Bravado
Lorde Lyrics
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I've been fighting a war
I can't talk to you or your friends
It's not only you
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
This will not do
'Cause I was raised up
But when you're withdrawn it's the closest thing
To assault when all eyes are on you
This will not do
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm faking glory
Lick my lips toss my hair
And send a smile over
And the stories brand new
But I can take it from here
I'll find my own bravado
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh
Lorde’s song “Bravado” is an honest portrayal of the inner conflict the artist faces as she tries to reconcile her desire for admiration and success with the reality of the public scrutiny that comes with it. The lyrics depict the struggle that many artists face when they try to put on a confident and polished front, whilst dealing with the anxiety and pressure of being in the public eye.
The first verse highlights Lorde’s sense of isolation and paranoia, as she feels unable to communicate openly with others due to the fear that she or her words may be judged. However, she acknowledges that this fear is not just specific to the present situation, but has been a consistent theme throughout her life. The second verse sees Lorde try to “fake glory,” as she performs for her audience, exhibiting the kind of confidence that is required to succeed in the music industry. Despite bravely fronting up, Lorde knows that she can’t rely on external approval alone and needs to find her own self-confidence to succeed.
The chorus uses a powerful comparison of light and dark to describe the contrasting emotions that Lorde feels. It's an honest insight into the artist's psyche, as she describes the fear instilled in her by her tumultuous experience of success. She knows that she can’t avoid these high-pressure situations, so she must learn to face her fears and perform to the best of her ability. In the final verse, after recognizing her fear, Lorde describes how she overcame it, determining that she doesn't fear the absence of scrutiny - that, in fact, she craves the approval, applause and recognition that comes with putting oneself out there.
Line by Line Meaning
All my life
Throughout my entire existence
I've been fighting a war
I have been struggling with a constant battle
I can't talk to you or your friends
I am unable to communicate with you or your companions
It's not only you
This applies to more than just you
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
I become nervous when I am mentioned in conversation
This will not do
This is unacceptable
'Cause I was raised up
Because I was brought up
To be admired to be noticed
To be respected and acknowledged
But when you're withdrawn it's the closest thing
But when you become isolated, it feels like
To assault when all eyes are on you
It can be very overwhelming to be the center of attention
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Vocalization of sound
I'm faking glory
I am pretending to be triumphant
Lick my lips toss my hair
I am making physical gestures to be enticing
And send a smile over
I am flashing a grin in an attempt to be friendly
And the stories brand new
The tales I am telling are fresh
But I can take it from here
I can handle it on my own from now on
It's a switch flipped
It is a sudden change of mood
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
It is comparable to taking a medication or the blocking of the moon's light
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
I will be well-prepared when the time comes
It's in your blood stream
It is a part of your essence
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It is a visible reaction between particles
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
It is a challenging task accomplished with ease
But I learnt not to want
But I have learned not to desire
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
The peacefulness of being alone and not being exposed
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
I yearn for recognition, acknowledgement, and the things that motivate me
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Vocalization of sound
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
@laurenstone5504
All my life
I've been fighting a war
I can't talk to you or your friends
It's not only you
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
This will not do
'Cause I was raised up
To be admired to be noticed
But when you're withdrawn it's the closest thing
To assault when all eyes are on you
This will not do
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm faking glory
Lick my lips toss my hair
And send a smile over
And the stories brand new
But I can take it from here
I'll find my own bravado
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
@whatsonhermindblog123
I was
Frightened of
Every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me
And laugh at me
I learned
Not to want
The quiet of the room
With no one around to find me out
I want the applause.
The approval.
