Upon release "Royals" was met with acclaim, and won the 2013 APRA Silver Scroll award, New Zealand's top songwriting prize. Critics placed the track among the year's best. "Royals" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached number one in Belgium, Ireland, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, and was certified triple platinum by Recorded Music NZ. In August 2013, Lorde became the first female solo act to top the Billboard Alternative Songs chart since Tracy Bonham in 1996. "Royals" was the second ever track from a New Zealander to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart – after "Somebody That I Used To Know", from Kimbra in collaboration with Australian-Belgian singer Gotye.
Joel Kefali directed the music videos for "Royals", the first portrayed ordinary teenagers doing mundane things, in slow motion – an 'international version' followed, additionally featuring short Lorde appearances. The track has been remixed by artists including Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Gilbere Forte, and Pomplamoose.
"Lately I've been waking up at 4 or 5 a.m., turning things over in my head. So much to think about, so much to break down and process and decide. I'm only at the beginning, but it has always been important to me that everything feels cool, feels right. This song means a hell of a lot to me, and to others, and I guess what I tried to do is make something you could understand. A lot of people think teenagers live in this world like 'skins' every weekend or whatever, but truth is, half the time we aren't doing anything cooler than playing with lighters, or waiting at some shitty stop. That's why this had to be real. And I'm at that particular train station every week. Those boys are my friends. Callum's wearing a sweater that used to belong to me."
'Royals'
Lorde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address
In a torn up town, no postcode envy
But every song's like
Gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
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 luxe 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, 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, trippin' in the bathroom
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' 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 luxe 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, I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
Oh
Oh (oh, oh)
We're bigger than we ever dreamed
And I'm in love with being queen
Oh
Oh (oh, oh)
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 luxe 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, I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
The lyrics of "Royals" by Lorde featuring Rashon Amiel are a commentary on the excessive and often unattainable lifestyles that celebrities and the wealthy lead, as portrayed in the media. The song contrasts this with the modest, everyday life of the singer and her friends. The opening lines, "I've never seen a diamond in the flesh/I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies," express her lack of exposure to the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous.
She goes on to describe the extravagant lifestyles that are often portrayed in popular culture, contrasting them with the simple pleasures that she and her friends enjoy, like "counting dollars on the train to the party." Despite the luxurious and glamorous lifestyles of the rich and famous, the singer asserts that this kind of "lux" just isn't for her, and that she and her friends "crave a different kind of buzz."
The chorus of the song emphasizes her desire to be her own ruler, "let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B," rather than conforming to societal expectations or chasing after fame and fortune. The song's overall message is that true happiness and contentment can be found in living a simple life, rather than in pursuing material wealth and fame.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I have never seen an actual diamond, in person or real life
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
My experience with expensive jewelry is limited to what I've seen in movies, particularly the ones where they show off wedding rings
And I'm not proud of my address, in the torn up town
I'm not particularly proud of where I live, in a town that is not in the best shape
No post code envy
I don't envy people who live in fancy areas with high-class postcodes
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
In the songs that I hear, the themes are often about flashy things such as gold teeth, expensive Grey Goose vodka, and using drugs in bathrooms
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
The lyrics to these songs also reference things like bloodstains on clothes, fancy ball gowns, and trashing hotel rooms
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
Despite not having all of these luxurious things, we still dream of having them, like driving a Cadillac
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
But it seems like everyone else aspires for even more expensive things, such as Cristal champagne, Maybach cars or diamonds on watches
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
People in the song seem to have even crazier desires, such as owning a private jet, an island, or even a tiger on a leash made of gold
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair
Regardless of all these things, we don't care about getting caught up in relationships full of materialistic things
And we'll never be royals
We will never achieve the status of being a royal with all the luxuries that come with it
It don't run in our blood
Achieving royal status is not in our DNA or lineage
That kind of lux just ain't for us
That lifestyle of luxury just doesn't suit us
We crave a different kind of buzz
We desire a different kind of excitement or enjoyment
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
However, I am willing to be a leader or ruler in my own right, and you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
I have confidence in my own abilities to lead and rule
Let me live that fantasy
I want to live out that dream or fantasy life that others sing about
My friends and I we've cracked the code
My friends and I have figured out the secret or trick for enjoying what we have, despite not having expensive luxuries
We count our dollars on the train to the party
We are mindful and keep track of our money as we take the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this
Those who know us understand that we are content with our situation
We didn't come from money
We were not born from wealthy or privileged backgrounds
We're bigger than we ever dreamed, and I'm in love with being queen
Despite our humble beginnings, we have achieved things we never thought were possible, and I love the feeling of being in charge or having control
Life is great without a care
Our simple lifestyle without too many materialistic cares or worries is great
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ella Marija La Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Missicykay
Remember when this song was all over the radio?
@silencio7216
ItsJustKayla was yeas
@jackuin3387
Yeah, it was during a shitty period in my life and before I finished school. I still find myself looking back with rose tinted glasses regardless, for some reason.
@Missicykay
Jackuin lol
@Alexis2298
Yooo it was everywhere
@Farva..
Yea
@Ahmad-ot4oc
Lets be honest
This song owned the world for a while
@toni4110
Nope
@arkhamknight9001
My dad play this in his radio all day when I first came to canada
@tedbundythefrogman9814
I just heard that song.