"NYMPHOLOGY" is a song by Melanie Martinez that is featured as the eleventh track on her third studio album, PORTALS.
The full song was first played exclusively at a streaming party prior to release on March 23, 2023. It was officially released as part of the standard version of PORTALS on March 31, 2023.
Background[]
This song was originally written with CJ Baran and Nick Long. The song was confirmed as the eleventh track on PORTALS on March 16, 2023, through Melanie's social media.[1] The song's lyrics were revealed on March 30, 2023, in Melanie's official website.
Amulet[]
The interlude at the end of the song was revealed to be called "Amulet", produced by her ex-partner, Verde. She stated that Verde was cleaning out his computer, when a random track made years ago started playing, she loved it so much that she started writing lyrics over it. Although writing a full song was difficult, one day in the studio she suggested that "Amulet" could be an interlude jointed at the end of a song, which end up being "NYMPHOLOGY", because the last note of it was the same note as the first note of "Amulet".
Theme[]
In an interview with Apple Music, Melanie revealed the theme of the song:
I wanted it to be bratty and a commentary piece on the box a lot of men put femme presenting people in when they call us names like "manic pixie dream girl." Being forced to play the role of mom & healer, while they gaslight you & call you crazy the minute you communicate how you feel.
Melanie Martinez
The song is about the repression of femininity. Nymphs are mystical beings that are highly feminine, ranging from sirens to fairies. This song is a way of saying that change is something we as a society need, and we especially need a change in how we accept the feminine. These people who are demonizing her don't even take the time to understand who or what she is, but instead repress her for her feminine attributes, and because of the way she's being treated, she is treating the people repressing her with the same disrespect, spelling out the word "nymphology", as well as telling that person the difference between being feminine and being psychologically broken. She addresses how women's deaths are often turned into more of a spectacle than a human life's end, by comparing it to something being auctioned at Sotheby's, a company that auctions off fine arts.
This song is a part of a series of tracks on the album which Melanie calls as "Conflict Songs". This song along with "LEECHES", "BATTLE OF THE LARYNX", "THE CONTORTIONIST", "MOON CYCLE" and "EVIL" as well as presumably "POWDER" and "MILK OF THE SIREN" are the conflict songs that Melanie intentionally added on PORTALS. These songs are about conflict on Earth. According to Melanie on her Apple Music interview:
"People describe a lot of the after-life to be like a school of sorts, projecting into past lifetimes with people they keep incarnating with, to put themselves in each other's shoes. Showing how they could've best dealt with conflict on earth for next time. These next few songs are about conflict on earth. I'd like to think we all plan these moments together prior to coming here, triggering each other to evolve."
Melanie Martinez
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Call me your nymph
Praise me for martyr, praise me for sins
Call me your muse
A sprite or an elf, you cry to then use
[Pre-chorus]
I will not suffer, ah-ah
Cry under covers, ah-ah
I'm not your mother, ah-ah
Ah-ah
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Post-chorus]
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Verse 2]
I'm not fiction, I'm not fae, I won't lick your wounds today
But I'll throw you in the ring, gift you with my suffering
I'm not crazy, I'm not wild, you're just stupid, little child
Get your image off my back, I'll give you a heart attack
[Pre-chorus]
I will not suffer, ah-ah
Cry under covers, ah-ah
I'm not your mother, ah-ah
Ah-ah
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Post-chorus]
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Bridge]
Don't treat me that way, yeah
You're acting like a wannabe
I won't be ashamed, yeah
For loving you so honestly
You're in a spell and it worked
And I'm returning the hurt
I'm kicking your ass out
Flutter my wings while I pout
Push your penis into your mouth
I'll make you choke on your doubt
Cut you off, watch you die
Just a fairy with a knife
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Outro]
Call me your nymph
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
Call me your nymph
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Interlude]
Diamonds and rubies, the star in all the movies
Wears me out, big pockets, I am her favorite locket
Keeps them drooling
The semi-precious stones, ain't as cold and they're curious
Where did I get refined, get my cuts and my polishes?