The things that make go…
Woah❤
@wly8735
All my life, I've been fighting a war
A minha vida inteira, eu venho lutando uma guerra
I can't talk to you or your friends
Eu não consigo conversar com você ou com os seus amigos
It's not only you
O problema não é você
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
O meu coração acelera quando mencionam o meu nome
This will not do
Isso não vai funcionar
'Cause I was raised up
Porque eu cresci
To be admired, to be noticed
Para ser admirada, para ser notada
But when you're withdrawn
Mas quando você é insociável
It's the closest thing to assault
É a coisa mais próxima de um ataque
When all eyes are on you
Quando todos estão olhando para você
This will not do
Isso não vai funcionar
I'm faking glory
Estou fingindo ser gloriosa
Lick my lips, toss my hair
Molho meu lábios, jogo meu cabelo
And turn the smile on
E dou um sorriso
And the story's brand new
E uma nova história começa
But I can take it from here
Mas eu posso seguir a partir daqui
I'll find my own bravado
Eu vou achar minha própria bravura
It's a switch flipped
É controlável como um interruptor
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipse, woah oh
É como uma pílula engolida, como um eclipse lunar, woah oh
And I can tell you that
E eu posso te dizer que
When the lights come on, I'll be ready for this
Quando as luzes se acenderem, eu estarei preparada
It's in your bloodstream
É algo que corre no sangue
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
Uma colisão de átomos que ocorre diante de seus olhos
It's a marathon run
É igual a uma maratona
Or a mountain you scaled without thinking of size
Ou uma montanha que você escala sem pensar no tamanho
I was frightened of every little thing
Eu estava com medo de cada coisinha
That I thought was out to get me down
Que pensei que estava lá fora só para me pôr pra baixo
To trip me up and laugh at me, but
Para me fazer cair e depois rir de mim, mas
I learned not to want the quiet of a room
Eu aprendi a não querer ficar em uma sala quieta
With no one around to find me out
Sem ninguém por perto para me encontrar
I want the applause, the approval
Eu quero os aplausos, a aprovação
The things that make me go oh
E as coisas que me fazem seguir em frente, oh
It's a switch flipped
É controlável como um interruptor
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipse
É como uma pílula engolida, como um eclipse lunar, woah oh
And I can tell you that
E eu posso te dizer que
When the lights come on, I'll be ready for this
Quando as luzes se acenderem, eu estarei preparada
It's in your bloodstream
É algo que corre no sangue
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
Uma colisão de átomos que ocorre diante de seus olhos
It's a marathon run
É igual a uma maratona
Or a mountain you scaled without thinking of size
Ou uma montanha que você escala sem pensar no tamanho
I was frightened of every little thing
Eu estava com medo de cada coisinha
That I thought was out to get me down
Que pensei que estava lá fora só para me pôr pra baixo
To trip me up and laugh at me, but
Para me fazer cair e depois rir de mim, mas
I learned not to want the quiet of a room
Eu aprendi a não querer ficar em uma sala quieta
With no one around to find me out
Sem ninguém por perto para me encontrar
I want the applause, the approval
Eu quero os aplausos, a aprovação
The things that make me go oh
E as coisas que me fazem seguir em frente, oh
@andrewhines6108
All my life, I've been fighting a war
I can't talk to you or your friends
It's not only you
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
This will not do
'Cause I was raised up to be admired, to be noticed
But when you're withdrawn
It's the closest thing to assault when all eyes are on you
This will not do
I'm faking glory
Lick my lips, toss my hair
And turn the smile on
And the story's brand new
But I can take it from here
I'll find my own bravado
It's a switch flipped, it's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipse, whoa
And I can tell you that, when the lights come on, I'll be ready for this
It's in your bloodstream, a collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scaled without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing that I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me but
I learned not to want the quiet of a room with no-one around to find me out
I want the applause, the approval, the things that make me go "oh"
It's a switch flipped, it's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipse, whoa
And I can tell you that, when the lights come on, I'll be ready for this
It's in your bloodstream, a collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scaled without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing that I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me but
I learned not to want the quiet of a room with no-one around to find me out
I want the applause, the approval, the things that make me go "oh"
-Ella Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little
@rottenapplepodcast
Re-listening to this album. Loved it in High school and realizing once again what a Masterpiece this album really was.
@enrikopratt8547
I agree. Lorde is just one of the most incredible artists ever. This and Melodrama are both truly remarkable. I'm so glad that I found her those many years ago. She honestly changed my life.
@hunterm9
Of course Royals was on every playlist for a while, so I knew about Lorde. I think I went and listened to a couple of her other songs and wasn't uninterested. Then She released melodrama and I loved almost every song on it. Then recently I heard Buzzcut Season and loved it, so I decided to check out the rest of Pure Heroine. It's fucking incredible, I can't believe I ignored it before. Honestly the only song on it that I get bored of listening to is Royals, and that's mostly because I've heard it too much.
@wat787
I listened to this album A LOT 2 years back and revisiting it right now
@AlessiaValle-or1ev
Same
@matheusmarques164
I loved it in Middle School, and now I'm listening again in High School, just as good 👌
@laurenstone5504
All my life
I've been fighting a war
I can't talk to you or your friends
It's not only you
My heart jumps around when I'm alluded to
This will not do
'Cause I was raised up
To be admired to be noticed
But when you're withdrawn it's the closest thing
To assault when all eyes are on you
This will not do
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm faking glory
Lick my lips toss my hair
And send a smile over
And the stories brand new
But I can take it from here
I'll find my own bravado
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
It's a switch flipped
It's a pill tipped back, it's a moon eclipsed, whoa
And I can tell you that when the lights come on I'll be ready for this
It's in your blood stream
A collision of atoms that happens before your eyes
It's a marathon run or a mountain you scale without thinking of size
I was frightened of every little thing
That I thought was out to get me down
To trip me up and laugh at me
But I learnt not to want
The quiet of the room with no one around to find me out
I want the applause the approval the things that make me go
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
@kartaan1509
I like how the "oh"'s make perfect squares.
@giuliagerolaa
Thank you
@charlesjumawan6717
Pure heroine because she save the music industry