The band was formed in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 2012 under the name Operation Guillotine.They were originally a metalcore band, consisting of five members, with Kyle Anthony performing unclean vocals. Their line-up soon changed to vocalist/guitarist Lynn Gunn (born Lyndsey Gunnulfsen), guitarist Alex Babinski, bassist Brian Macdonald, and drummer Brad Griffin. Griffin would leave the band prior to the release of the band's first album, 2014's White Noise. The trio of Gunn, Babinski, and MacDonald would release one more album, All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell, in 2017, and an EP, Hallucinations, in 2019. Prior to the release of 2020's Use Me, Babinski was removed from the band. The band's current lineup is Gunnulfsen, with Macdonald and drummer Danny Agosto playing with her live.
Chandelier
PVRIS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Party girls don't get hurt,
Can't feel anything, when will I learn?
I push it down, push it down.
I'm the one "for a good time call",
Phone's blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell,
I feel the love, I feel the love.
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
Throw 'em back, till I lose count.
[Chorus]
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier,
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist.
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry,
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier.
[Post-Chorus]
And I'm holding on for dear life,
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
Keep my glass full until morning light,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight.
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life,
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
Keep my glass full until morning light,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight, on for tonight.
[Verse 2]
Sun is up, I'm a mess,
Gotta get out now, gotta run from this,
Here comes the shame, here comes the shame.
[Pre-Chorus]
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
Throw 'em back, till I lose count.
[Chorus]
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier,
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist.
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry,
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier.
[Post-Chorus]
And I'm holding on for dear life,
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
Keep my glass full until morning light,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight.
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life,
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
Keep my glass full until morning light,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight,
On for tonight, on for tonight.
[Outro]
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight,
On for tonight, on for tonight.
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life,
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight
On for tonight, on for tonight.
In PVRIS’ “Chandelier,” frontwoman Lynn Gunn sings about embracing a wild, party-girl lifestyle to escape painful emotions. She uses alcohol to numb herself and drown out her feelings, singing “Party girls don’t get hurt/Can’t feel anything, when will I learn?” Gunn describes how her phone won't stop ringing and how she feels the love from her partying companions. She keeps drinking, singing “One, two, three, one, two, three, drink” repeatedly, until she loses count. The chorus repeats the title and incorporates a flying metaphor for her ideal life.
Gunn continues to describe how the morning after, she's ashamed of herself and wants to run away. The post-chorus repeats that she's holding on for dear life and to keep her glass full. The repetition of certain lines in the song paints an image of the cycle of partying and the temporary relief it brings.
Many of the lines in the song, particularly in the pre-chorus and chorus, are echoed from Sia’s 2014 hit song, “Chandelier.” Gunn said that she wrote the song during a dark time in her life when she felt like she was using partying to escape her problems. She said that the song is about feeling lost and trying to find a way out. By using the metaphor of swinging from a chandelier, Gunn expresses the idea of wanting to break free and find a sense of freedom and release.
Line by Line Meaning
Party girls don't get hurt,
The singer is living a life as a party girl and doesn't want to get hurt.
Can't feel anything, when will I learn?
The singer has become numb to her actions and is contemplating when she will finally learn from them.
I push it down, push it down.
The singer tries to ignore her problems and pain by pushing them down and numbing herself with alcohol.
I'm the one "for a good time call",
The singer is known as the person to call when someone wants to have a good time.
Phone's blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell,
The singer receives many calls and visitors from people wanting to party with her.
I feel the love, I feel the love.
The singer feels the attention and affection from others while she parties.
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink,
The singer uses drinking as a coping mechanism, and counts her drinks to keep track.
Throw 'em back, till I lose count.
The singer drinks excessively until she can no longer keep track of how much she's had.
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier,
The singer is going to live life to the fullest and recklessly, symbolized by swinging from a chandelier.
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist.
The singer wants to forget about the consequences of her actions and live in the moment.
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry,
The singer will soar through life like a bird in the night, feeling the pain of her past experiences dry up.
And I'm holding on for dear life,
The singer is struggling to hold on to this way of life, despite it not being healthy for her.
Won't look down, won't open my eyes,
The singer is afraid to face reality, and keeps her eyes closed to avoid it.
Keep my glass full until morning light,
The singer drinks throughout the night, not wanting it to end.
'Cause I'm just holding on for tonight.
The singer is clinging to this lifestyle for one more night, knowing it's not sustainable.
Sun is up, I'm a mess,
The morning after, the singer is a mess due to her excessive partying and drinking.
Here comes the shame, here comes the shame.
The singer feels regret and shame for her actions from the night before.
On for tonight, on for tonight.
The singer continues to hold on to this destructive lifestyle for another night.
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life,
The singer is struggling and needs help to break free from this way of life.
Contributed by Lillian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ghost Killer Entertainment
When the cover is so good you wanna try to swing on a chandelier
Ren
Yaaaaassss swing in it!!
Jason Sprague
Way better than the original rendition
Peter Rifner
Please upload video of you doing that to this version of the song 🤣🤣🤣
Abigail
That raspiness in her voice gave me chills...Love it
KarenMariaOficial
She almost lost her voice, so now she don't use much.
Martin Gašpar
too bad she doesnt have it anymore
milkey way
@Jonathan Rowland really? Maybe I don't listen to many singers I keep stuck on the ones I like lmao
Jonathan Rowland
@Manastro she soounds just like alot of people these days
Manastro
She doesnt have much of a rasp though