"when the party's over" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Billie Eilish | ||||
from the album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? | ||||
Released | October 17, 2018 | |||
Length | 3:16 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) | Finneas O'Connell | |||
Producer(s) | Finneas O'Connell | |||
Billie Eilish singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"When the Party's Over" on YouTube |
"When the Party's Over" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the second single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on October 17, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It was written and produced by Finneas O'Connell.
The concept behind "When the Party's Over" was inspired after Finneas O'Connell, Eilish's brother, had left his date's house "kind of for no reason" and was driving home alone late at night, simultaneously unhappy at the end of the relationship but also feeling a sense of safety through a lack of full investment in it. [1] O'Connell later approached Eilish with a draft of the track, [2] and they decided to perform it live a year before it was released, which O'Connell later recalled was "such a terrible idea" as he feared that fans would deem the studio recording inferior to the live version. [3] They consequently set out to "get the magic" of a live performance "into a space where it's still interesting to record," a process which O'Connell described as "really hard" due to the song's delicate nature. [3]
Eilish and O'Connell decided that the track would be "almost entirely" vocal, utilizing only sub-bass and acoustic piano as additional instruments; this made it "super challenging" to keep each measure interesting. [4] The song required approximately 100 vocal tracks, which included the stacking of layers on each part of the harmony as well as "weird processed adlibs," [4] while Eilish recorded over 90 takes of the song's first word "don't" to obtain the right sound. [5] The influence of choral music on the song was informed by the siblings' experience singing in a choir during their childhood, and Eilish disclosed that it was also inspired by the songs "Stand Still" (2017) by Sabrina Claudio, "715 - CRΣΣKS" (2016) by Bon Iver and "Hide and Seek" (2005) by Imogen Heap. [6]
"When the Party's Over" is a bare-bones piano ballad [7] [8] that acts as a departure from the electro and R&B beats of her earlier output. [9] Music publications have noted its hymnal-like qualities and use of bass, as well as its minimal instrumentation, which spotlight Eilish's vocal abilities. [7] [10] [8] Rolling Stone editor Ryan Reed highlighted the track's "atmospheric vocal harmonies," [11] use of vocoder and Eilish's use of her high vocal register, while Nicole Engelman of Billboard wrote of the "angelic hums" that accompany the singer, whose voice "[swells] up from a whisper." [12] Chris DeVille of Stereogum compared the song to the work of Imogen Heap and Lana Del Rey. [10] Musicnotes published this song in a 3
4 time signature with a tempo of 124 beats per minute in the key of C♯ minor, with Eilish's vocal range between the notes of E3 and E5. [13]
Eilish has described the song as "kind of a sequel" to her single "Party Favor" (2018), documenting when "you're on the phone with someone and you can't hear them, they can't hear you, it's loud, they're mad at you for some reason" and consequently thinking: "You know what? Fucking leave me alone." [14] It discusses the end of a relationship, a common subject matter in the Eilish's previous work, with the singer wishing to be "more than a party of one;" [12] [15] Suzy Exposito of Rolling Stone described it as one of the more sincere songs off her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), [15] while Reed wrote that "each verse [grows] more mournful" as the song progresses [11] It opens with a sample of Eilish's debut single "Ocean Eyes" (2016), which Sean Ward of The Line of Best Fit argued demonstrated an "understanding of her own artistry." [16] No instruments accompany the vocals until the first chorus a minute into the track, where sub-bass is introduced. [4]
"When the Party's Over" was met with critical acclaim. Suzy Exposito of Rolling Stone wrote that the track is one of the moments off When We All Fall Asleep where "Eilish can't help but draw back the curtain [...] and let you in." [15] Similarly, Sputnikmusic reviewer SowingSeason called it one of the "still frame moments when she allows herself to be heard not as the cynical teenage pop star, but rather as Billie the seventeen-year-old girl who's going through all the same things you are;" they also commended her "mesmerizing whispers and hums." [7] Billboard's Nicole Engelman praised the "haunting" song's "sharply insightful" lyrics, which she argued, "demonstrate a maturity well beyond her 16 years of age." [12] Pitchfork editor Stacey Anderson commended the singer's vocal performance, [8] while Grant Rindner of Uproxx considered that the single proved "that she has one of the most arresting voices in pop." [17] Tanis Smither of Earmilk praised the song as "heart-wrenching," writing that it "somehow manages to maintain her brand of ballsy production and delicate, dreamy vocal." [18] The Austin Chronicle 's Alejandra Ramirez wrote that the song was one of the moments where Eilish "flips the LP's most archetypal pop moments on their head." [19] Christopher Thiessen listed it as one of the album's standout tracks in his review for Consequence of Sound . [20] Insider placed it at number 4 on their list of Eilish's best songs on March 18, 2020, with Callie Ahlgrim describing it as "perfect blend of Eilish's fluttery, melancholic vocals and O'Connell's empathetic songwriting abilities." [21]
The music video was released on October 25, 2018. The video starts with a blue-haired Eilish sitting in a white room, before gulping down a cup filled with black liquid. Black tears start flowing down her cheeks, staining her outfit in the process. Towards the end of the video, the camera pans downwards, revealing that the black liquid started to stain the floor. Many have recognized the similarity between the black tears of the music video and the alternative cover of Lady Gaga's EP The Fame Monster , but Eilish claims that her inspiration for the video came from a fan art of a drawing of her with black eyes leaking. "I thought it was visually really dope and I wanted to physically create it." [22] It was directed by Carlos López Estrada. [23] The music video was created without special effects as Eilish had tubes taped into the corner of her eyes where the black liquid would flow out of, giving the illusion of black tears. She later interacts with the tears, wiping them across her face and they drip down. Eilish said she wanted to "physically create" this drawing she was given and this is how she did it. The music video was uploaded to Eilish's YouTube channel through Vevo and has gained more than 933 million views as of May 2024.
