Letissier has used numerous personal and stage names, and remarked that he "just ha many names for all the layers". He began his career as Christine and the Queens. For his second studio album, he shortened it to Chris, which was accompanied by a shift to a persona described as "a woman playing with masculine tropes". In October 2021, he was using the name Rahim. This sparked a debate around cultural appropriation due to the name's Arabic origin. He eventually began using a succession of different names such as Sam le pompier (the French title of Fireman Sam) and a full stop before settling on Redcar, sometimes shortened as Red. In August 2022, he updated his pronouns to he/him across social media platforms. In 2023, with the release of fourth album Paranoïa, Angels, True Love, he seemed to have reverted to simply Chris. However, he still occasionally uses his birth name, about which he said: "Héloïse Letissier is my parents' provenance and I love my parents. I sometimes use Héloïse to reconnect me to my childhood, but my inner child name is Manamané."
5 dollars
Christine and the Queens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I let myself carried away
Then you get five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
Kneeling down for all they cared
You let them pay and went ahead
It is still five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
Five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
You're eager and unashamed
I grieve by dying every night, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
You're eager and unashamed
I don't think the race is over, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
Some of us just had to fight
For even being looked at right
Then you get five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
Pockets full and dried eyes
It turns me on because it's timed
Now throw me five dollars baby blues, five dollars baby
Throw me five dollars baby blues, five dollars baby
Throw me five dollars baby blues, five dollars baby
You're eager and unashamed
I grieve by dying every night, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
You're eager and unashamed
I don't think the race is over, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Oh, you're eager and unashamed
I grieve by dying every night, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Oh, you're eager and unashamed
And I don't think the race is over, baby
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
In "5 dollars", Christine and The Queens addresses themes of survival, desire, and exploitation. The lyrics describe someone who lets themselves get carried away, possibly with drugs or sex work, for the price of five dollars. The person in question seems to be both eager and unashamed, perhaps because they feel they have no other choice. Throughout the song, Christine sings both of her own grief and of the person who is driven to perform for five dollars.
The line "some of us just had to fight for even being looked at right" highlights the societal and cultural pressures that can force people onto the streets, where they must perform for survival. The lyrics also suggest that the price of five dollars isn't just about the money - it's about power, vulnerability, and needing to prove oneself.
Overall, "5 dollars" is a poignant and thought-provoking song, that sheds light on the darker corners of society in a way that is both empathetic and unflinching.
Line by Line Meaning
Every absent-minded day
Every day that passes by without much thought or attention
I let myself carried away
I allow myself to become lost or overwhelmed
Then you get five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
Then, in exchange for something, you receive five dollars, and it gives you temporary comfort and relief
Kneeling down for all they cared
I compromised myself and what I believed in for the benefit of others who didn't care
You let them pay and went ahead
You took the money and continued on, even though it didn't truly fulfill you
It is still five dollars, baby blues, five dollars baby
No matter what, the payment remains the same, and it only serves as a temporary solution
You're eager and unashamed
You are enthusiastic and unapologetic about your desires
I grieve by dying every night, baby
I experience pain and sadness every night
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Show those who doubt or underestimate you that you are capable of achieving something, even if it's just receiving five dollars
Some of us just had to fight
Some people have had to struggle and work hard just to be seen as equal
For even being looked at right
For basic recognition and respect
Pockets full and dried eyes
You may have money, but it doesn't stop you from feeling empty or sad
It turns me on because it's timed
The anticipation of receiving the five dollars excites me, even if it's just temporary pleasure
Now throw me five dollars baby blues, five dollars baby
Now give me five dollars in exchange for something, even if it's just to make me feel better temporarily
You're eager and unashamed
You are still enthusiastic and unapologetic about your desires
I don't think the race is over, baby
I believe there is still more to come, and I'm willing to keep going
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Again, show those who doubt or underestimate you that you are capable of achieving something, even if it's just receiving five dollars
Oh, you're eager and unashamed
Reiterating that the person remains enthusiastic and unapologetic about their desires
And I don't think the race is over, baby
Reiterating the belief that there is still more to come, and they are willing to keep going
Prove them wrong when you get five dollars
Once again, show those who doubt or underestimate you that you are capable of achieving something, even if it's just receiving five dollars
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Heloise Letissier
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aimee Blondel
Son univers est sous côté de ouf, que ce soit sa musique, sa poésie, sa personnalité. Elle mérite un max de reconnaissance !
b00nsoir //
moi je dirais qu'elle est surcôtée
BÉO 123
Aimee Blondel poésie ? Tu plaisantes ?
Aimee Blondel
BÉO 123 Non, peut-être pas cet album mais son premier album qui contenait entre autres les chansons Christine et St Claude, je le trouve poétique, avec des paroles assez mystérieuses et belles à la fois.
Odilio Echel
Aimee Blondel dd
Lipa Hvoinaya
wow, I'm in love with her, her femininity and masculinity at the same time
jjs
Je ne comprends toujours pas pourquoi cette artiste est sous-cotée en France... Ses musiques sont vraiment originales et rafraîchissantes et méritent vraiment plus..
Ian Gilbert
Physical attractiveness isn't just about the way you look, but also the way you move.
sales Richard
And a wicked song helps ?
Sarah Welstead
Yes! Every video I see with her in it, she always seems SO comfortable in her own skin - like if she has any hangups, it's not about her body, so she moves with a confidence or something that you don't see often. Wish I had better words to describe it - it's somewhere between 'total abandon' and 'charisma'.