Song Analysis: Sia's Chandelier and Elastic Heart
Amador 1 Professor
English 1B
11 May 2015
Song Analysis
Sia’s lyrics are refreshingly simplistic and yet unique and abstract. Many of her songs depict her inner demons and struggles in life. “Chandelier” and “Elastic Heart,” a couple popular songs of hers, delve deep into her personal life, providing the listener with several meanings of interpretation. In the beginning of Sia’s song “Chandelier,” Sia portrays herself as a “party girl” who’s an excessive drinker. In her song, Sia says that “Party girls don’t get hurt/ Can’t feel anything, when will I learn?” She is saying that alcohol is a way for her to get over her problems, and it makes her able to get through her pain. However, drinking not only numbs her pain, but it numbs her joy as well. “We cannot selectively numb ourselves to sadness without numbing ourselves to joy (Psychology Today).” The prechorus, being a repetition of “1,2,3 1,2,3 drink,” illustrates her over consumption of alcohol. She drinks enough to “lose count.”
In the chorus, the full emotion of the song is unveiled. Sia talks about swinging from a chandelier and desire to “live like tomorrow doesn’t exist.” Sia is revealing her desire to let loose of all her worries and live her life to the fullest. This message is clear due to the lines “I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night/feel my tears as they dry.” The bird signifies freedom.
In the verses after the first chorus, Sia says that she’s “...holding on for dear life…” It is clear that on outside she looks like she’s having fun but in reality she is dying inside. She says,
Amador 2
“I’m holding on for dear life.” This could mean that she’s taking each day as she comes, trying to make the best out of each one.
In the beginning of “Elastic Heart,” it seems as though Sia is having a war with herself as she keeps pushing the ones she loves away. She describes that she “wanted to fight this war without weapons.” It could mean that she had wanted to
English 1B
11 May 2015
Song Analysis
Sia’s lyrics are refreshingly simplistic and yet unique and abstract. Many of her songs depict her inner demons and struggles in life. “Chandelier” and “Elastic Heart,” a couple popular songs of hers, delve deep into her personal life, providing the listener with several meanings of interpretation. In the beginning of Sia’s song “Chandelier,” Sia portrays herself as a “party girl” who’s an excessive drinker. In her song, Sia says that “Party girls don’t get hurt/ Can’t feel anything, when will I learn?” She is saying that alcohol is a way for her to get over her problems, and it makes her able to get through her pain. However, drinking not only numbs her pain, but it numbs her joy as well. “We cannot selectively numb ourselves to sadness without numbing ourselves to joy (Psychology Today).” The prechorus, being a repetition of “1,2,3 1,2,3 drink,” illustrates her over consumption of alcohol. She drinks enough to “lose count.”
In the chorus, the full emotion of the song is unveiled. Sia talks about swinging from a chandelier and desire to “live like tomorrow doesn’t exist.” Sia is revealing her desire to let loose of all her worries and live her life to the fullest. This message is clear due to the lines “I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night/feel my tears as they dry.” The bird signifies freedom.
In the verses after the first chorus, Sia says that she’s “...holding on for dear life…” It is clear that on outside she looks like she’s having fun but in reality she is dying inside. She says,
Amador 2
“I’m holding on for dear life.” This could mean that she’s taking each day as she comes, trying to make the best out of each one.
In the beginning of “Elastic Heart,” it seems as though Sia is having a war with herself as she keeps pushing the ones she loves away. She describes that she “wanted to fight this war without weapons.” It could mean that she had wanted to