I am too many karats for your budget, ask the jeweler
Your boyfriend tried me on, wore me out, made him cooler
Like Moldavite or Emeralds from Colombian Andes
It will be the brightest, the brightest green you've ever seen
Ancient and it's protective and expensive rarity
So rare it is offensive, I think you will agree
[Verse 1]
Call me your nymph
Praise me for martyr, praise me for sins
Call me your muse
A sprite or an elf, you cry to then use
[Pre-chorus]
I will not suffer, ah-ah
Cry under covers, ah-ah
I'm not your mother, ah-ah
Ah-ah
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Post-chorus]
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Verse 2]
I'm not fiction, I'm not fae, I won't lick your wounds today
But I'll throw you in the ring, gift you with my suffering
I'm not crazy, I'm not wild, you're just stupid, little child
Get your image off my back, I'll give you a heart attack
[Pre-chorus]
I will not suffer, ah-ah
Cry under covers, ah-ah
I'm not your mother, ah-ah
Ah-ah
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Post-chorus]
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Bridge]
Don't treat me that way, yeah
You're acting like a wannabe
I won't be ashamed, yeah
For loving you so honestly
You're in a spell and it worked
And I'm returning the hurt
I'm kicking your ass out
Flutter my wings while I pout
Push your penis into your mouth
I'll make you choke on your doubt
Cut you off, watch you die
Just a fairy with a knife
[Chorus]
It's nymphology, not psychology
Be the manic pixie dream girl that you fucking oughta be
Damaged oddity, bought by Sotheby's
Auctioned to a selfish man who thinks that he's the prophecy
[Outro]
Call me your nymph
You can't even spell but you're an “expert” in nymphology
Call me your nymph
N-Y-M-P-H-O-L-O-G-Y, that's nymphology
[Interlude]
Diamonds and rubies, the star in all the movies
Wears me out, big pockets, I am her favorite locket
Keeps them drooling
The semi-precious stones, ain't as cold and they're curious
Where did I get refined, get my cuts and my polishes?
I am too many karats for your budget, ask the jeweler
Your boyfriend tried me on, wore me out, made him cooler
Like Moldavite or Emeralds from Colombian Andes
It will be the brightest, the brightest green you've ever seen
Ancient and it's protective and expensive rarity
So rare it is offensive, I think you will agree
Official versions[]
| Version | Released on | Release date | Producer(s) | Creation date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ | Final | PORTALS | March 31, 2023 | CJ Baran, Verde | 2021-2022 | 5:06 |
| ▶ | Clean version | PORTALS | March 31, 2023 | CJ Baran, Verde | 2021-2022 | 5:06 |
| Demos | ||||||
| Demo | Unreleased | Unleaked | CJ Baran | 2021-2022 | Unknown | |
| Demo instrumental | Unreleased | Unleaked | CJ Baran | 2021-2022 | Unknown | |
Live performances[]
"NYMPHOLOGY" was performed at:
- PORTALS Tour (debut performance)
- Heineken Silver Live Out 2023
- iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2023 ("Amulet")
- The Trilogy Tour
- Bonnaroo Festival 2024
- Osheaga Festival 2024
- Lollapalooza 2024
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- An extended snippet of the song was later shared through egg hatching.
- The rest of the tracks on PORTALS, except "DEATH", "TUNNEL VISION", "FAERIE SOIRÉE" and "LEECHES" also had a snippet released in this type of promotion.
- This is the eighth track to be revealed under Atlantic's deliveries.
- The rest of the tracks on PORTALS, except "DEATH", "TUNNEL VISION", "FAERIE SOIRÉE" and "LEECHES" also had a snippet released in this type of promotion.
- "MOON CYCLE" transitions to this song, while this song transitions directly to "EVIL".
- The BPM changes during the interlude, which is identical to the BPM of "EVIL".
- On the lyric reveal page, the word "Colombian" is misspelled as "Columbian".
- This is the most explicit song on the standard edition of PORTALS, with 4 swear words in total.
- The song's studio instrumental was used in adverts promoting the new line of fragrances for Portals Parfums.
References[]
[]
v • e  | |
|---|---|
| Featured tracks | DEATH • VOID • TUNNEL VISION • FAERIE SOIRÉE • LIGHT SHOWER • SPIDER WEB • LEECHES • BATTLE OF THE LARYNX • THE CONTORTIONIST • MOON CYCLE • NYMPHOLOGY • EVIL • WOMB |
| Bonus tracks | THE HATCHING • POWDER • PLUTO • MILK OF THE SIREN |
| Scrapped tracks | Barely Juice • Corpse • Death • Dragon's Blood • Emerald • Fairy Dance • Fingers Crossed • Fragile (unconfirmed) • Garden • Hawaii Space Guitar • Inconsistent Flame • Jinx • Labyrinth (version 1) • Labyrinth (version 2) • Magnets • MENace To Society • Mother of Pearl • Needle and Thread • Not Dead, Just Expired • Puzzles • Synchronicities • Tunnel Vision • Void • Walkie Talkie |
| Characters | The Creature (Cry Baby) • Masked Dancers • Faeries |
| Producers | Melanie Martinez • One Love • CJ Baran • Verde • The 23rd • Pearl Lion • Simon Says • Cautious Clay (deluxe) |
| Extras | Egg hatching • Film • Merchandise • Portals Parfums • Portals: The Game • Melanie Madness |
| Tour | PORTALS Tour • The Trilogy Tour |