"A World Alone" is the 10th track on Lorde's debut studio album Pure Heroine.
Background[]
Writing and Composition[]
"A World Alone" was written by Lorde (credited under Ella Yelich O'Connor) and Joel Little. It contains a "roaring dance beat". Lyrically the song depicts a world "which is composed of haters, existential musings, endless Internet chatter and the one person with whom [one] can escape all the judgments."
The closing lyric to this song (and to the album overall), "Let 'em talk" can be related to the opening lyric of the album, "Don't you think that it's boring how people talk?" in Tennis Court. Another thing to note is that sometimes she adds the line "The sky gets dark and people are talking, I follow my heart and people are talking" when performing it live.
Reception[]
Critical Reception[]
About the song, Jonah Weiner of Rolling Stone wrote "describing a passionate romance, her mind can't help but jump-cut not only to the relationship's inevitable failure, but past that, to death." The lyrics to the song were also heavily praised, with some calling Lorde a "lyrical genius".
Chart Performance[]
"A World Alone" peaked on the US Rock Songs Chart at number 38.
Lyrics[]
Album Version
That slow burn waits while it gets dark
Bruising the sun
I feel grown up with you in your car
I know it's dumb
We both got a million bad habits to kick
Not sleeping is one
We're biting our nails, you're biting my lip
I'm biting my tongue
But people are talking, people are talking
But people are talking, people are talking
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All my fake friends and all of their noise
Complain about work
They're studying business, I study the floor
And you haven't stopped smoking all night
Maybe the Internet raised us, or maybe people are jerks
But people are talking, people are talking
But not you
But people are talking, people are talking
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All the double-edged people into schemes
They make a mess, then go home and get clean
You're my best friend and we're dancing in a world alone
A world alone, we're all alone
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, get still
People are talking, people are talking...
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All the double-edged people into schemes
They make a mess, then go home and get clean
You're my best friend and we're dancing in a world alone
A world alone, we're all alone
But people are talking, people are talking...
But people are talking, people are talking...
But people are talking, people are talking...
Let 'em talk
Live Version
That slow burn waits while it gets dark
Bruising the sun
I feel grown up with you in your car
I know it's dumb
We both got a million bad habits to kick
Not sleeping is one
We're biting our nails, you're biting my lip
I'm biting my tongue
But people are talking, people are talking
But people are talking, people are talking
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All my fake friends and all of their noise
Complain about work
They're studying business, I study the floor
And you haven't stopped smoking all night
Maybe the Internet raised us, or maybe people are jerks
But people are talking, people are talking
But not you
But people are talking, people are talking
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All the double-edged people into schemes
They make a mess, then go home and get clean
You're my best friend and we're dancing in a world alone
A world alone, we're all alone
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, get still
People are talking, people are talking...
Raise a glass, cause I'm not done saying it
They all wanna get rough, get away with it
Let 'em talk, cause we're dancing in this world alone
World alone, we're alone
All the double-edged people into schemes
They make a mess, then go home and get clean
You're my best friend and we're dancing in a world alone
A world alone, we're all alone
But people are talking, people are talking...
But people are talking, people are talking...
But people are talking, people are talking...
The sky gets dark and people are talking
I follow my heart and people are talking
Let em talk
Live Performances[]
Lorde performed "A World Alone" at Lollapalooza, Chicago in 2014.
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