Vocalist/guitarist Emerson Hart formed the alternative/roots band Tonic in … Read Full Bio ↴Vocalist/guitarist Emerson Hart formed the alternative/roots band Tonic in 1993 with guitarist Jeff Russo (a childhood friend), bassist Dan Rothchild, and drummer Kevin Shepard. After gigging around Los Angeles, the foursome signed with A&M Records. For the recording of their debut album, producer Jack Joseph Puig (Jellyfish, the Black Crowes) gave Tonic a decidedly rootsy feel, with the addition of lap steel and mandolin. The album, titled Lemon Parade, was released in July 1996. After replacing the departed Rothchild with Dan Lavery, the band contributed to soundtracks including Scream 2, The X Files, and Clay Pigeons before returning in 1999 with Sugar. Three years later, Tonic returned with Head On Straight. "Take Me As I Am" was a smash hit on modern rock radio; however, Tonic's shining moment came in early 2003 when they received two Grammy nominations -- one for Best Rock Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal for "Take Me As I Am" and Best Rock Album. The band went on hiatus in 2004, but returned in 2008 to tour and begin work on a new eponymous album, which arrived in 2010.

There are other artists with the same name:

2. Tonic is a house music producer.

3. A pop band from Belgium active in the 1980s.

Queen
Tonic Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Head strong and steadfast junkies
All barter for the clean
They all wait in their plastic lines
To find what color means

Cause they all want to be queen
And you do know what I mean
Cause they all want to be queen

And you do know what I mean

I spoke to a girl by the backdoor
She said she'd do anything just to meet you
You know I've seen that smile before
Just in time for a knee to hit the ground
Little girls
Dressed up like french whores
In velvet paintings
Wide eyed
Long nails
They all want to live the fairy tale

Cause they all want to be queen
And you do know what I mean
Cause they all want to be queen
And you do know what I mean

Did they tear you all up inside
Did they take away all your pride
And she cried herself to sleep that night

Cause they all want to be queen
And you do know what I mean
Cause they all want to be queen
And you do
And you do
And you do know what I mean
Queen want to be queen
Queen want to be queen

Queen want to be queen
Queen want to be queen

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tonic's song Queen seem to reflect on the human desire to be seen as the best, a queen above all others. It speaks to the lengths some people are willing to go to achieve this title, including sacrificing their identities, submitting themselves to societal standards, and adopting questionable behavior. The lines "Head strong and steadfast junkies/All barter for the clean/They all wait in their plastic lines/To find what color means" refer to people refraining from their vices, willing to follow rigid social constructs, and participating in the search for a meaning or purpose in life. The people described in the song appear lost or out of control, looking for something to hang onto, which they find in their fantasies of becoming the ultimate ruler.

The song mentions how young girls dress provocatively, in search of attention, and wanting to live like a fairytale princess. The line, "Did they tear you all up inside/Did they take away all your pride/And she cried herself to sleep that night" speaks to the emotional and mental repercussions that may come when one is over-consumed by the desire for power and prestige. The song suggests that wanting to be queen ultimately may not bring happiness to someone's life and the sacrifices made in pursuit of it may not be worth it at all.

Line by Line Meaning

Head strong and steadfast junkies
People who are addicted and determined cling on to their habits.

All barter for the clean
They sacrifice everything in their power to maintain being drug-free.

They all wait in their plastic lines
They spend most of their time queuing in lines, waiting to get their drugs or become sober.

To find what color means
They are constantly searching for reasons to keep going and to keep themselves motivated.

Cause they all want to be queen
Everyone desires to live like royalty, with the best of everything at their disposal.

And you do know what I mean
It's a universal desire that everyone understands.

I spoke to a girl by the backdoor
A conversation happened at the rear exit of a place.

She said she'd do anything just to meet you
Someone expressed their willingness to do whatever it takes just to have an encounter with a special person.

You know I've seen that smile before
The expression on someone's face was familiar and had been seen previously.

Just in time for a knee to hit the ground
Right at that moment, someone fell to their knees.

Little girls
Young, defenseless girls.

Dressed up like french whores
They are dressed in indecent clothing, resembling that of French prostitutes.

In velvet paintings
This could be interpreted to mean that the image being portrayed is a fantasy, not real life.

Wide eyed
Their eyes were opened wide, possibly in wonder or disbelief.

Long nails
Their nails were long and well-manicured, possibly an indication of their need to appear polished.

They all want to live the fairy tale
They aspire to live in a world where things always go their way and where they are the center of attention.

Did they tear you all up inside
Has someone caused so much pain and suffering that it has affected the core of who they are?

Did they take away all your pride
Has someone stripped them of everything that makes them feel good about themselves?

And she cried herself to sleep that night
Someone was so broken by their experiences that it caused them to cry themselves to sleep.

Queen want to be queen
The longing for greatness and luxury is never-ending.