When No One Else Is Singing Your Song
In continuing the theme of the power of stories and music, I wanted to take a closer look at what a wonderful job the writers of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, created by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, did in blending the two to create entertaining stories and thoughtfully developed characters. Unlike the previous article, this discussion will delve more into spoilers as I examine how each song reflects a character’s growth and current mindset within the story. The songs selected span the course of all four seasons.
West Covina (Reprise)
Songwriters: Rachel Bloom & Jerome Kurtenbach
Performers: Rachel Bloom & Donna Lynne Champlin
Fans of the show may expect the opening version of this song to be selected, and I would completely understand why. It’s a grand spectacle that fully introduces the viewer to Rebecca Bunch’s skewed interpretation of the world around her as she leaves everything behind to pursue happiness in a new town and a new job that just so happens to be where her ex-boyfriend Josh lives.
And a friendship is born…
But for me, the storytelling and musical aspects of the pilot truly clicked during the final number, a quieter, more subdued version of “West Covina.” After spending nearly the entire episode manically tracking down Josh, all while trying to convince herself and everyone else that it’s all just a coincidence, Rebecca begins to lose hope as it seems Josh is never where he’s supposed to be. Add to that the fact that she has to deal with Paula, an overly suspicious paralegal at Rebecca’s new law firm who starts investigating why someone as overqualified as Rebecca would ever choose to work there.
What’s beautiful about this reprise is that Paula is initially set up to be a classic heel, a villain who exists to get in Rebecca’s way. But once she discovers Rebecca’s real reason for moving to West Covina (aka Josh) instead of judging her, Paula is delighted. Better yet, she joins Rebecca in song, adding her own line about how this will become a great story worthy of the best romance movies. Their duet slowly builds, and you can see the joy on Rebecca’s face as she realizes she’s no longer singing alone. Someone has seen her truth and embraced it.
Truly lovely.
You Ruined Everything (You Stupid B****)
Songwriters: Rachel Bloom & Adam Schlesinger
Performer: Rachel Bloom
This powerful ballad comes with the perfect introduction, letting you know that it’s all about self-indulgence and self-loathing. Within the context of the story, Rebecca finds herself caught up in a series of lies and questionable situations after trying to cover up some revealing texts she accidentally sent to Josh (aka “Textmergency,” another fantastic song). It’s the classic lie of, “I broke into your apartment because someone broke into my house and I was scared.”
At first, it seems as though everything will work out. Josh, being the good-natured guy that he is, comes to her rescue and promises to make sure she gets home safely. Rebecca gets a glimpse of what a happy relationship with Josh might look like for a few blissful minutes before he begins piecing together the truth and quickly leaves, feeling uncomfortable.
What follows is Rebecca’s internal monologue presented as a solo concert performance that gives off classic Barbra Streisand vibes as she reflects on how she’s “back here, singing this song...a lot.” It’s powerful, insightful, humorous, and far too relatable for anyone who struggles with healthy self-love. Overall, it highlights how easy it is for Rebecca to internalize blame and convince herself that everything that’s happened is simply part of a pattern bound to repeat itself because she’s doomed to ruin everything.
Love Kernels
Songwriters: Rachel Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, & Jack Dolgen
Performer: Rachel Bloom
As referenced in the previous post, this is one of my favorite songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Moving into the later seasons, we see Rebecca begin to address what happens when she actually “wins.” She’s managed to get the literal guy of her dreams, so everything should be amazing now...right?
Love Kernels explores the reality of what happens when relationships become one-sided, when one person is putting significantly more time and emotional energy into making everything work. Now that she’s with Josh, Rebecca desperately tries to make everything seem perfect, reading into every little detail or passing comment for extra meaning. Or, as she puts it, searching for “those love droplets, each a letter on a page in the novel of our love.”
The production of this song alone is incredible, complete with the meta joke that they blew the entire season’s budget on it. Honestly? I believe it. And honestly? Worth it. The music video is filled with “abstract symbolism” and hilarious lyrics that are both catchy and painfully accurate, all filmed beautifully. More importantly, from a storytelling perspective, it shows Rebecca slowly coming to terms with reality when it no longer aligns with the fantasy she has spent so long creating in her own mind.
