Lorde was only 16 years old when she released her first single, “Royals”, in 2013. In the minimalist hit, she explores the distance between worlds of culture and wealth, written in the language of teenage in-jokes.
When “Royals” arrived, it diverged from culture’s obsession with glitz and swagger. Although an outsider vibe may have propelled the song, it also placed Lorde straight inside pop royalty.
A Diamond in the Flesh
“Royals” begins with Lorde writing from a “torn-up” town and how she’s experiencing glamour through movies. It also documents how the New Zealand teen absorbed American culture through film and television.
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.
Some of the lyrics date back to a 12-year-old Lorde’s diary. “We’re driving Cadillacs in our dreams” is one of the older lines. And she writes with irony about what she’s observing in hip-hop’s flashy braggadocio.
But every song’s like,
Gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin’ in the bathroom.
Bloodstains, 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.
Kansas City Royals
The second verse returns Lorde and her friends to an economic reality where they count their dollars on the train. Their reality feels like another universe compared to the way the famous like to party.
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.
A picture in National Geographic gave the song its name. There was Kansas City Royals slugger George Brett, in 1976, signing baseballs and the team name across his jersey became the title of what remains her defining track.
If you’re unfamiliar with Brett, just Google “George Brett pine tar incident” and enjoy the 1980s Major League Baseball rabbit hole.
While Brett, indeed, remains Kansas City royalty, Lorde herself achieved starry heights with the smash success of “Royals”. She may have written it sarcastically, but she nonetheless manifested a level of success that once seemed impossible for her to comprehend.
We’re bigger than we ever dreamed,
And I’m in love with being queen.
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