James Shepard, Staff Writer On September 27, 2022, Lorde’s debut album, Pure Heroine, turned nine years old! Written and created by the New Zealand artist when she was only fifteen years old, Pure Heroine describes the world’s influence on teenage years. In this album, Lorde illustrates a variety of themes, ranging from materialism in her biggest hit “Royals,” to the fear of growing up in “Ribs.” All of these themes come together to create a strong, cohesive album that provides inspiration for the current generation. Photo from album photo shoot; The first track, "Tennis Court," may be a historical reference to the French Revolution! The album opens with the song “Tennis Court,” and Lorde begins with the line, “Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk?” Early on in the album, Lorde is disinterested with the conversation she hears in the world around her. This sense of self-awareness is a recurring theme throughout the album. Continuing throughout the song into the chorus, Lorde sings about going down to the tennis court to “talk it up” with her friends. According to history buffs, the tennis court could be an allusion to the Oath of the Tennis Court from French history, where members of the third estate in France’s government stayed in a tennis court to discuss a new and equal government, which was crucial to the French Revolution. Lorde reinforces the theme of royalty when she sings about being “the beauty queen in tears.” She also says, “Everyone’s cool when we’re all in line for the throne // But I know it’s not forever.” Lorde uses the theme of royalty to represent the emphasis teenagers place on popularity. Overall, “Tennis Court” is a great introduction to Lorde's social commentary in the rest of the album. The second track, “400 Lux,” tells the story of Lorde and a romantic interest in a car setting. Lorde loves her time with this person, and the lines “We’re never done with killing time // Can I kill it with you” show that she never wants to leave them. The chorus begins with “You pick me up and take me home again,” indicating that they have had frequent trips. Another noteworthy lyric reads, “I like these roads where the houses don’t change,” which references the suburban environment where Lorde grew up. This setting continues throughout the album, primarily in this song and the next track, “Royals.” “Royals,” Lorde’s Grammy-winning song, has massively influenced the alternative music industry for the past nine years, as new artists explore the sound utilized by Lorde on this song and Pure Heroine as a whole. In this track, Lorde describes her aversion towards a suburban lifestyle, as seen in the lines “And I’m not proud of my address // In the torn up town, no postcode envy.” From her home in New Zealand, Lorde sees America as this great place where everyone lives in luxury; it’s almost a “fantasy” to her. Lorde rejects this society and sings, “And we’ll never be royals // It don’t run in our blood.” However, after this line, Lorde once again plays with the concept of being royal and sings, “Let me be your ruler // You can call me queen bee // And baby, I’ll rule.” She becomes completely enveloped in this idea during the bridge, where she sings, “...I’m in love with being queen.” and “Life is great without a care.” The song ends with the line “Let me live that fantasy,” which is Lorde acknowledging that this life isn’t meant for her in real life. One of the most popular songs on the album is “Ribs.” This angelic track starts in a party setting, but in the lines, “My mom and dad let me stay home // It drives you crazy getting old,” Lorde begins to fear her future. Lorde cherishes her teenage years when she sings, “We can talk it good // We can make it so divine.” The chorus of this song is Lorde repeating the previous verse, which shows her panic towards the idea of growing up. She attempts to grasp onto her youth before it’s gone. In the second verse, Lorde sings, “This dream isn’t feeling sweet” and “It feels so scary getting old.” The jump from “it drives you crazy” to “it feels so scary getting old” demonstrates that Lorde gradually accepts and acknowledges her fear of growing up; it’s no longer something she desires. This line of thought leads into the bridge, where Lorde repeats lines like “I want ‘em back // The minds we had,” which has a pleading tone because she wants her innocence back. The song ends with repetition, where Lorde sings, “You’re the only friend I need” and “And laughing til our ribs get tough.” She desperately wants to hold onto the carefree moments in her life. However, the last line is, “But that will never be enough,” because Lorde accepts her future and what will come with it. In the nostalgic track “Buzzcut Season,” Lorde narrates times when she and her friends see the actual state of the world while they’re in their “Buzzcut Season,” which is a literal term because they shave their heads during the summer. While Lorde is trying to hang onto her youth, she gradually notices how vile the world can be but still feels detached from these events like “explosions on TV,” singing “So now we live beside the pool // Where everything is good.” She also feels separated because of her lifestyle in New Zealand, and asserts: “People should see how we’re living.” Americans often regard New Zealand as a place too foreign for them to pay special attention to. However, Lorde feels safe in her home, describing it as a place “Where everything is good.” In the chorus, Lorde acknowledges the fact that she needs to accept reality, as seen in the line “I live in a hologram with you.” The simplicity of the album cover is an interesting contrast to the complex themes that Lorde sings about. Another well-known song by Lorde is “Team.” The upbeat track continues the story told in “Royals.” As she weaves a tale of elegance and luxury, Lorde returns to the theme of royalty. Lorde sings, “We’ll live in cities you’ll never see on-screen” and “Livin’ in ruins of a palace within my dreams,” which describes a society that is beginning to fall within her mind. These lines are related to her isolation from the rest of society because she lives in New Zealand, a place that’s less exposed to the world’s many flaws. Lorde shrugs this thought away with the line, “And you know, we’re on each other's team.” She experiences a sense of relief as she realizes that humanity is on the same team at the end; the human race is united. In the next track, “Glory and Gore,” Lorde takes a more violent and fierce view of society. The song comments on a culture where everyone is desperate for entertainment, especially from celebrities. Lines like “They lose our minds for us // And how it plays out” exemplify Lorde’s criticism of those who fixate and depend on celebrity culture. The chorus reads “Glory and gore go hand in hand // That’s why we’re making headlines.” Essentially, she’s saying that celebrities need to fight dirty to gain popularity; most spectators flock to read a headline about a celebrity fight rather than a friendly interaction. During the bridge, Lorde sings, “We gladiate, but I guess we’re really fighting ourselves.” Celebrities are fighting each other as they humiliate themselves for a small amount of fame. The song as a whole illustrates the toxic nature of celebrity culture. In the song “Still Sane,” Lorde reflects on her newfound stardom and everything that comes with it. She sings that she’s “Not in the swing of things yet,” which is entirely understandable for a 16-year-old girl who quickly blew up in popularity. Lorde finds reassurance and confidence when she sings, “I’m little but I’m coming for the crown // I’m little but I’m coming for the title held by everyone who’s up.” Lorde knew that “Royals” wasn’t going to be her last hit; she had lots of ambition at a young age. However, in the bridge, Lorde sings, “Only bad people live to see // Their likeness set in stone // What does that make me?” She knows the immense impact that she’s had on the world with her hit song, but she wonders if that impact will be positive or possibly detrimental. Everyone in a position of significance must wrestle with that question throughout their career. Lorde returns to a teenager's life in the song “White Teeth Teens.” Lorde uses the motif of white teeth to represent one’s popularity or social status in a teenage environment. In the beginning, Lorde appears to be part of a popular group, and she has fun as a “white teeth teen.” However, in the bridge, Lorde sings, “I’ll let you in on something big // I am not a white teeth teen // I tried to join, but never did.” She doesn’t fit in with the clique. Lorde also sings, “The way they are, the way they seem // Is something else, it’s in the blood,” which reveals that the “white teeth teens” aren’t who they appear to be. This line indicates that although one may seem a certain way, everyone has secret problems, whether big or small. Lorde decided not to be a “white teeth teen” because that means pretending to be something she’s not. The closing track of Pure Heroine is “A World Alone.” This song serves as a beautiful and peaceful conclusion to the album. Lorde lets go of everything holding her back in previous pieces, singing, “Let ‘em talk, cause we’re dancing in this world alone.” She is done with trying to be a “white teeth teen” and dealing with the drama behind popularity. Lorde also is aware of what awaits her in life as she sings, “I know we’re not everlasting // We’re a trainwreck waiting to happen // One day the blood won’t flow so gladly // One day we’ll all get still.” In other words, she knows that one day, death awaits her as it awaits everyone else. Instead of fearing reality, she embraces it and is still “dancing in this world alone.” The album closes with the lines “The people are talking // Let ‘em talk,” which circles back to the first line of this album, “Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk?” Lorde is now free from social standards, living her best life while she still can. Works Cited “Pure Heroine by Lorde.” Genius, https://genius.com/albums/Lorde/Pure-heroine. Accessed 25 September 2022.
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