She Thought She Could Fly: My In Depth Look At Tate McRae’s Debut Album

Tate McRae is one of those rare artists we get nowadays with really emotional and impactful lyrics, and her debut album from 2022 really demonstrates that. She is popular for some hits like, “Just Keep Watching,”  “It’s Ok I’m Ok,” and “You Broke Me First.” Tate released music years before her album “I Used To Think I Could Fly” including the extended plays, “all the things I never said” and “TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD”. Over the years I have really enjoyed her music especially during my high school years because I was relating to it at the time. I will review this album and rank 1-12 based on my favorites; I will also add my favorite lyric at the end. 

(I will be excluding “?” because it is just an intro and not really a song on the album.)

1. What Would You Do?- Pertaining the beat and lyrics, this tune is very much a stand out for me. McRae speaks on how she feels that if she were to do the same thing to her ex, how he treated her, wouldn’t like it. I completely agree with that; nobody really notices that when they are hurting someone else they would not want to feel that back until they get it. “If I gave back all the pain you put me through; What would you do?”

2. You’re So Cool- This tune is such a kick in the face to her haters and exes; Tate expresses that her ex/haters are “so cool” for thinking they are better than her and especially after a relationship. Many people feel this way and I definitely have once or twice. “Bet if you could, you would go on a date with yourself.” 

3. Go Away- This was a song I really related to in high school; when you're in high school you feel really alone and this song made me feel the opposite. When Tate said “I should be on the top of the world, but I’m not feeling much”, it hit my 18 year old soul and opened my eyes. My favorite thing about this song is that she expresses that she has feelings like everyone else. This song is about how an ex never leaves her mind, which was really how I was feeling at the time. 

4. Feel Like Sh+t- This song is basically expressing that she tries all these different things to forget about her ex-man but she can’t do anything about it and basically feels terrible about it. Perfect song for a breakup in my experience. “Really thought I was done with the hardest part; When I pulled myself outta your arms.”

5. Don’t Come Back- Don’t Come Back is basically about how Tate is telling whether it’s an ex-lover or ex-friend that she does not want to see them back in her life after they see her fame and that she has a better life now thinking they could get in the middle of it. “If I’m not enough for you honestly; I hope you don’t come back.”

6. Hate Myself- This song is about when she gets into a relationship or friendship she tends to self-sabotage it so she won’t get hurt at the end of the day. I know how that one feels. “I can say things I don’t always mean; When people get too close to me.” 

7. I’m So Gone- I’m So Gone is about how Tate knows that her exes are going to come back to her now that she is famous, similar to Don’t Come Back, but she is saying how she won’t be there and is “so gone”. “Don’t think you’re gonna get a second try.”

8. Chaotic- Chaotic is about how she feels like growing up in this day in age with social media, breakups, and everything else a teenager has to endure is too much and has taken a toll on her. I’m sure many teens nowadays feel like that. I know I did. “I’m trying my best here, to be brutally honest.”

9. I Still Say Goodnight- This is a song for anyone who has had a relationship ended by one little thing. Some people when they are in relationships have something consistent like a goodnight text and when that ends, they know it’s over. That is the basis of the song. But at the end of the day Tate still says goodnight even if it’s over because she misses it. “You stopped saying goodnight; That was the first sign you were letting go.” 

10. She’s All I Wanna Be- This tune might seem like it's about jealousy, but it is really about she wants to be more like someone the guy she likes would also like. Fun fact this was one of the biggest summer songs of 2022. “Stupid boy making me so sad.”

11. Boy X- After only having one listen to it, this song isn’t half bad. I thought I would not like it based on the title but it has an interesting meaning. The X is an unknown male she had in her past and she is basically asking him to not hurt his next girl like he did her. “Tell me you won’t treat her like you did me and you.”

12. What’s Your Problem?- As this is the last song I will be rating and reviewing, and technically it was not originally on the physical or digital album. What’s Your Problem’s premise is a story about Tate wondering why after all the stuff that went down in a relationship, her ex has the right to come back and be mean. “You made me hate myself so I would love you more.” 

Even though there are some songs I do not like, the personal experience with the album is more important than how good the songs are. Tate McRae is one of those artists everyone needs when they are going through a hard time and hope everyone will give this album, and her tunes a listen. 

My rating: