"Soap" is a song by Melanie Martinez featured as the sixth track on her debut album, Cry Baby. It was released as the album's second single on July 10, 2015, along with a promotional music video. Multiple remixes of the song were released on Soap (Remixes) on October 23, 2015.
The official music video was in a double feature video with "Training Wheels". The double feature was released on November 18, 2015.
The song's full stem pack was leaked in 2016.
Theme[]
In an interview with ELLE, Melanie stated that "Soap" is about being vulnerable[2] and being afraid to express deeper feelings such as love, so it feels like 'washing your mouth out with soap', a technique used in older days where adults used to wash with soap the mouth of a child who would say obscenities. The song specifically tells the story of Cry Baby struggling to tell her crush how she feels. She feels ashamed and vulnerable. She is afraid of saying "I love you", as she would be putting their relationship in an awkward position, as he'll have to either respond similarly or reject her advances. Either outcome will hurt, in the long run. The lyric, "threw a toaster in the bathtub" is a metaphor for the quick electric shock of change she made by saying what she said, and how this could kill their friendship.
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
(Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap)
[Verse 1]
Think I just remembered something
I think I left the faucet running
Now my words are filling up the tub
Darling, you're just soaking in it
But I know you'll get out the minute
You notice all your fingers pruning up
[Pre-chorus]
I'm tired of being
Careful, tiptoe
Trying to keep the water warm
Let me under your skin
Uh-oh, there it goes
I said too much, it overflowed
Why do I always spill?
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
[Verse 2]
Think I got myself in trouble
So I fill the bath with bubbles
Then I'll put the towels all away
Should've never said the word, "Love"
Threw a toaster in the bathtub
I'm sick of all the games I have to play
[Pre-chorus]
I'm tired of being
Careful, tiptoe
Trying to keep the water warm
Let me under your skin
Uh-oh, there it goes
I said too much, it overflowed
Why do I always spill?
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
[Instrumental break]
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash, wash mouth, mouth with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash wash mouth mouth with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
[Intro]
(Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap)
[Verse 1]
Think I just remembered something
I think I left the faucet running
Now my words are filling up the tub
Darling, you're just soaking in it
But I know you'll get out the minute
You notice all your fingers pruning up
[Pre-chorus]
I'm tired of being
Careful, tiptoe
Trying to keep the water warm
Let me under your skin
Uh-oh, there it goes
I said too much, it overflowed
Why do I always spill?
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
[Verse 2]
Think I got myself in trouble
So I fill the bath with bubbles
Then I'll put the towels all away
Should've never said the word, "Love"
Threw a toaster in the bathtub
I'm sick of all the games I have to play
[Pre-chorus]
I'm tired of being
Careful, tiptoe
Trying to keep the water warm
Let me under your skin
Uh-oh, there it goes
I said too much, it overflowed
Why do I always spill?
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
[Instrumental break]
[Chorus]
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash, wash mouth, mouth with soap
I feel it coming out my throat
Guess I better wash wash mouth mouth with soap
God, I wish I never spoke
Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap
Official versions[]
| Version | Released on | Release date | Producer(s) | Creation date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ | Final | Single • Cry Baby | July 10, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer | ~July 22, 2014 | 3:29 |
| Instrumental | Unreleased | June 15, 2016 (leaked) | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer | ~July 22, 2014 | 3:29 | |
| Remixes | ||||||
| ▶ | Steve James Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, Steve James | 2015 | 4:00 |
| ▶ | Gladiator Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, Gladiator | 2015 | 3:07 |
| ▶ | Stooki Sound Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, Stooki Sound | 2015 | 4:42 |
| ▶ | LUXXURY Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, LUXXURY | 2015 | 6:38 |
| ▶ | Sailors Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, Sailors | 2015 | 3:41 |
| ▶ | Jerome Price Remix | Soap (Remixes) | August 2, 2015 | Daniel Weber, Kyle Shearer, Jerome Price | 2015 | 4:48 |
Gallery[]
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To view the gallery of Soap, click here.
|
Music video[]
The music video was released as a double feature with "Training Wheels." In the "Soap" portion of the video, Cry Baby invites Johnny, the boy she likes, over to her house. Before arriving, Johnny takes a bath. The water turns on by itself, and then the candles go out. The television in the bathroom turns on, displaying clips from the promotional video. When the line, "threw a toaster in the bathtub" is sung, a toaster is dropped into the tub, electrocuting Johnny. Then, bubbles begin to appear, with Johnny popping them. Cry Baby then appears in the bathtub, kissing Johnny.
