Royals
GMPresents Lyrics
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I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address
In the torn up town
No post code envy
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose
Tripping in the bathroom
We don't care
We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care
We aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
(Royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler
(Ruler)
You can call me Queen Bee
And, baby, I'll rule (I'll rule, I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
My friends and I we've cracked the code
We count our dollars on the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows
That we're fine with this
We didn't come from money
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose
Tripping in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashing the hotel room
We don't care
We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care
We aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
(Royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler
(Ruler)
You can call me queen bee
And, baby, I'll rule (I'll rule, I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
Ooh, ooh, ooh
We're bigger than we ever dreamed
And I'm in love with being queen
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Life is great without a care
We aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
(Royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler
(Ruler)
You can call me Queen Bee
And, baby, I'll rule (I'll rule, I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
In "Royals", the singer is expressing her desire for a different kind of life than what is traditionally associated with wealth and power. She compares her own experiences to those depicted in movies and in the extravagant lifestyles of the wealthy, but asserts that this life is not for her. She paints a picture of her and her friends counting their dollars and riding the train to parties, content with the simpler things in life. The chorus emphasizes their rejection of the idea of becoming royals, with its luxuries and expectations, instead choosing to focus on their own kind of pleasure and power.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written and recorded by the then-16-year-old Lorde, who went on to win multiple Grammy Awards for her subsequent work. Another is that the inspiration for the song came from a photograph Lorde saw in a magazine of a Kansas City Royals player, which led to her exploring the theme of rejecting the idea of being "royalty". "Royals" was a surprise hit, topping the charts in multiple countries and becoming one of the biggest songs of the year. The song was also praised for its minimalistic production and Lorde's unique vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I've never had the luxury of experiencing expensive jewelry firsthand
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
My only exposure to extravagant jewelry was through films and media
And I'm not proud of my address
I'm not fond of where I come from
In the torn up town
The place I come from is not well-maintained or prosperous
No post code envy
I don't feel inferior to people who come from better areas
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose
The music industry seems to glamorize wealth and luxury, characterized by expensive dental accessories and high-end vodka
Tripping in the bathroom
Partying can have negative consequences, like drug usage
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashing the hotel room
Living extravagantly can lead to recklessness and destructive behavior
We don't care
We aren't overly concerned with the materialistic lifestyle portrayed in popular culture
We're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
We aspire to a level of wealth that we haven't yet attained, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll obsess over it
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach
Society idolizes the top-of-the-line, like the champagne brand Cristal and high-end car company Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
The desire for excessive wealth can manifest in flashy accessories, like diamonds on a watch
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
The ultra-rich might keep exotic pets, travel by private jet, and own private islands
We aren't caught up in your love affair
We aren't obsessed with achieving the same kind of luxury as those who are hyper-focused on their status and material possessions
And we'll never be royals
We don't come from royal lineage, so we don't aspire to be like them
(Royals)
It don't run in our blood
Because we aren't born into royalty, pursuing a materialistic, luxurious lifestyle isn't instinctive for us
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We don't have a particular interest in the kind of luxury that is often emphasized by society
We crave a different kind of buzz
We desire a different type of excitement than what is associated with materialistic pursuits
Let me be your ruler
Let me be a leader and live my life how I see fit, not how society tells me to
(Ruler)
You can call me Queen Bee
You can refer to me as someone who takes charge and leads the way
And, baby, I'll rule (I'll rule, I'll rule)
I'm confident in my ability to live my life on my own terms, and I'll make sure that happens
Let me live that fantasy
I'm happy to indulge in a fantasy of living life without caring about materialistic pursuits
My friends and I we've cracked the code
My friends and I have figured out how to live satisfying lives without needing to obsess over wealth and material possessions
We count our dollars on the train to the party
We're aware of how much money we have, but we don't let it rule our lives
And everyone who knows us knows
Our friends and acquaintances understand that we're content without needing to obsess over money and material possessions
That we're fine with this
We're happy with the way our lives are now, and we don't want for more than what we have
Ooh, ooh, ooh
We're bigger than we ever dreamed
We've achieved more than we thought we ever could, without relying on materialistic pursuits
And I'm in love with being queen
I love the idea of being in charge of my own life and making my own decisions
Life is great without a care
I'm happy to live my life without worrying about wealth and status
We aren't caught up in your love affair
We don't care about the same things that those who focus on their material possessions do
Contributed by Cole T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.