Bittersweet World - Composition

Composition

There's a song on the record called "Bittersweet World." And it is, to me. The song is saying that, and "Why can't we all just get along?" It's a tongue-in-cheek kind of thing, but it really is one of those love-to-hate kind of things.

Simpson described "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" as a "fun, dancey song" with "a little bit of an '80s feel" and said that it was about the people in her life: "too many voices, too many people having their own opinion". She said that "Murder" "isn't serious, based on a true story or a threat.... It's a metaphor about a girl who can get away with murder because of who she is" and said that "Rule Breaker" was an attempt to "capture that badass feeling you get sometimes after watching a movie like True Romance. You think you can take on the world and you want to color outside the lines and get a tattoo or mouth off to someone way bigger than you." She called "Never Dream Alone" "a sweet emotional song that has been stripped down to piano, strings and vocals" and said that it was her favorite from the album. Regarding "Hot Stuff", Simpson has said that it "is meant to be a fun song.... A lot of things on the record are laughing at situations, poking fun at things. With that, when you go somewhere and girls give you the mean eye. You're like, 'oh, wow – this is crazy.' 'Hot Stuff' makes fun of that. That song is meant to be a good time." According to Simpson, "Bittersweet World" is "about people coming together and not judging each other". Billboard described "Boys" as "The Cardigans' 'Lovefool' atop a Chic rhythm", while People called it "the best Kylie Minogue song that Kylie never did". One review described her delivery on the song as "alternately silly and sensual". "Ragdoll" was described by Billboard as having "a 'Beat It' vibe"; Rolling Stone called it "reggae-bopping" and said that it "swipes Gwen Stefani's formula", while the Houston Chronicle said that it "features Casio-esque keyboard tinkling and driving guitars". Rolling Stone noted "What I've Become" as an "excellent coming-of-age anthem" and "a paparazzi kiss-off". People praised "Rule Breaker" as "deliciously bratty and catchy", and Billboard, in its album review, called it a "Pat Benatar-like fist-pumper". "No Time for Tears" was described by Entertainment Weekly as a "melancholy ballad". The Houston Chronicle said that "Bittersweet World" had "the snap-and-wink of a showtune". Billboard's album review characterized "Murder" as having a "dark, hypnotic groove". In December 2008 Rolling Stone magazine named "Rule Breaker" as one of the 100 Best Singles of the year.