TRACK BY TRACK: Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco's 'I Said I Love You First'

Following the announcement of their engagement in December, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco have made it official in another way by releasing an album together! I Said I Love You First -- Selena's first album in 5 years -- chronicles their individual pasts and the progression of their relationship, culminating in their engagement and plans for a future together. It’s a soft, sensual album with moody and hopeful themes, showing Gomez off vocally in a way that fans have been missing with lots of help from her boo Benny's incredible producing skills. Let's break it down track-by-track!

1. "I Said I Love You First"

In this introduction, a teary Selena Gomez speaks at the wrap of her first TV show, "Wizards of Waverly Place" on Disney Channel. She’s speaking to the cast and crew, but in this instance it feels like she’s speaking directly to the fans that have followed her to where she is today.

2. "Younger And Hotter Than Me"

“I Said I Love You First” melts right into “Younger And Hotter Than Me”, which discusses Selena’s relationship with fame. The first track promised to do good work in the future, and now she’s looking at where she’s been since that moment and wondering if she’s still worth anything. The music video is a high point for this song – it features Gomez drifting aimlessly around the Disney lots, always returning to the packed-up and tarped-over set of "Wizards of Waverly Place". She’s feeding her own jealousy of the young girls who have taken her place but wishes she was able to move on. This track features a co-writing and co-producing credit from none other than FINNEAS. 

Favorite Lyrics: "X on my hand drawn in Sharpie / Now I use my own ID..."

3. "Call Me When You Break Up" (feat. Gracie Abrams)

The first bubblegum pop track on the album, "Call Me When You Break Up" tells the story of waiting to comfort a best friend after a breakup. While it tilts romantic towards the beginning, it’s clear by the lyrics -- “Unless you found the person that you want a new name from / I’d like to be there when that day comes” -- that Gomez is speaking to a friend. (Fans online are speculating that she’s singing about Taylor Swift, who’s been a close friend of Gomez for more than a decade.)

Favorite Lyrics: "I miss the way we’d stay up / We’d talk about forever when I’m taking off my makeup..."

4. "Ojos Tristes" (feat. The Marias)

This soft, melancholic song is a cover of Jeanette's 1981 “El Muchacho de los Ojos Tristes”. Gomez has said that it’s her goal to do a song in Spanish for each of her albums and that having The Marias on was a “no-brainer”. The beautiful melody and the soft beat pulls the listener through the emotional journey of the song, whether or not they speak the language.

Favorite Lyrics: "Felices éramos los dos / Y ahora lloro, por Dios / Tristeza en mí amaneció..." ("We were both happy / And now I cry, for God’s sake / Sadness dawned within me...")

5. "Don’t Wanna Cry"

This electro-pop song with disco influences reflects on what it’s like to have relationship struggles in the spotlight. Selena doesn’t want to cry over a relationship when her ex has already publicly moved on, but she knows that she would still take him back. The bridge fantasizes about a future where she has new love, likely referencing the early stages of her relationship with Benny Blanco.

Favorite Lyrics: "I should cause a scene for shit you’ve done to me / The saddest part is we both know that I would never leave..."

6. "Sunset Blvd"

This dreamy pop song relives Selena and Benny’s first date on Sunset Boulevard, where they sparked their deep emotional connection. The song goes back and forth between physical and emotional connection between the two, with the lyric “But I can’t wait to hold it, to hold that big, big, hard heart” cheekily connecting the two ideas.

Favorite lyrics: "Holdin’ you naked, middle of Sunset Boulevard / Makin’ you famous, everyone’s watchin’..."

7. "Cowboy"

Another dreamy song, but with a much more sultry vibe, “Cowboy” continues the use of double-entendre with the lyrics “Goin’ all around boy, ride it like a cowboy...” This sensual side is something we haven’t seen much of from Gomez but is really front and center on this album. “I love love and sometimes I put that into words and I can feel sexy, and I love that feeling,” Gomez said. There’s also a surprise contribution from GloRilla in the final verse, though she isn’t credited as a feature.

Favorite Lyrics: "Let’s pretend we’re both underwater / Breathe me in so deep..."

8. "Bluest Flame"

With obvious inspiration by Charli XCX (and some background vocals from her too!), Gomez speaks/sings her way through this hypnotic techno beat. It feels like a very after-party song, like you’re driving back from the club with your partner. The couple have worked with Charli XCX before – she was part of one of Blanco and Gomez’s first collaborations, “Same Old Love”.

Favorite Lyrics: "I can’t hide it, I’m burning up / Try to fight it, try to fake it / I can’t hide it..."

9. "How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten"

This melodic pop song is the official closing of the door on her past relationships. The song discusses moving on from past friendships and relationships and how new love has helped her heal. The final lyrics “Ahora todo está dicho y hecho / Todo está olvidado” (“Now everything is said and done / Everything is forgotten”) state that Gomez is firmly ready to move forward, and we would bet that she’s asking the fans to move forward with her.

Favorite Lyrics: "And you walked in, big-ass grin / Talkin’ like we’re friends, honey, what were you thinkin’?"

10. "Do You Wanna Be Perfect?"

In this interlude, Gomez comes in to interrupt an infomercial of some miracle product promising perfection. Gomez proclaims that all you need to do is be exactly who you are. The message reminds us of her 2011 song with The Scene, “Who Says”, specifically the lyrics, “I wouldn’t wanna be anybody else” and “Who says you’re not perfect?” from the older track.

11. "You Said You Were Sorry"

This bedroom-pop track could be the dreamiest of them all – literally, Gomez sings about a dream that helped her find closure. Based on a real dream she had, Gomez reflects on how sometimes moving on is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Favorite Lyrics: "Oh, this is love, now I get why people like it / Really like it, you should try it..."

12. "I Can’t Get Enough" (feat. J Balvin and Tainy)

This is the second bilingual track on the album. This electro-pop song is backed by distorted drums and a melody created by Selena’s humming. It’s a fun dance number with an edge that’s been missing through most of the album.

Favorite Lyrics: "Enough of your love, give me some more / I love it, I can’t get enough..."

13. "Don’t Take It Personally"

This song is actually from the perspective of someone from Gomez’s past. She shared that this person had this (frankly bizarre) conversation with her after causing tension between Selena and an ex partner. She’s reassuring Gomez that it wasn’t personal -- sometimes relationships just don’t work out. The narrative is compelling and the melody is beautiful; definitely a standout of the album.

Favorite Lyrics: "You’re so beautiful, it’s still hard for me to swallow / I used to get so jealous, I would stress eat, drown my sorrows / In a bottle of vodka..."

14. "Scared of Loving You"

This final song is an appeal directly to her fiance. She’s not scared of loving him as much as she’s scared of losing him – it’s direct in what she needs from him and trusting that he’ll put in the work for her. The relationship arc through the album all leads here, and it feels like they’re stepping into the future together.

Favorite Lyrics: "If I lose my sh*t, promise not to laugh / If I throw a fit and get photographed / Would you take my side?"