Cast[]
Promotional music video[]
In the promotional music video, Melanie is sitting in a bathtub filled with water, soap, and bubbles. She is holding a bar of soap and is dressed in a white dress and a light pink bow. Melanie sings along with the lyrics while making hand motions. Whenever she sings "tip toe, trying to keep the water warm" she moves her fingers as if they are walking. At one point in the video, Melanie attempts to choke herself. After this is attempted, Melanie's face and hair are soaking wet. At the end of the video, she is submerged underneath the water. The video has since been deleted, however, multiple re-uploads of the original video can be found online.
In an interview with SiriusXM, Melanie revealed that the promotional music video was created due to her record label, Atlantic Records, refusing to give her a budget for an official one. She states that her request for an official music video was rejected, due to the limitations of only two music videos per album, where "Pity Party" and "Sippy Cup" filled up these two slots. Eventually, her label recognized the popularity of her visuals, which prompted them to continue approving Melanie's requests to shoot music videos.
Cast[]
Errors[]
- At 1:19, Melanie accidentally drops the bar of soap she's holding. It happens as she sings "now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap." It appears that they attempted to edit it out, as you can only see the soap falling for a split second.
- At 2:04, Melanie's bow falls off her head by accident.
Trivia[]
- For the promotional music video, Melanie had a couple of friends come over and shoot her in her hotel room tub.[2]
- In the promotional music video, Melanie is wearing the same bow that she wore in "Carousel", and the Crybaby nameplate necklace from her merch store, as well as in the single artwork.
- She also wears the gold Crybaby necklace in the music video for "Pacify Her".
- "Soap" is featured in the 2016 movie Nerve, featuring Emma Roberts and Dave Franco.[3]
- The double feature took four days to edit.
- Both the audio and original video have been made unlisted.
- They were later set to private.
- It is likely that the song's cover art was taken on the same day that Melanie performed at Webster Hall in New York City on June 21, 2015, due to her hairstyle and make-up.
- At some Cry Baby Tour concerts, Melanie wore clothes identical to the ones in the music video.
- Soap was certified gold by the RIAA on March 29, 2017.[4]
- It was later certified platinum on February 28, 2020.
- Melanie performed this song on the late-night talk show Conan on October 28, 2015.
- The song gained 200 million streams in 2021 alone.
- On October 26, 2020, Melanie used a lyric from this song as a caption on her Instagram post.
- Billboard uploaded a video on their YouTube channel of Melanie performing an acoustic version of Soap in their studio on October 7, 2015.[5]
- On the same day, Billboard also uploaded a video on their YouTube channel of Melanie performing a stripped down version of Pity Party in their studio.
References[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/mjchrz/status/491732769265819648
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.elle.com/culture/music/news/a29232/melanie-martinez-soap-premiere/
- ↑ https://www.soundtrackmania.net/nerve-soundtrack.html
- ↑ https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Soap#search_section
- ↑ https://youtu.be/9vRzruUJ05s?si=dDSMw-zLxJDxJE3Q
[]
| v • e Remix EPs | |
|---|---|
| EPs | Dollhouse (The Remixes) • Carousel (The Remixes) • Pity Party (Remixes) • Soap (Remixes) |
| Remixed songs | Dollhouse • Carousel • Pity Party • Soap |
| Producers | One Love • CJ Baran • Kyle Shearer • Daniel Weber • Hippie Sabotage • Kiely Rich • Jai Wolf • Treasure Fingers H.O.U.S.E • Bobby Green • Bleep Bloop • Eric Sharp • SNBRN • Hoxton Whores • Larse • XVII • K Theory • The Feels • Myles Travitz • Kassiano • Madison Mars • Kayliox • Steve James • Gladiator • Stooki Sound • Luxxury • Sailors • Jerome Price |