I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/
I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist.

In “Chandelier”, Sia demonstrates her amazing range as well as her amazing voice. “Chandelier” is about a party girl who gets really hammered and dries her tears as she swings from the chandelier. Metaphorically of course. She is a mess. She is ‘holding on for dear life’. We don’t get the feeling this is a one-night thing for her: she is a party girl after all.

Sia might be the best at creating party songs with great melodies and “Chandelier” is a prime example. One interesting aspect to her music is that she usually releases a regular version that is a “dance” mix as well as a “piano” mix. For Chandelier, both are great,

That speaks a lot to her versatility as a performer as well as her imagination. In Chandelier, each version changes the tone and meaning of the song due to the ambiguous lyrics. The dance version’s sounds like it could be a celebration of getting drunk and partying.  Lets worry about everything tomorrow. The beat can hide meaning!

In the piano version we hear a less ambiguous tone and it sounds like someone  crying out for help. Sia has discussed her issues with recovery so this is probably closer to the “accurate” meaning.

Chandelier Lyrics

One, two, three, one, two, three, drink
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink

Throw em back, till I lose count

I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist
Like it doesn’t exist
I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

And I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
Help me, I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
On for tonight

Party girls don’t get hurt
Can’t feel anything, I push it down, push it down

I’m the one “for a good time call”
Phone’s blowin’ up, I feel the love, feel the love

I feel the love, feel the love
Sun is up, I’m a mess
Gotta get out now, gotta run from this

Here comes the shame, here comes the shame
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink
One, two, three, one, two, three, drink
Throw em back till I lose count

I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist
Like it doesn’t exist
I’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

And I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
Help me, I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, ’cause I’m just holding on for tonight
On for tonight
On for tonight

written by Sia

She’s a very kinky girl,
The kind you don’t take home to mother.

“Superfreak” is Rick James’ ode to groupies. “Superfreaks” love the bands, but you would never take them home to meet your mother. They love to meet you in the limousine after the show. Three is NOT a crowd for these girls. They are very easy to please. They’re freaky. James is saying this with the utmost admiration. He loves his Super Freaks.

The bass line of “Superfreak” is one of the most recognizable in rock. When it was sampled by MC Hammer it probably became the most recognized bass-line in rap too. I’m not one to bust a move, but this song at least gets my head bopping.

Rick James sings “Superfreak” with the right amount of balance between tongue in cheek and earnestness. He realizes the lyrics are outrageous, but he completely embraces the sentiment of “Superfreak”, and he is unapologetic. That really makes it work. The bridge is super recognizable as well: the background singers singing oh, woah, oh, oh, oh, oh oh.

This might sound odd, but compare this song to The Carpenters’ Superstar.

Superfreak Lyrics

She’s a very kinky girl,
The kind you don’t take home to mother
She will never let your spirits down,
Once you get her off the street.

She likes the boys in the band,
She says that I’m her all time favorite
When I make my move to her room,
It’s the right time, she’s never hard to please.

That girl is pretty wild now
The girl’s a super freak
The kind of girl you read about
In the new wave magazines.
That girl is pretty kinky
The girl’s a super freak
I’d really like to taste her
Every time we meet.
She’s all right, she’s all right
That girl’s all right with me yeah.
She’s a super freak, super freak,
She’s super freaky, super freak, super freak.

She’s a very special girl,
From her head down to her toenails
Yet she’ll wait for me at backstage with her girlfriends,
In a limousine.

Three’s not a crowd to her, she said
“Room 714, I’ll be waiting.”
When I get there she’s got incense, wine and candles
It’s such a freaky scene.
That girl is pretty wild now
The girl’s a super freak
The kind of girl you read about
In the new wave magazines.
That girl is pretty kinky
The girl’s a super freak
I’d really like to taste her
Every time we meet.
She’s all right, she’s all right
That girl’s all right with me yeah.
She’s a super freak, super freak,
She’s super freaky, super freak, super freak.
Temptations sing, oh, super freak,
Super freak, the girl’s a super freak, oh.

She’s a very kinky girl,
The kind you don’t take home to mother
She will never let your spirits down,
Once you get her off the street.

written by James and Alonzo Miller

I remember, I remember when I lost my mind/
There was something so pleasant about that place.

Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” has to be one of the biggest cross-over hits on this list. Who can’t appreciate it? Rock n Roll purists can appreciate the beautiful melody and the singing of Ceeloo Green. Hip-hop fans can appreciate the beat. Country fans…well, I don’t know.

The bass-line of “Crazy” really what drives this song. The production really is incredible. There are a lot of moving pieces, specifically in the chorus. You have what appears to be background singers and keyboards, but I am still not sure. To create that unique of a sound is a tribute to the producer.

The lyrics in “Crazy” are a bit opaque. The crazy lifestyle seems to be living life like there is no tomorrow. That is how his heroes have always done it and that is how he is going to do it. Perhaps it is reckless…even crazy, but perhaps the alternative is more crazy: To live your life feeling you have any control.

Crazy Lyrics

I remember when
I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place
Even your emotions have an echo in so much space

And when you’re out there, without care
Yeah I was out of touch
But it wasn’t because I didn’t know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Possibly

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice
That’s my only advice

Come on now, who do you
Who do you, who do you
Who do you think you are?
Ha ha ha, bless your soul
You really think you’re in control?
Well

I think you’re crazy
I think you’re crazy
I think you’re crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart
To lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember, is thinking
I wanna be like them
Mmhmm ever since I was little
Ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it’s no coincidence I’ve come
And I can die when I’m done

But maybe I’m crazy
Maybe you’re crazy
Maybe we’re crazy
Probably ooh hmm

written by Reverberi Gianfranco / Callaway Thomas Decarlo / Burton Brian Joseph / Reverberi Gian Piero