The song stuck in my head and on repeat today? “Tennis Court” by Lorde, from Pure Heroine. As such, this song is, for it’s second time, #PhillipsSongOfTheDay.
This song, like many of Lorde’s other songs, stood out to me upon first listen, but I’m still not entirely sure what it’s about. I did find this interview with Lorde with VH1 describing the song:
Get More:
Lorde, Lorde Music Videos, Free Music Videos
Based on this video and further reflection of the lyrics, I personally take the song as being about growing up and trying to find your path in life. For Lorde, she’s gained a lot of fame and attention for her music, so she has to factor that into her life plan. For me, I’m not entirely sure what the heck I’m doing next week, let alone in life. I know what I want to do, but who knows if that will work out. I think this songs has resonated with me so much because of lyrics like:
“Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk
Making smart with their words again, well I’m bored
Because I’m doing this for the thrill of it, killin’ it
Never not chasing a million things I want
And I am only as young as the minute is full of it
Getting pumped up on the little bright things I bought
But I know they’ll never own me”“Baby be the class clown
I’ll be the beauty queen in tears
It’s a new art form showing people how little we care
We’re so happy, even when we’re smilin’ out of fear
Let’s go down to the tennis court, and talk it up like yeah (yeah)”“I fall apart with all my heart”
“Tennis Court” also has been stuck in my head because, yet again, Joel Little has done a phenomenal job producing the song. Strong points include the modified “yeah” throughout out the song (e.g. the “yeah” after the lyric “let’s go down to the tennis court and talk it up like yeah”), the swirling synths and beats during the chorus, and Lorde’s overall vocal delivery. My one criticism of the song would weird/random synth that goes off around 0:05, and continues throughout the song, take a listen:
The best way I can describe the sound is that it’s kind of like that sound the scanner makes at the checkout counter at the grocery store (right?!). Like I said, I first thought it was random and weird, it stood out like a sour thumb. But, now, I think it adds to the beat and rhythm of the song, especially after the second chorus around the bridge (2:07-2:33). I personally would not have thought to have added that to the production of the song, but it’s not horrible.
Random fact, my iTunes is playing the song "Paper Aeroplane" by KT Tunstall after "Tennis Court," it makes a kind of delightful transition…the accordion of "Paper Aeroplane" contrasts nicely from the synths of "Tennis Court"