You Go First
Songwriters: Rachel Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, & Jack Dolgen
Performers: Rachel Bloom & Donna Lynne Champlin
As mentioned in the West Covina (Reprise) section, one of the most important relationships Rebecca has throughout the series is with Paula, who eventually becomes her best friend, a maternal figure, coworker, and partner in (mostly) harmless crimes. What’s wonderful about the way this relationship is portrayed is how layered it becomes. These two women rely on one another not only for companionship, but also through a deep sense of codependency. Rebecca finally has someone encouraging her infatuation with Josh, while Paula has someone to channel all of her passionate energy into.
Yet cracks eventually begin to form. Paula realizes she’s becoming too invested in Rebecca’s love life and increasingly chaotic adventures, so she starts putting herself and her own career first. In doing so, however, she also becomes more guarded with Rebecca. At the same time, Rebecca expands her own social circle but begins worrying that Paula feels left behind. A rift develops as Paula starts hiding things because she believes Rebecca is too self-absorbed to understand. Meanwhile Rebecca pushes Paula into social situations to prove that nothing has changed and that they can simply continue as they always have, all while feeling increasingly confused by Paula’s distance.
A lack of communication on both sides eventually leads to a public argument, with painful truths revealed in the worst possible way. The result is a fracture in their friendship. For quite some time, the two go their separate ways despite having to regularly interact and constantly referencing one another in their daily lives. “You Go First” perfectly captures the dynamic between two people who desperately miss each other, know they were both wrong, and would gladly apologize...just as soon as the other person takes the first step. And what better way to portray that than through an 80s power ballad channeling Heart, wigs and all?
No One Else Is Singing My Song
Songwriters: Rachel Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, & Jack Dolgen
Performers: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriquez III, Scott Michael Foster, & Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Cast
This one is a little different because, while Rebecca remains the central focus, it also features much of the show’s incredible ensemble cast. At one of the lowest points in her life, Rebecca reaches a place where she believes she has to suffer in order to make amends for everything she has done. Of course, being Rebecca, she approaches that idea in an extreme way that doesn’t actually resolve the deeper issues underneath. Feeling completely alone, depressed, and misunderstood, she begins singing about just how isolating that experience feels.
In parallel scenes, two of her former love interests, Josh and Nathaniel, begin singing as they experience different, yet strangely similar, moments that leave them feeling much the same way Rebecca does. The trio remain physically separate, lamenting in perfect three-part harmony that if only there were someone out there who truly understood what it was like to feel this way.
The song is both beautiful and wonderfully meta, reminding us not to take for granted what someone else might be struggling with. Everyone has their own pain to overcome, but that doesn’t make the loneliness any easier to bear. One of the most powerful moments comes when it’s revealed that the entire “company” is present, able to join in the ever-changing rhythm of the song. It’s meant to feel triumphant as everyone, in their own individual spaces, realizes they are surrounded by people who understand and acknowledge them.
Yet at the center of it all, Rebecca remains isolated, oblivious to the people around her who genuinely care and want to help because she has become so lost in her own loneliness and pain.
It’s heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. And more relatable than I care to admit.
Final Thoughts
There are so many songs I could talk about. Honestly, I had to cut this list down considerably, and many of my personal favorites never even made it onto the page because there are simply so many gems throughout this series.
Instead, I wanted to focus on the songs that I believe best highlight Rebecca’s growth and development as a character as she navigates her sense of self, her purpose, her love life, and her friendships. And yes, I’m aware that I didn’t end with a song from the finale. The real reason is that I still can’t bring myself to spoil it completely.
If there’s one thing Crazy Ex-Girlfriend taught me, it’s that sometimes the most important part of a story isn’t finding the perfect ending. It’s discovering the people who are willing to sing along with you while you figure it out. I encourage you to watch the series and discover your own favorite songs and characters along the way.
Music and stories give us safe spaces to explore themes of grief, isolation, and other mental health struggles, but sometimes those emotions reach beyond the screen. If you’re currently struggling, please know that you’re not alone. Resources like Good Grief and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) can provide support.
Images are used under fair use for commentary and analysis. All copyrights remain with their original owners.
