Bebe Rexha has always been a bit of a chameleon. One minute she’s topping country charts with Florida Georgia Line, and the next, she’s delivering dark, edgy pop anthems about mental health. But there’s one track from her 2021 album Better Mistakes that often catches people off guard—mostly because it sounds like a high-fashion fever dream set in a mid-century Italian restaurant.
I'm talking about "Amore."
If you've listened to it, you know the hook. It’s a direct, unapologetic flip of the 1953 classic "That’s Amore" by Dean Martin. But instead of the moon hitting your eye like a big pizza pie, Bebe is singing about Versace sheets and eight-karat diamonds. It’s flashy. It’s loud. It’s kinda ridiculous in the best way possible.
The amore bebe rexha lyrics represent a specific era for the singer—one where she was leaning heavily into the "beautifully broken" aesthetic of her sophomore record. Teaming up with Rick Ross for this track wasn't just a random choice; it was about blending old-school luxury with modern-day grit.
What's Really Going on in the Amore Lyrics?
At its core, the song is a flex. Pure and simple. While much of the Better Mistakes album deals with heavy themes like bipolar disorder and self-sabotage (think "Sabotage" or "Break My Heart Myself"), "Amore" is the moment where Bebe lets herself have a little fun.
The lyrics trade the romanticism of the 50s for the materialism of the 2020s.
"When you wake in a dream wrapped in Versace sheets, that’s amore."
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Honestly, it’s a vibe. She’s not looking for a simple walk in the park. She’s looking for the Lamborghini Lusso, the trips to Positano, and "diamonds the size of an island." Some critics at the time thought it was a bit shallow, but if you look at the album as a whole, "Amore" acts as a necessary high point. It’s the "I've made it" moment amidst a record that otherwise explores how hard it is to actually feel like you've made it when your brain is fighting you.
The Rick Ross Factor
You can’t talk about these lyrics without mentioning the "Biggest Boss" himself. Rick Ross slides into the track like he’s walking onto a yacht. His verse is classic Rozay—references to Gianni and Donatella, smoking Cali in Venice, and "Lamborghini slice the cheddar."
He brings a level of weight to the song. Without him, it might have felt like a parody. With him, it feels like a luxury lifestyle anthem. The contrast between Bebe’s pop vocals and Ross’s deep, gravelly delivery creates this weird, hypnotic energy that shouldn't work, but totally does.
Why the Dean Martin Interpolation Matters
Interpolations are everywhere in pop music now, but this one was particularly bold. The original "That’s Amore" is arguably one of the most famous songs in American history. By using it, Bebe’s team—including producers The Futuristics—had to clear rights with the estates of Harry Warren and Jack Brooks.
Why bother with all that legal paperwork?
Because it creates instant familiarity. You know the melody before the first verse even ends. It’s a songwriting trick called "schema," where the listener's brain recognizes a pattern and feels a shot of dopamine. But Bebe subverts it. She takes a song about "true love" and turns it into a song about "expensive love."
It’s a commentary on the "Instagram life." You’ve seen the photos of people in Positano or wearing Cartier bracelets. To many, that is the modern definition of "the good life." Whether Bebe is celebrating it or subtly poking fun at it is up for debate, but the impact is undeniable.
Breaking Down the Key Sections
The structure of the song is actually pretty tight. It doesn't overstay its welcome, clocking in at under three minutes.
- The Hook: This is the anchor. It repeats the "that’s amore" refrain four times, each tied to a different luxury item or experience (Versace sheets, the Lusso, the eight-karat shine).
- The Bridge: Bebe gets a bit more personal here. She acknowledges the "money can’t buy love" cliché but immediately shuts it down with "but for my love, I need diamonds." It’s a very "Ariana Grande - 7 Rings" energy.
- The Ross Verse: This is where the hip-hop influence takes over. He talks about "hunnids on my middle finger" and "mansion bought and never in it." It’s the ultimate expression of excess.
How "Amore" Fits Into the Better Mistakes Era
When Better Mistakes dropped in May 2021, Bebe was very vocal about the album's purpose. She wanted to show the "ugly" parts of herself. The cover art featured her in a black-and-white striped bodysuit, looking like a high-fashion prisoner.
"Amore" is track 12 of 13. It’s right near the end.
If you listen to the album in order, you go through "Trust Fall," "Die for a Man," and "Empty" before you get to the Rick Ross collab. It’s almost like the character in the album is trying to buy their way out of the sadness. It’s a temporary high. The very next (and final) track is "Mama," a deeply emotional song that interpolates Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody."
The juxtaposition is jarring. You go from "I need diamonds the size of an island" to a song that is basically a raw apology to her mother. That’s the Bebe Rexha experience in a nutshell.
Common Misconceptions
One thing people often get wrong about the amore bebe rexha lyrics is the "Lusso" reference.
In the line, "When you rip off his clothes in his all black Lusso," she’s referring to the Ferrari GTC4Lusso. It’s a specific high-end car. Some early lyric sites had it listed as "loose soul" or "all black loose on," which makes absolutely no sense in context.
Another one is the "Cali out in Venice" line from Rick Ross. He’s not talking about Venice Beach, California—he’s talking about Venice, Italy. It fits the whole "European luxury" theme of the song.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're a "Rexhar" (the official name for her fanbase) or just a casual listener who likes the track, here is how to get the most out of this era:
- Check out the Livestream Version: During the pandemic, Bebe did a livestream concert called "A Night with Bebe Rexha." The live arrangement of "Amore" has a bit more of a rock edge than the studio version.
- Listen for the Interpolations: If you like "Amore," go back and listen to "Mama" on the same album. She uses the same technique of taking a classic (Queen) and modernizing it.
- The Demo Versions: There are actually three versions of this song that leaked online before the official release—a writer's demo, a solo demo, and the final version with Rick Ross. If you can find the solo demo, it’s interesting to hear how the song feels without the rap verse. It’s much more of a straightforward pop track.
Ultimately, "Amore" is a polarizing song. Some people find the interpolation cheesy; others think it’s a brilliant piece of pop kitsch. But in a world where pop stars are expected to be either perfectly relatable or untouchably glamorous, Bebe Rexha chose to be both—sometimes in the same three-minute song.
To dive deeper into the world of Better Mistakes, you should look into the production credits of The Futuristics. They’re the same duo behind hits like "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and "Halsey," and you can really hear that signature polished, rhythmic sound throughout the track.