she is the rightful object of the boy's affection, even if she doesn't truly love him herself.

"Pacify Her" is the eleventh track on Melanie Martinez's debut studio album, Cry Baby, which was released on August 14, 2015, through Atlantic Records. The song was written by Melanie Martinez, Chloe Angelides, and Michael Keenan, with Keenan also handling the production. Snippets of the song were released by Martinez on her Instagram in the summer and fall of 2014, generating anticipation among her fanbase. The official music video for "Pacify Her" was conceived and directed by Melanie Martinez herself and was released on November 15, 2016. In the video, Martinez plays both the characters of Cry Baby and the antagonist, the 'basic bitch', an idea suggested by a friend. The album Cry Baby is a concept album, with each song representing a chapter in the life of the character Cry Baby, a fantastical version of Martinez. "Pacify Her" represents a point in the narrative where Cry Baby becomes more assertive and even destructive in her relationships, a direct consequence of the traumatic events she has endured.

The rhyme scheme in "Pacify Her" is relatively straightforward, primarily utilizing couplets (AABB) in the verses, which contributes to its nursery rhyme-like quality. For example, "Tired, blue boy walks my way / Holding a girl's hand / That basic bitch leaves finally / Now I can take her man" shows a loose AABB structure. The pre-chorus and chorus employ more direct rhymes, such as "nerves" and "words", which makes the central message more impactful and memorable. The song employs perfect rhymes as well as near rhymes to maintain a natural flow. The rhythm of the song is built on a mid-tempo, synth-driven beat with elements of trap music, which provides a modern and slightly edgy feel. The lyrical rhythm is often conversational in the verses, contrasting with the more insistent and repetitive rhythm of the chorus. This interplay between the laid-back verses and the more rhythmically driven chorus mirrors the song's emotional arc from observation to confrontation.

"Pacify Her" utilizes a blend of musical and literary techniques to create its distinctive dark-pop, childlike aesthetic.

• Musical Style: The song is rooted in alternative pop and electropop, characterized by its use of synths, a prominent bassline, and hip-hop-inspired beats. A key feature is the integration of nostalgic, childlike sounds, such as those from a music box or toys, which creates a stark contrast with the mature and aggressive lyrical themes. This juxtaposition is a hallmark of Martinez's style, creating an unsettling, 'haunted carnival-esque' atmosphere.
• Vocal Delivery: Martinez's vocal performance shifts between a soft, breathy, almost cooing tone in the verses and a more assertive, strained, and emotionally charged delivery in the chorus. This dynamic vocal range reflects Cry Baby's internal state, moving from seductive whispers to overt demands.
• Wordplay and Double Entendre: The title itself, "Pacify Her," is a clever play on the word "pacifier," which is central to the song's theme of infantilizing the rival.
• Narrative Perspective: The song is told from the first-person perspective of Cry Baby, allowing the listener direct access to her jealous and manipulative thoughts. This unreliable narrator creates a sense of unease and moral ambiguity.
• Rhetorical Questions: The line, "But was he yours, if he wanted me so bad?" is a powerful rhetorical question that serves as Cry Baby's primary justification for her actions, challenging conventional ideas of ownership in relationships.

"Pacify Her" is a fan-favorite track from Melanie Martinez's highly successful debut album, Cry Baby, which was certified double-platinum in the United States. While not released as an official single, the song has gained significant popularity through streaming and social media platforms like TikTok. As of mid-2025, the song has amassed hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify. The music video, which Martinez directed, has also been widely viewed and is a key component of the visual storytelling of the Cry Baby album. On September 19, 2017, "Pacify Her" was officially certified Gold by the RIAA, signifying 500,000 units sold in the US. The song, and the album as a whole, solidified Martinez's unique 'cry baby' aesthetic, a blend of childlike innocence and dark, mature themes, which has influenced a wave of alternative pop artists. The song is often discussed and analyzed by fans in the context of the larger narrative of the Cry Baby universe.

"Pacify Her" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that align with the album's overarching childhood theme.

• Pacifier/Binky: The central metaphor of the song is the pacifier, or 'binky'. It's used to infantilize the rival girlfriend, portraying her as a whining, helpless baby who needs to be quieted. This imagery strips the rival of her maturity and power in the eyes of Cry Baby and, she hopes, in the eyes of the 'Blue Boy'.
• Blue Boy: The object of Cry Baby's affection is named 'Blue Boy'. This is likely a reference to the nursery rhyme 'Little Boy Blue', who is often depicted as tired or asleep, which aligns with the lyric "Tired, blue boy walks my way". The color blue also symbolizes his sadness and melancholy within his current relationship.
• Game-Playing: The lyrics and music video frame the romantic conflict as a children's game. In the video, the characters are seen playing a board game, symbolizing the strategic and competitive nature of their love triangle. Cry Baby's actions are described as 'just playing a game', which highlights her emotional detachment and manipulative intent.
• Detachable Head: In the music video, Cry Baby literally detaches her head to get the Blue Boy's attention, which makes him laugh. This surreal and slightly grotesque act can be interpreted as her willingness to do anything, no matter how bizarre or self-detrimental, to win his affection and 'win' the game.

The most significant recurring phrase in the song is the chorus itself: "Pacify her / She's getting on my nerves / You don't love her / Stop lying with those words." Its repetition throughout the song acts as Cry Baby's insistent and obsessive mantra. It's not just a chorus but a direct command to the 'Blue Boy,' emphasizing her frustration and determination. Another key recurring line is the pre-chorus: "Someone told me stay away from things that aren't yours / But was he yours if he wanted me so bad?". This line is crucial as it encapsulates Cry Baby's moral justification for her actions, and its repetition highlights her internal rationalization. The phrase 'Blue Boy' is a recurring motif not only in this song but also in Martinez's later work, K-12, representing a specific male archetype. The theme of infantilization, through references to 'binkies' and 'whining', is a recurring motif that reinforces the song's central power dynamic.