Lorde expressed interest in performing at local venues in her early teens. She signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2009 and collaborated with producer Joel Little in 2011 to start recording music. Their first effort, an EP titled The Love Club, was self-released in 2012 for free download on SoundCloud before UMG's commercial release in 2013. The EP's international chart-topping single "Royals" helped raise Lorde to prominence. Her debut studio album Pure Heroine was released that same year to critical and commercial success. The following year, Lorde curated the soundtrack for the 2014 film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and recorded several tracks, including the single "Yellow Flicker Beat".
Lorde's second studio album Melodrama (2017) received widespread critical acclaim and debuted atop the US Billboard 200. For her third studio album, Solar Power (2021), she ventured into indie folk and psychedelic styles. The album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand and charted inside the top-10 in numerous countries, although it polarised music critics and fans alike.
Lorde's accolades include two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards, and a Golden Globe nomination. She appeared in Time's list of the most influential teenagers in 2013 and 2014, and the 2014 edition of Forbes 30 Under 30. In addition to her solo work, she has co-written songs for other artists, including Broods and Bleachers. As of June 2017, Lorde has sold over five million albums worldwide.
Glory And Gore (DJ Mainj Trap Remix
Lorde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we're slipping off the course that we prepared
But in all chaos, there is calculation
Dropping glasses just to hear them break
You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (It didn't)
Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (Go figure)
It's clear that someone's gotta go
And the cry goes out (Haahaah)
They lose their minds for us
And how it plays out (Haahaah)
And now we're in the ring
And we're coming for blood
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but we're the gladiators
Oh oh, everyone a rager
Oh oh, but secretly, they're saviours
Glory and gore go hand in hand
That's why we're making headlines
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but victory's contagious
Delicate in every way but one (The swordplay)
God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (The old ways)
Chance is the only game I play with, baby
We let our battles choose us
And the cry goes out (Haahaah)
They lose their minds for us
And how it plays out (Haahaah)
And now we're in the ring
And we're coming for blood
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but we're the gladiators
Oh oh, everyone a rager
Oh oh, but secretly, they're saviours
Glory and gore go hand in hand
That's why we're making headlines
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but victory's contagious
No-one 'round here's good
At keeping their eyes closed
The sun's starting to light up
When we're walking home
Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises
We'll always win at this
I don't ever think about death
It's alright if you do, it's fine
We gladiate but I guess
We're really fighting ourselves
Roughing up our minds so we're ready
When the kill time comes
Wide awake in bed
Words in my brain
Secretly you love this
Do you even wanna go free?
Let me in the ring
I'll show you what that big word means
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but we're the gladiators
Oh oh, everyone a rager
Oh oh, but secretly, they're saviours
Glory and gore go hand in hand
That's why we're making headlines
Oh oh, you could try and take us
Oh oh, but victory's contagious
The song "Glory and Gore" by Lorde is an intense and powerful anthem about the thrill of chaos and victory in the face of challenges. The first stanza describes the feeling of restlessness and the uncertainty of slipping off course, but also acknowledges the power of chaos and calculation. The next stanza delves deeper into the themes of chaos and violence, where drinking leads to physical fights and someone has to go. However, there is a promise, that it is not meanness but a battle and victory cry for the gladiators who are secretly saviors.
The chorus, "Glory and gore go hand in hand, That's why we're making headlines" emphasizes the idea that there is a fine line between the allure of blood and violence in battle and the glory and fame that comes with winning. The lyrics further explain this idea, that winning is contagious and everyone, including the raging crowd, becomes a part of the glory of victory. The third stanza then transitions to the idea that there is a duality in everyone, where we may be delicate in every way but we possess archaic kinds of fun to deal with battles that choose us.
The bridge reveals a vulnerability, that despite the bravado and bravura, there is still an honest fear of death but it is a fear that is being masked by the love of chaos and the thrill of the fight, amidst tired laughs and gold-lie promises. The song ends with a challenge and an invitation, "Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means", and a final chorus that highlights the complexity of the themes that the song explores.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a humming in the restless summer air
The seasonal air is charged up with excitement and unease.
And we're slipping off the course that we prepared
We're deviating from our path for uncharted adventure.
But in all chaos, there is calculation
Even amid chaos, there's a method to the madness.
Dropping glasses just to hear them break
Sometimes we do things just because it's fun to watch the world burn.
You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (It didn't)
You're living life to the fullest because every moment is a gift.
Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (Go figure)
You messed up but your friend's got your back despite your errors.
It's clear that someone's gotta go
It's apparent that change must be made for progress to occur.
We mean it, but I promise we're not mean
We speak our hearts but don't mean to sound hurtful.
And the cry goes out (Haahaah)
The crowd cheers as the show begins.
They lose their minds for us
The audience is enthralled by our theatrics.
And how it plays out (Haahaah)
The performance unfolds in glorious detail.
And now we're in the ring
We're ready to confront our deepest fears.
And we're coming for blood
We're in it to win it and leave everything on the line.
Oh oh, you could try and take us
You're welcome to test us but we won't be easy to beat.
Oh oh, but we're the gladiators
We're warriors ready to fight for our beliefs.
Oh oh, everyone a rager
Our emotions are on fire and the heat's contagious.
Oh oh, but secretly, they're saviours
We may seem like troublemakers but we're changing the status quo for the better.
Glory and gore go hand in hand
To achieve greatness, one must be ready to face the ugliness required to get there.
That's why we're making headlines
Our exploits are noteworthy to the world.
No-one 'round here's good
No one in this place has it all figured out.
At keeping their eyes closed
They're not good at facing reality.
The sun's starting to light up
The day is beginning to dawn.
When we're walking home
We leave the night behind and face the day's challenges.
Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises
We make promises we don't intend to keep, out of exhaustion or desperation.
We'll always win at this
We'll always try our hardest to triumph over our adversaries.
I don't ever think about death
Death is not on our minds because life's too short to dwell on it.
It's alright if you do, it's fine
It's natural to think about mortality but it shouldn't consume you.
We gladiate but I guess
We're fighters but we're also fighting our own demons.
We're really fighting ourselves
The only true opponent we have is our own self-doubt.
Roughing up our minds so we're ready
We're toughening up our mental stamina in preparation for the future.
When the kill time comes
When the moment of truth arrives, we'll be ready to strike back.
Wide awake in bed
Restless and unable to sleep.
Words in my brain
Thoughts racing around inside my head.
Secretly you love this
You thrive on the adrenaline rush of being alive.
Do you even wanna go free?
Are you content with your present life or do you long for something more?
Let me in the ring
Allow me the opportunity to show you what it means to be a fighter.
I'll show you what that big word means
I'll demonstrate the true meaning of the term 'gladiator'.
Oh oh, victory's contagious
Once you taste victory, it becomes addictive and spreads like wildfire.
Contributed by Ruby L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aurelio Ferreira De Freitas Aurelio
on Perfect Places
ITALIAR OPP
Rivera Azer Lloyd
on Royals
Lorde