Glory and Gore

Reminds me of The Hunger Games series...especially Catching Fire.

I think she's painting a picture of chaos and rebellion. She is trying to express that where there is anything that is good, bad must also come with it.

well starting from ,"its clear that someones gotta go" I get the impression of a clique. she says we mean it but we promise were not mean. and the crowd goes wild, they lose their minds for us. the rest im not really sure about.

She's talking about society's obsession with violence.

i think it could be about putting on a front when u have to deal with a lot judgemental people. or maybe hypocrital. whether its friends or strangers. we all have our limits of what we can take but maybe by putting on a weird personality front we can cope with it better. "WE Gladiate, but i guess were really fighting ourselves"

i like the other ideas too. just my take

Wow, some of you may be looking to deeply into this one, this is not any grand social commentary or an attack on the human condition, it is not about war or violence. Look back to your feelings as a young adult when you thought your self to be unstoppable, that you had the ability to impact the world and nothing to hold you back, that is what this song is about. There is no sense of a "downward spiral" or "de-evolution" it's about feeling on top and being the future. P.S. the "big word" is free.

Am I the only one who thinks that this may literally be about a gladiator?

"There's a humming in the restless summer air. And we're slipping off the course that we prepared. But in all chaos, there is calculation. Dropping glasses just to hear them break. You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (it didn't). Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (go figure). It's clear that someone's gotta go. We mean it, but I promise we're not mean."

Basically she is saying that our evolution as humans is going down a spiraling path to de-evolution. But then there is a calculation that can change the path to better. 1) Breaking glasses to be destructive + 2) Drinking your life away instead of getting better + 3) Stealing from your best friend = Its clear that someones gotta go. AKA the group of society that focus's more on the destruction rather then the evolution.

"Delicate in every way but one (the swordplay). God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (the old way). Chance is the only game I play with, baby. We let our battles choose us."

As a human species were delicate except in war. She is saying God is seeing that we are staying at the same if not decreasing the rate of evolution by fighting with each other and living off of old rules and ideas. The reason for conflict lies within fear. So she's saying take a chance for peace and don't ever pick battles, let them come to you and most likely if you don't worry about them they will not arise.

"You could try and take us (oh-oh). But we're the gladiators (Oh! Oh!). Everyone a rager (oh-oh). But secretly they're saviors. Glory and gore go hand in hand. That's why we're making headlines (Oh! Oh!). You could try and take us (oh-oh). But victory's contagious"

Saying everyone claims to be a rager, but then they try and act like a savior. Glory and gore go hand in hand meaning when glory and gore go together to get the attention of the people and make headlines. Anyone can try and stop the success of Lorde and her group but when one friend becomes successful the odds are the successful motives will spread throughout the group. AKA victory's contagious.

"We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death.It's alright if you do, it's fine."

Using the law of attraction saying we'll always win because she has no fear of death and without fear there is love and positivity. With a positive mindset it's impossible to lose.

"We gladiate but I guess we're really fighting ourselves. Roughing up our minds so we're ready when the kill time comes"

Saying we fight but in the end the other side is human as well so we are technically fighting ourselves. Some of our society is keeping the constant worries in our minds and attracting the fearful scenarios so that were ready to kill and defend our side. But if you don't practice visualizing the negative then the positive will come and there will be no need for killing.

"Wide awake in bed, words in my brain, "Secretly you love this, do you even wanna go free?". Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means"

As she awakens to the truth and is changing her path she realizes that life can be really easy if you know how to play. Living in the negative mindset not being aware for her whole life. She is looking at both paths and she is asking her self do I really want to take this easy path to freedom or stay the same and in her comfort zone. She's saying she's prepared to show anyone what Freedom truly means through her understanding.

I think I understand most of the song, but I don't get the meaning of "I'll show you what that big word means".

I think this song is about how to get to glory you have to fight for it because nothing comes easy in life unless u fight for it and u truly want it she's saying We gladiate but I guess we're really fighting ourselves that even though lots of ppl want to be famous tht not everyone makes it and even though I may not want to u have to gift to get were u want to be and when she the victorys contagious she's saying once u taste fame with everyone knowing your name u can't stop your addicted