Chanel by Frank Ocean Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling Dualities and Dissecting the Art of Storytelling
Lyrics
And he got fight stories to tell
I see both sides like Chanel
See on both sides like Chanel
Swimming laps through pool water
Heated like I’m underworld
Hide my tattoos in Shibuya
Police think I’m of the underworld
12 treat a nigga like he twelve
How you looking up to me and talking down? (Yeah)
Can’t you see I am the big man? (Big man)
God level I am the I am (whoa)
Now film it with that drone cam in the pink like Killa Cam
Put a zoom on that stick, Noe
Up so close I’m on that kill
Remote controller on your lower back, yes the good
Dick could roll the eyes back in the skull
Rolling when you ride, poppin’
Rolling when you ride, ride the ride
Got one that’s straight acting
Turnt out like some dirty plastic (ride)
2016 burnt some discs (dope)
2017 ideas playing off a Walkman
This a cult not a clique on the net
With a cup in a cup, Actavis
That’s a double edge, issa knife (knife)
And I don’t like to fight ’til I’m fighting (fighting)
Revenge in the air makes my lungs sick
Chopper in the sky like a gun trick (yeah)
Clips on clips like Mike (hello), it’s really all
I see both sides like Chanel
See on both sides like Chanel
It’s really you on my mind
It’s really you on my mind
It’s really you
It’s really you on my mind
V both sides of the 12
Steam both sides of the L
Freeze smoke rings and they hail
Sleet snow grind for the wealth
Whole team diamonds is real
Showed ’em how to shine by theyselves
You need a cosign for your health
I need that bitch to grind on my belt
I know you need to try for my belt
I know you seen it driving itself
No matte black on the ride ’cause it’s stale
But it’s stealth
I see both sides like Chanel
I see both sides like Chanel
My pockets snug
They can’t hold my 7
They banned my Visa
My Amex and Mastercards
I got new money
And it’s all cash
I got new bags
And they all collabs
I rubber band a bunch of thousand dollar Delta gift cards
(I mean my baby bi)
Amazing the cash online unknown
(I mean my baby bi)
Blazing the dash counting money at home
My pockets snug
They can’t hold my 7
They banned my Visa
My Amex and Mastercards
I got new money
And it’s all cash
I got new bags
And they all collabs
I rubber band a bunch of thousand dollar Delta gift cards
(I mean my baby bi)
Amazing the cash online unknown
(I mean my baby bi)
Blazing the dash counting money at home
Frank Ocean is an enigmatic figure in modern music, fusing sultry melodies with profound lyrical depth to explore complex themes. His song ‘Chanel’ mesmerizes listeners, weaving through stories of love, identity, and social commentary with a poetic grace that demands introspection. As we delve into this intricate tapestry of words, we unravel the nuanced perspectives and the dexterity of Ocean’s artistry.
Through ‘Chanel,’ Ocean challenges the auditory senses and the intellect, pioneering a pathway through ambivalence and personal truth. The song serves as a canvas for a multifaceted narrative, tracing motifs of luxury, sexuality, and defiance against systemic suppression—all underlined by the recurring motif of duality. In this analysis, we invite the reader to explore Ocean’s lyrical labyrinth and uncover the revelations within.
Decoding Duality: The Iridescence of ‘Chanel’
The anchor of ‘Chanel’ lies in its chorus, ‘I see both sides like Chanel,’ a line as sleek and multifaceted as a Chanel suit. The reference extends beyond the luxury brand to Coco Chanel’s original ethos of challenging gender norms, a motif mirrored by Ocean’s own exploration of his bisexuality. His storytelling blurs boundaries, both personal and societal, drawing parallels between the interlocking ‘C’s of the Chanel logo and the interwoven nature of his experiences.
The line, ‘My guy pretty like a girl,’ marks an acute recognition of beauty in fluidity, while ‘He got fight stories to tell’ pivots to masculinity, a display of toughness traditionally revered. These oscillating narratives are Ocean’s ‘both sides,’ revealing a world where identities are not fixed but are continuously evolving and defying categorization.
The Underworld Currents: Opulence vs. Reality
Frank Ocean infuses contrasts not only through his musings on identity but also in his cynical observations of wealth and socio-economic structures. Lyrics such as ‘Heated like I’m underworld’ and ‘Police think I’m of the underworld’ suggest a concealed life, a duality between what is shown and the unseen struggles of what it means to navigate society as a black man.
’12 treat a nigga like he twelve’ starkly implies the infantilizing and dehumanizing perspective law enforcement can have towards black people, while simultaneously alluding to the policing of black bodies. Within these lines lies an inherent critique of systemic racism wrapped in Ocean’s personal narrative.
The Ode to 2016: Nostalgia’s Echo in Beats
Ocean’s reference to ‘2016 burnt some discs’ transitions us from themes of identity and oppression to a yearning for times past. The Walkman and burnt discs harken to days before the dominating streams of digital music, perhaps a metaphor for substance in an era of fleeting trends.
There’s an element of reverence for a bygone era in music and culture, encapsulated in ‘discs,’— a representation of physicality and permanence in the ephemeral digital age. Through these lyrics, Ocean may be implying how, like music formats, even deep connections and impactful moments can become antiquated and lost in time.
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Subtle Art of Frank Ocean’s Symbolism
A closer look into Ocean’s lyrics unearths a resonance with hidden meanings, as with ‘That’s a double edge, issa knife’—a phrase teeming with double entendres. While on the surface it’s a reference to a meme, at a deeper level, it reflects on the nature of relationships and experiences that are both rewarding and cutting.
The intricacy of Frank’s symbolism extends to ‘V both sides of the 12,’ which may allude to the law (12) and contain a deeper message about observing all aspects of a situation, or life itself. It’s this layered lyricism that invites repeated listens and rewards the perceptive with glimpses into Ocean’s introspections.
Memorable Lines that Define a Generation
‘2017 ideas playing off a Walkman’—it is lines like this, fused with nostalgic imagery, that encapsulates the contemplative nature of Ocean’s generation, yearning for authenticity amidst a constantly streaming, updating world.
Ocean’s ‘Chanel’ paints a picture of a contemporary society: aspirational yet grounded, fluid yet enduring. It’s a playbook of paradoxes that illustrate the search for personal truths in the chaos of modern life, echoing across a generation finding their footing in the contrasts.
