Royals
- Lorde Lyrics

I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I haven't had the privilege of experiencing the luxurious lifestyle that diamonds symbolize

I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
My understanding of love and romance comes from the fictional depictions of it in movies

And I'm not proud of my address
I come from a less affluent area and I'm not particularly proud of it

In a torn up town, no postcode envy
I come from an area that is run down and not particularly desirable, but I don't envy those who live in wealthier postcodes

But every song's like
All the popular songs are about

Gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
People boasting about their wealth and partying lifestyle, including gold teeth, expensive vodka, and drug use

Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
People indulging in reckless behavior and destroying expensive items

We don't care
We're not interested in

We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
We're dreaming about owning luxury items like Cadillacs

But everybody's like
Everyone else is obsessed with

Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
Expensive champagne, luxury cars, and watches adorned with diamonds

Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
People owning private planes, islands, and exotic animals as pets

We don't care
We're not interested in

We aren't caught up in your love affair
We're not interested in the romantic relationships and lifestyles of the rich and famous

And we'll never be royals (royals)
We'll never live the life of royalty

It don't run in our blood
We come from a background that doesn't have that kind of wealth and status in our lineage

That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We're not interested in that kind of luxury

We crave a different kind of buzz
We're looking for a different kind of excitement and fulfillment

Let me be your ruler (ruler)
Let me be the one in control of my own destiny

You can call me queen bee
You can refer to me as someone who is powerful and influential

And baby, I'll rule (I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule)
I'll take charge and be successful

Let me live that fantasy
Let me imagine living the life I want to live

My friends and I, we've cracked the code
My friends and I have figured out

We count our dollars on the train to the party
We're frugal and save our money, even counting it on the train on the way to a party

And everyone who knows us knows
Our friends and acquaintances are aware that

That we're fine with this, we didn't come from money
We're content with our less affluent backgrounds and we didn't inherit any wealth

Oh
In an exclaimed manner

We're bigger than we ever dreamed
We've achieved more than we thought was possible

And I'm in love with being queen
I'm enjoying the power and influence that comes with being successful

Life is great without a care
Life is wonderful when you don't have any worries or concerns