Royals
Walk Off the Earth Lyrics


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I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address
In a torn-up town, no postcode envy

But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair

And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen Bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy

My friends and I—we've cracked the code
We count our dollars on the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this
We didn't come from money

But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair

And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen Bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy

Ooh ooh oh
We're bigger than we ever dreamed
And I'm in love with being queen
Ooh ooh oh
Life is great without a care
We aren't caught up in your love affair

And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood
That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler (ruler)
You can call me queen Bee




And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Walk Off the Earth's song Royals is about celebrating the beauty of the simpler things in life and rejecting the extravagant lifestyle of the rich and famous. The first verse talks about the singer's humble beginnings, that she's never seen a diamond or lived a luxurious life, and her teeth were cut on wedding rings seen in movies. She then declares that she's not proud of her address being in a torn-up town, but there's no postcode envy. This means she's content with where she is and doesn't envy others who live in more upscale neighborhoods.


The chorus explains that she doesn't care about the luxurious things, such as Cristal, Maybach, or diamonds, that everyone aspires to. She wants a different kind of buzz, and living her fantasy, meaning she wants to be happy with what she has and make the most of it. They'll never be royals, but she wants to be the queen bee or ruler of her own life and enjoy life without any cares or love affairs. The song concludes by triumphing the idea that the singer, along with her friends, has found happiness in life by living a simple and joyful life.


Line by Line Meaning

I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I have never seen or held a real diamond in my life


I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
I learned about love and relationships by watching movies, where weddings and the exchange of rings are often romanticized


And I'm not proud of my address
I am not happy about where I come from, because it is a poor and run-down area


In a torn-up town, no postcode envy
I live in a town that has seen better days, and I don't envy those who live in more prosperous, upscale areas with nicer addresses


But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Most popular music today seems to celebrate excessive wealth, luxury status symbols, and partying until you hallucinate or throw up in the bathroom


Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
People who have too much money and power are often disrespectful, sloppy, and destructive in their behavior - ruining expensive outfits and hotel rooms with their wild partying


We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
Despite not actually having the means to afford fancy cars like Cadillacs, we still have the imagination and ambition to dream about what it would be like to drive them


But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
The people who are obsessed with wealth and status always seem to be chasing after the latest luxury brands and symbols, like Cristal champagne, Maybach cars, and expensive watches adorned with diamonds


Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
Their extravagance knows no bounds, as they flaunt their private jets, buy up their own islands, and even keep exotic animals like tigers as pets on leashes made of gold


We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair
We don't care about people who are obsessed with their own wealth and power, and we don't get involved in their dramas or romantic affairs


And we'll never be royals (royals)
We will never be part of the royal elite or inherit any kind of noble bloodline


It don't run in our blood
We were not born into a family that has a history of royal lineage or aristocratic privilege


That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We don't want or need the kind of luxury that royals have, and we don't aspire to that lifestyle


We crave a different kind of buzz
We seek a different kind of excitement or pleasure than what wealthy royals might enjoy, something that is more grounded or real


Let me be your ruler (ruler)
Instead of being at the mercy of royalty or the wealthy elite, let me be in control and make my own rules


You can call me queen Bee
Out of respect or admiration for my strength and independence, you can refer to me as a queen, putting me on equal footing with royalty


And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
I will use my own power and self-determination to rule my own life, instead of being constrained by the expectations, traditions, or laws of others


Let me live that fantasy
I am indulging in my own fantasy of power and control, living out my own version of a royal or luxury lifestyle in my own way


My friends and I—we've cracked the code
Me and my friends have figured out how to live life on our own terms, without having to conform to societal norms or expectations


We count our dollars on the train to the party
We pay close attention to our own finances and budgeting, even as we go out and have fun together on the train ride to a party


And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this
Our friends and acquaintances understand that we are content with living a simpler, more grounded lifestyle that doesn't involve excessive wealth or status symbols


Life is great without a care
We are happy and fulfilled without having to constantly worry about maintaining our status or competing with others for wealth or power


We aren't caught up in your love affair
We don't get involved in other people's romantic or social dramas, because we have our own priorities and values that are more important to us


Ooh ooh oh
Vocalization


We're bigger than we ever dreamed
We have more potential and capacity for growth than we ever imagined, both as individuals and as a group of friends


And I'm in love with being queen
I enjoy the feeling of being confident, independent, and in charge of my own life and destiny, like a queen or ruler


Let me live that fantasy
I will continue to indulge in my own fantasy and imagination, living according to my own values and aspirations, rather than blindly following social expectations or norms




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Astrobrant2

My son and I spent about an hour analyzing this. Boy, that was a lot of fun! There is SO MUCH going on! What a performance! How many of you noticed...

1) the number of times the girl and the guy on the end hit the bells in front of them?
Edit: It was 24. They had to take turns depending on which had a free right hand while taking a ukulele with the left hand.
2) that the middle two guys are playing the drums with their feet all the way through?
3) that they had to use four ukuleles for this (four colors of the little hand-clappers)
4) how thick the strings on the bass ukuleles were?
5) that the guy who rolled in was doing vocal bass, since the bass ukulele wasn't being played? Notice how long he sustains that deep note.
Edit: Oops! It wasn't vocal. He was blowing into instruments like didgery doos!
6) how much physical stuff the guy next to the girl had to do?
7) that the girl's teeth twinkled at the end? Perfect special effect!
Edit: 8) what the two guys in the middle are slapping that's hanging in front of their necks? It's silverware.

Hey, I'd be interested in any discoveries other viewers have made. This whole thing was like analyzing a magician's act, only there's no sleight of hand or deception. It's all happening in plain sight (except for the drum playing).

And it was a darn good song! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to spend so long studying it.

Edit: Oh, and what might be the most amazing but least noticeable part: It was one continuous video. No edits!



All comments from YouTube:

Molly Fisher

This is better than the original. Seriously, every time people sing the original or I hear it on the radio, I say, "yeah it's okay but Walk Off The Earth's version is better." Your covers are always better!!
I love you guys so much <3
~Your biggest fan~

Moe Lester

Lets be honest, everytime you guys cover a song, you do the song better.


Rip Mike the beard guy

Sonia Maria

Yep!

MPbrryz

@🦋n4nc3🦋 no the black shirt one

aubrey.

Omg he died?? Rip..

Overcomer

They are so good

🦋n4nc3🦋

Sorry I meant the red t shirt

2 More Replies...

amelia yorkie

I can’t imagine how many takes this must’ve took to get right! I love this cover so much tho💗

Adriana - Gustavo Valter

Ki

Naddnich

I believe it takes before the video making

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