Goodman's Album Analysis: Mitski and The Ever Changing Views on Love
If Mitski can't stop herself from going back, how could you? by Alexandria Goodman B’29published February 4th, 2026
If Mitski can't stop herself from going back, how could you? by Alexandria Goodman B’29published February 4th, 2026
Over this winter break, as an early commitment to my New Year’s goal of listening to a new album each week, I revisited Mitski’s third studio album: bury me at make out creek. Although familiar with two songs from this album, I never listened to the entire 30 minutes and 18 seconds of music.
To my surprise, the title of bury me at make out creek didn’t originate from her imagination or an obscure movie, but rather from Faith Off – episode 11, season 11 of The Simpsons. In the episode, Bart convinces himself that he is a faith healer – defined by Cambridge Dictionary as “a person who cures sick people by using the power of prayer and belief”. During a church service, he proves his ability by “curing” audience members’ ailments. One of these audience members is Millhouse, whose poor eyesight is healed when Bart simply disposes of his glasses. Due to his new look, Millhouse receives an invitation to “ makeout creek” but is unfortunately hit by an oncoming truck before he can go. As he dies, although it is later revealed he only sustained minor injuries, he says the following to Bart: “bury me at make out creek.”
In the opening song of the album, “Texas Reznikoff,” expresses her wish to run away with her lover. In “Townie,” the song following “Texas Reznikoff,” Mitski goes to a party with her friends. In this track, she says she wants a “love that falls as fast as a body from the balcony” and “kiss like my heart is hitting the ground”. Mitski dreams about an all-consuming love that would whisk her away from her problems. However, in the second verse, she doesn’t find a lover who can save her, but rather someone more concerned with fulfilling their sexual desires. In an attempt to find a deep, intimate connection that she wishes for, Mitski gives in to these desires – abandoning the unconditional love she once hoped for.
When asked about the story behind “First Love/Late Spring,” the third song of the album, Mitski said, “ I was experiencing the kind of vulnerable first love, and experiencing that kind of love [that makes] you realize how much of a weenie you are. I felt like I was in love for the first time when I was writing that song, and like a kid”. While a first love is seen as something pure and innocent, Mitski couples it with the season of late spring – a transitional period to the hot summer months. The love between Mitski and her partner is no longer idealized and innocent, but is exposed to the realities of adulthood. In this track, Mitski portrays the relationship as dysfunctional, as she seems completely dedicated to her lover. To listeners, it seems like she found the partner she was looking for, but the relationship ended on bad terms. However, even though she knows she shouldn’t be, Mitski still is attached to her lover. The romance between Mitski and her partner was toxic and co-dependent, but it was also her first love, which cements it in her heart. It holds such emotional importance in her life that she is willing to return to it to be with her lover once more.
Photo courtesy of Dune Entertainment
In “Francis Forever”, which happens to be my favorite song on the album, Mitski talks about her failed relationship with her partner. It soon becomes clear that she doesn’t know how to move on with her life. This song continues the seasonal motif established in “First Love/Late Spring,” as Mitski is forced into the autumn season while she still wants to exist in summer. Some listeners might connect this lyric to the movie 500 Days of Summer, where the main character has a whirlwind romance with his coworker named Summer. The next song is I Don’t Smoke and in this track, it is confirmed that her previous relationship was toxic. Mitski used the vice of smoking as a metaphor for her relationship, where she admits that it's wrong for her well-being, but she can’t bring herself to stop going back.
In the next four songs of the album, “Jobless Monday,” “Drunk Walk Home,” “I Will,” and “Carry Me Out,” Mitski tries to reconcile with her partner and convince them that she will look out for their best interest. In the last song of the album, Last Wish of Shooting Star, listeners find Mitski on a turbulent plane that might crash. She reflects on her life and her relationship with her partner, concluding that they never truly cared for her. In her seemingly last moments, she seems to understand that while she wanted unconditional love, her partner only used her for their own desires.
In this album, Mitski struggles to place her own needs above those of her partner. She knows she craves a deep connection, a love that would whisk her away, and yet she continues to engage with someone who either can’t or won’t fulfill her wish. Her ideas of an ideal first love slowly become less attainable as she finds herself more enamoured with her unavailable partner. Ultimately, it explores the struggle with realizing that you are outgrowing your ideas of love and romance.