Diamandis' musical style ranges from keyboard-based ballads to more up-tempo new wave-style songs with full band backing. She has cited a wide range of influences such as Daniel Johnston, Blondie, Patti Smith, Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Elliott Smith, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears and Madonna.
The Family Jewels
Marina & the Diamonds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I just a fool?
Falling down like dominoes
Hit by family jewels
Pass it down from kid to kid
Chain will never end
Unless I decide to go to it
Will I see the end?
Oh, don't you find it strange?
Only thing we share is one last name
Did I beat you at your own game?
Typical of me to put us all to shame
Welcome to the family jewels
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Welcome to the family jewels
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
I can't keep my cool
I can't keep my cool
Family said that I decided
To live a loveless life
Is it my fault we stay divided
'Cause I've got too much pride?
Pass the parcel, wrap unwrap
And open up the locks
Out come flying all the secrets
Of Pandora's Box
Oh you think I'm unfit
Little did you know that I was cut for it
No glass slipper will ever fit
'Cause I could never see a diamond in it
Welcome to the family jewels
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Welcome to the family jewels
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
I can't keep my cool
I can't keep my cool
And when we're in the dark
It echoes in your heart
And when you're far away
It beckons me to stay
And when we're in the dark
It echoes in your heart
And when you're far away
It beckons me to stay
Welcome to the family jewels
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Welcome to the family jewels
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
Welcome to the family jewels
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Welcome to the family jewels
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
I can't keep my cool
I can't keep my cool
The song "The Family Jewels" by Marina & the Diamonds is a catchy and insightful evaluative of the cycle of family patterns that are passed down from generation to generation. This pattern can include dysfunctional relationships or even repeating patterns of success or failure in one's life, and the lyrics demonstrate the feeling of being trapped within the cycle. The line "I can't break the cycle, am I just a fool?" highlights the frustration of feeling like one cannot escape their past or their family's legacy. The metaphor of the "family jewels" is used as a symbol of something passed down from generation to generation. The singer wonders if the only way to end this cycle is to reject their family's legacy and start anew, but doing so is not easy, as it requires going against the traditions and expectations of their family lineage.
The song also touches on themes of individuality and personal growth, as the singer rebels against the perceived limits of their upbringing. They feel judged and constrained by their family's expectations, but they refuse to let those expectations determine their future. Instead, they take control of their own destiny and decide to forge their own path. This message is brought home in lines like "And when you're far away, it beckons me to stay," which suggests that the singer is drawn to the familiar, but knows that they cannot stay trapped in the cycle forever.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't break the cycle
I'm stuck in a repeating pattern and can't seem to escape it
Am I just a fool?
I feel foolish for not being able to break free from this cycle
Falling down like dominoes
Each family member's struggles contribute to the struggles of the next, leading to a chain reaction of negative events
Hit by family jewels
Being struck by the weight of inherited family issues and problems
Pass it down from kid to kid
Generational issues and patterns that continue through the family line
Chain will never end
The cycle of issues and problems will continue on and on, unless someone intervenes
Unless I decide to go to it
The cycle will only stop if I actively try to put an end to it
Will I see the end?
I am uncertain whether I will be able to break the cycle and see a resolution
Oh, don't you find it strange?
Isn't it odd that the only thing we have in common is our shared last name?
Only thing we share is one last name
Although we are family, we don't have much else in common
Did I beat you at your own game?
Did I successfully overcome the struggles that you couldn't, or am I just as stuck as you are?
Typical of me to put us all to shame
I feel guilty for breaking the family pattern, as if I'm making the rest of the family look bad
Welcome to the family jewels
Welcome to the baggage and issues inherited through family connections
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Transforming family problems into personal strengths, but only seeming to benefit those who take advantage of them
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
Struggling with emotional turmoil and being unable to maintain a sense of calm
Family said that I decided
My family believes that I chose to live a loveless life
To live a loveless life
To not have romantic relationships or attachments
Is it my fault we stay divided
Am I to blame for the family's issues and conflicts?
'Cause I've got too much pride?
Because I am too stubborn to try and fix things, in order to prove a point or save face
Pass the parcel, wrap unwrap
A game of passing around a present and unwrapping the layers to reveal what's inside
And open up the locks
Revealing long-held family secrets and issues
Out come flying all the secrets
Family secrets and issues that have been kept hidden and covered up come to light
Of Pandora's Box
Alluding to the Greek myth of Pandora, who opened a box containing all the evils of the world
Oh you think I'm unfit
You believe that I am not suited to handle the family issues
Little did you know that I was cut for it
What you don't realize is that I am actually equipped to handle these difficult situations
No glass slipper will ever fit
I cannot fit into the traditional ideas of what it means to be a part of this family
'Cause I could never see a diamond in it
Because I cannot see the value or worth in the traditional expectations and patterns of the family
And when we're in the dark
When we're confronted with our issues and secrets
It echoes in your heart
It resonates and affects us deeply, emotionally
And when you're far away
Even when we're physically separated from the family or the issues, they can still affect us
It beckons me to stay
It calls to me, making me feel like I always need to be involved in the family's issues and conflicts
Welcome to the family jewels
Welcome to the baggage and issues inherited through family connections
Coal to diamonds, sold to fools
Transforming family problems into personal strengths, but only seeming to benefit those who take advantage of them
Simmer and suffer, can't keep his cool
Struggling with emotional turmoil and being unable to maintain a sense of calm
I can't keep my cool
I am struggling with controlling my emotions and reactions to the family's issues
Contributed by Charlotte L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.