Credits adapted from Tidal. [24]
Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Norway GAFFA Awards | Best Foreign Song | Nominated | [25] |
2019 | Clio Awards | Music Videos | Gold | [26] |
MTV Video Music Awards | Best Visual Effects | Nominated | [27] | |
UK Music Video Awards | Best Pop Video – International | Nominated | [28] |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [82] | 9× Platinum | 630,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [83] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [84] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [85] | 3× Diamond | 480,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [86] | 4× Platinum | 320,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [87] | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [88] | Diamond | 333,333‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [89] | Platinum | 400,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [90] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [91] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [92] | 3× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [93] | 4× Platinum | 200,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [94] | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [95] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [96] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [97] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Sweden (GLF) [98] | 3× Platinum | 24,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | October 17, 2018 |
| [99] | |
United States | February 26, 2019 | Contemporary hit radio | [100] |
English alternative metal collective Sleep Token covered the song on the deluxe version of their 2019 album Sundowning .
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi recorded a cover for his Spotify Singles EP. [101]
English singer, songwriter, and producer James Blake released a cover of this song as a part of his Covers - EP released in 2020.
Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj sampled the song in her track "Are You Gone Already?" from her 2023 album Pink Friday 2 .
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [82] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Bellyache" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). The song was released as the EP's second single on February 24, 2017, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It was written by Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, with production being handled by the latter. A midtempo electropop, R&B, and alternative hip hop song, it has hip hop, deep house and Latin macabre influences. Lyrically, the song is written from the perspective of a psychopathic murderer. A remix by Marian Hill was released on May 5, 2017. The song received mainly positive reviews from music critics, several of whom praised the production and lyrics.
"Ocean Eyes" is a single by American singer Billie Eilish and was released as the lead single from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me, and the soundtrack album to the film Everything, Everything (2018). The song was written and produced by Eilish's older brother, Finneas O'Connell, and was originally written for his band. Finneas gave the song to Eilish for her dance performance after realizing the song suited her vocals. It was originally released on SoundCloud on November 18, 2015, but was later re-released commercially on November 18, 2016, as a single through Darkroom and Interscope Records.
"Watch" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP Don't Smile at Me (2017). Written and produced by Eilish's brother Finneas O'Connell, the song was released for digital download and streaming through Darkroom and Interscope Records on June 29, 2017, as the third single from the EP.
"Lovely" is a song by American singers Billie Eilish and Khalid. Darkroom and Interscope Records released it as the lead single from the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why's second season soundtrack. The artists wrote the song with Eilish's brother and producer Finneas O'Connell. The song has been described as a chamber pop ballad whose lyrics recount Eilish and Khalid trying to overcome serious depression together. The song also appears on the expanded version of Eilish's EP Don't Smile at Me.
"You Should See Me in a Crown" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the lead single of her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on July 18, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. It was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the track. The song received positive reviews and charted in countries including the US, Canada and Australia.
"Idontwannabeyouanymore" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, co-wrote the song, with the latter solely handling the production. It was released through Darkroom and Interscope Records on July 21, 2017, as the fifth single from the EP. Musically, the song is pop and R&B track with a jazz and neo soul-influenced melody, that was heavily inspired by Eilish being depressed.
"Party Favor" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut studio EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). The song was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records on a 7-inch vinyl as the seventh and final single from the EP on Record Store Day, along with a cover of "Hotline Bling". It was written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, with the latter solely handling the song's production.
