Though born in Dayton, Ohio, Barlow was raised in Jackson, Michigan and then Westfield, Massachusetts. He is widely considered to be among the most prolific and ground-breaking indie musicians of the 1990's. He's best known for his work with Sebadoh, The Folk Implosion and Dinosaur Jr.'s original and current lineup. Many labels have been applied to his unique brand of acoustic rock, including lo-fi, folk-pop and folkcore. Barlow's latest album, his second official solo effort under his own name, is titled Goodnight unknown.
Royalty
Lou Barlow Lyrics
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Who will you follow tonight
I know that look you get playing dumb for respect
There when our eyes just met, off with you, go play the room
What do you have in mind, kind of Frankenstein
Pieces of people you know
Collected, rearranged, who's around, how to change
I've seen you bend and shape, turn on me I can wait
Soon we'll be here all alone
Slowly reappear, not tonight I fear
You've found a new you to be
Someone, nothing like me
Don't let me pick a fight
Let me say goodnight and go home
Before I'm enraged
You are getting too close to the throne
Could be in me, my jealousy, making things ugly again
Making me curse your name, light a fire of blame
Burning what good things we had
Making me nothing but sad
No, it's not me, I am one of the many
You've used and betrayed, in your way
On your way
And I know you don't know what you do
When you find your king
When you find your queen
You'll do anything but try
To be honest and true, not hide
The lyrics to Lou Barlow's song Royalty explore themes of identity and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The chorus asks the question, "Who are your royalty, who are you trying to please," suggesting that the singer is struggling to find their own sense of self amidst the expectations of others. The verses describe a character who is constantly changing and adapting in order to fit in with different crowds, collecting pieces of people they know and rearranging them to be "perfectly cool." The singer's desire for acceptance is further highlighted in the lines, "Don't let me pick a fight, let me say goodnight and go home, before I'm enraged, you are getting too close to the throne."
The song's bridge reveals a hint of jealousy on the part of the singer, who wonders if their own insecurity might be fueling their negative thoughts about the other person. They consider the possibility that they are "making things ugly again, making me curse your name, light a fire of blame, burning what good things we had." However, the song ends on a note of resignation, as the singer realizes that they are just one of many people who have been used and betrayed by this charismatic figure. Overall, the lyrics to Royalty provide a poignant commentary on the intersection of identity, power dynamics, and social pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
Who are your royalty, who are you trying to please
Who do you consider to be above you and who are you trying to impress?
Who will you follow tonight
Who will you choose to follow tonight?
I know that look you get playing dumb for respect
I can see the look on your face when you act stupid in order to gain respect.
There when our eyes just met, off with you, go play the room
As soon as our eyes met, you walked away to play the room and show off.
What do you have in mind, kind of Frankenstein
What kind of plan do you have in mind that seems to involve piecing together bits and pieces of different people like a Frankenstein's monster?
Pieces of people you know
Using specific parts or traits of people you know.
Collected, rearranged, who's around, how to change
You gathered the pieces, rearrange them, and now figuring out who is still around and how to completely change yourself to be perceived as cool.
How to be perfectly cool
Trying to figure out how to be perfectly cool or popular with people.
I've seen you bend and shape, turn on me I can wait
I have witnessed you changing yourself and how you act to fit in with specific people, even if it means turning on me. I can wait to see what you do next.
Soon we'll be here all alone
Soon, it will be just the two of us without anyone else around.
Slowly reappear, not tonight I fear
Slowly you are reappearing as a new person, but I fear it is not tonight that I will see who you have become.
You've found a new you to be
You have discovered a new personality of yourself to be.
Someone, nothing like me
This new personality is nothing like me.
Don't let me pick a fight
Please do not let me start a fight with you.
Let me say goodnight and go home
Let me say goodbye and leave to return to my own home.
Before I'm enraged
Before I become angry and upset.
You are getting too close to the throne
You are getting too close to being the center of attention.
Could be in me, my jealousy, making things ugly again
Perhaps it is my own jealousy that is making things ugly again.
Making me curse your name, light a fire of blame
Causing me to curse your name and place blame on you for what is happening.
Burning what good things we had
Ruining the good things that we had together.
Making me nothing but sad
Making me feel nothing but sadness.
No, it's not me, I am one of the many
No, it is not just me who has been betrayed, I am just one of many people you have used and betrayed in your own way.
You've used and betrayed, in your way
You have used and betrayed many people, but always in your own way.
On your way
In your own preferred methods.
And I know you don't know what you do
I am aware that you do not even realize what you are doing.
When you find your king
When you discover someone you believe to be your ruler or leader.
When you find your queen
When you discover someone you perceive to be your queen or powerful female.
You'll do anything but try
You will do anything except try to be honest and true.
To be honest and true, not hide
To be truthful and genuine, without hiding anything.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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