"Still Sane" is a song about staying sane and grounded in the midst of fame… Read Full Bio ↴"Still Sane" is a song about staying sane and grounded in the midst of fame and fortune. In the song, Lorde is reflecting on her life today and how she is able to stay sane, despite the challenges that comes with success. She is aware of the scrutiny and pressure she encounters, which is why she chooses to keep it "all business, all day" and "work" than "play". The song captures her inner battle to maintain her sense of identity, and not let success overcome her. She ultimately seeks to remain humble, resilient and sane, in order to stay in the swing of things.

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Still Sane
Lorde Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Today is my birthday, and I'm riding high
Hair is dripping, hiding that I'm terrified
But this is summer, playing dumber than in fall
Everything I say falls right back into everything

I'm not in the swing of things
But what I really mean is
Not in the swing of things yet

Riding around on the bikes, we're still sane
I won't be her, tripping over on stage
Hey, it's all cool
I still like hotels, but I think that'll change
Still like hotels, and my newfound fame
Hey, promise I can stay good
(Everything feels right) I'm little, but I'm coming for the crown
I'm little, but I'm coming for you (chase paper, get it)
I'm little but I'm coming for the title, held by everyone who's up

All work and no play
Never made me lose it
All business all day
Keeps me up a level
All work and no play
Keeps me on the new shit, yeah

All work and no play
Let me count the bruises
All business all day
Keeps me up a level
All work and no play
Lonely on the new shit Set yeah
Yeah

Only bad people live to see
Their likeness set in stone

Only bad people live to see
Their likeness set in stone
What does that make me?

I'm not in the swing of things
But what I really mean is
Not in the swing of things yet

I'm not in the swing of things
But what I really mean is
Not in the swing of things yet

All work and no play
Never made me lose it
All business all day
Keeps me up a level
All work and no play
Keeps me on the new shit, yeah

Overall Meaning

At first listen, Lorde's song, Still Sane, could be interpreted as a celebratory track, with its upbeat tempo and the lyrics about her birthday and new-found fame. However, upon closer examination, it is evident that the song portrays Lorde's struggle with the trappings of fame and the pressure she faces to maintain her success. Lorde sings about feeling terrified, tripping over on stage, and the bruises she incurs from all the hard work.

The lyrics "I'm little, but I'm coming for the crown" suggest that Lorde is acutely aware of her youth and inexperience, but is determined to succeed nevertheless. She grapples with the fear that she may become like other successful people who end up being "bad" and "lonely on the new shit set." Ultimately, the song conveys Lorde's internal conflict with balancing her artistry and maintaining her public image in the face of fame and success.

Line by Line Meaning

Today is my birthday, and I'm riding high
It's my birthday and I'm feeling great.

Hair is dripping, hiding that I'm terrified
My hair is wet and it hides that I'm scared.

But this is summer, playing dumber than in fall
It's summer, so I'm pretending to be less smart than in the fall.

Everything I say falls right back into everything
Everything I say seems to be part of a bigger conversation.

Riding around on the bikes, we're still sane
We ride bikes together and it keeps us grounded.

I won't be her, tripping up on stage
I don't want to make the same mistakes as others and fail on stage.

Hey, it's all cool
I'm chill and things are fine.

I still like hotels, but I think that'll change
I still enjoy hotels, but I may not in the future.

Still like hotels, and my newfound fame
I still enjoy hotels despite my recent fame.

Hey, promise I can stay good
I promise I will stay true to myself.

(Everything feels right) I'm little, but I'm coming for the crown
Everything feels good, and despite being young, I'm coming for the top.

I'm little, but I'm coming for you (chase paper, get it)
Despite my small stature, I'm coming to achieve financial success.

I'm little but I'm coming for the title, held by everyone who's up
Despite being small, I'm coming for the position that everyone else in power has.

All work and no play
If I only work and don't have fun,

Never made me lose it
It won't make me crazy.

All business all day
If I'm focused on my work all day,

Keeps me up a level
It keeps me on track.

All work and no play
If I only work and don't have fun,

Keeps me on the new shit, yeah
It helps me stay on top of things.

Only bad people live to see
People who do bad things usually end up with statues or memorials.

Their likeness set in stone
Their image becomes immortalized.

What does that make me?
What does that say about me?

I'm not in the swing of things
I'm not used to this yet.

But what I really mean is
What I'm trying to say is

Not in the swing of things yet
I'm not used to this yet.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ella Marija Lani Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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