"Come Out and Play" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It was released for digital download and streaming as a single on November 20, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell. A lullaby-influenced midtempo pop ballad, Eilish's lyrics within the song address several topics, including her attempting to beg a friend to no longer hide away. The song was released alongside a festive commercial for technology company Apple, for which it is used as the soundtrack. Eilish included the song in the Japanese edition of her debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019).
"When I Was Older" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish from the soundtrack album to the film Roma (2018). It was released as a single by Sony Masterworks on January 9, 2019. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell. "When I Was Older", an electronic track with lullaby-influenced instrumentation, has lyrics heavily inspired by the film's plot. The song was later included as a deluxe track on Eilish's debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019).
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It was released on March 29, 2019, by Darkroom and Interscope Records in the US and Polydor Records in the UK. Eilish, aged 17 at the time of release, largely wrote the album with her brother Finneas O'Connell, who produced it at his small bedroom studio in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
"Bury a Friend" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the third single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on January 30, 2019, and serviced to US alternative radio stations on February 19, 2019, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. The song was described as synth-pop, electronica, electropop and industrial in press reviews, for which hip hop beats, percussion, and a synthesizer provide minimalist instrumentation. Within the dark and violent lyrics, Eilish sings from the perspective of a monster under someone's bed. Her vocals are subtle and treated with layers of vocal effects. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, Finneas O'Connell.
"Xanny" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish. The song is the first promotional single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). The singer and her brother Finneas O'Connell co-wrote it, whilst the latter handled its production. Musically, it was described as a mid-tempo and jazz-influenced pop ballad. Eilish recalled being inspired by several artists during the track's creation, most notably by Frank Sinatra. Productionwise, her distorted falsetto vocals are prominently layered over a similarly deformed bass in the drop of "Xanny", replicating the feeling of secondhand smoke. Lyrically, Eilish addresses substance abuse among teenagers; she was specifically inspired by the negative effects it had on her friends and ultimately on her.
"Wish You Were Gay" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the fourth single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on March 4, 2019, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote "Wish You Were Gay" with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell, when she was 14 years old. A classic pop song, it incorporates an acoustic guitar, a sound of cracking knuckles as percussion, canned laughter, and applause from an audience. In the lyrics, she seeks a reason for why a male love interest does not like her back; she hopes that he may be attracted only to men.
"My Strange Addiction" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was written by her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced the song. The song has been certified platinum in the US and Canada and has reached number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number 12 in Australia, 21 in Canada and New Zealand, 39 in Ireland and Norway, 46 in Sweden, 51 in the Netherlands and at 100 in Italy.
"I Love You" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). Eilish co-wrote the song with her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also handled production. As the 13th track on the album, "I Love You" is an acoustic guitar-based ballad accompanied by various plane-related noises, where Eilish's lyrics describe the resistance to falling in love with someone.
"Bored" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish from the soundtrack album, 13 Reasons Why (2017). The song was written by Eilish, her brother Finneas O'Connell, Aron Forbes, and Tim Anderson. Production was solely handled by Finneas. It was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records for digital download and streaming on March 30, 2017, as the lead single from the soundtrack. A mid-tempo pop ballad, the song's lyrics see Eilish sing about finally discovering her former lover's mistakes. The song has received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with a number of them deeming it as forgettable.
"All the Good Girls Go to Hell" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the sixth single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). It was released on September 6, 2019, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. A pop track, "All the Good Girls Go to Hell" sees Eilish sing about climate change. She wrote the song with its producer, Finneas O'Connell.
"Everything I Wanted" is a song by American singer and songwriter Billie Eilish, and co-written by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, who also produced it. Darkroom and Interscope Records released the track as a standalone single on November 15, 2019, and later added it to the deluxe edition of Eilish's debut studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) in December that year. It is a house and electronica-influenced pop and alternative pop track with minimal piano and downtempo bass guitar instrumentation. Inspired by a nightmare she experienced, the song is about Eilish's strong relationship with O'Connell and his protectiveness of her from harm.
"Hostage" is a song by American singer Billie Eilish from her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017). The singer and her brother Finneas O'Connell co-wrote the song, while the latter solely handled production. The song is a stripped-down pop track. Lyrically, it is about the intense love and an overwhelming desire to possess that Eilish feels for her romantic partner.
"Ilomilo" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and the seventh, and final single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). The song was released to Italian contemporary hit radio stations on April 10, 2020, by Universal Music Group, and to US alternative radio on May 26, 2020, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Musically an electropop, electronic, and industrial track with ska-influenced instrumentation, the song was heavily inspired by the puzzle video game of the same name. The track also references "Bury a Friend", its predecessor on the album track list. Eilish wrote the song with her producer, Finneas O'Connell.