COOL by Troye Sivan Lyrics Meaning – The Quest for Authenticity in a Superficial World
Lyrics
Pools and swimming
Drinks in bars and
Boys in cars and
Rooftop sinning
Skinny dipping
Shooting stars
With fat cigars even
And that weekend up in the islands
They stop and stare
Flashes filling the silence
Of a Hollywood love affair
Waking up in the islands
‘Cause I saw you there
Lost and trying to be
I was just trying to be cool
I was just trying to be like you
I’m a spark and you’re a boom
What am I supposed to do?
Mansion debut
Love it, do you?
Absent father
Pays his daughter
And her mama withdrew
From the life they once knew
She had a heart
But she sold it off for
And that weekend up in the islands
They stop and stare
Flashes filling the silence
Of a Hollywood love affair
Waking up in the islands
‘Cause I saw you there
Lost and trying to be
I was just trying to be cool
I was just trying to be like you
I’m a spark and you’re a boom
What am I supposed to do?
When I’ve got that cigarette smoke
And Saint Laurent coat, but nothing is feeling right
I drink but I choke
I love but I don’t
I was just trying to be cool
I was just trying to be like you
I was just trying to be cool
I was just trying to be like you
I’m a spark and you’re a boom
What am I supposed to do?
When I’ve got that cigarette smoke
And Saint Laurent coat, but nothing is feeling right
I drink but I choke
I love but I don’t
I was just trying to be cool
I was just trying to be like you
In the glitzy universe of pop music, Troye Sivan’s ‘COOL’ emerges as a glittering artifact, a commentary wrapped in synth-driven beats. The song, a track from his sophomore album, serves as a reflective pool of modern desire, self-image, and the pursuit of what society deems the apex of allure.
Underneath the catchy pop surface of ‘COOL’, there lies a profound narrative about the struggle of individuality versus conformity. Sivan delves into a personal confessional that resonates with anyone who has felt the pressures of fitting into an opulent yet ultimately shallow lifestyle.
Diving into a Pool of Glamour: The Aesthetics of ‘COOL’
The lush life Sivan poetically paints with ‘Pools and swimming, Drinks in bars and Boys in cars’ portrays a stylized vision of luxury. It’s a seductive image, one that society often correlates with happiness and success – a perfect tableau of the cool life.
Yet, the seemingly enviable activities are juxtaposed with a sense of emptiness. By mentioning ‘Shooting stars with fat cigars even’, Sivan alludes to the ephemeral nature of these moments, hinting that the glossiness might just be a thin veneer covering a void.
Chasing Shadows: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
The repeated chorus, ‘I was just trying to be cool,’ reverberates as a confession of Sivan’s own insecurities. The pursuit to ‘be like you’ speaks volumes about the contagion of conformity, capturing the essence of how external validation can lead one to stray from authenticity.
Moreover, the line ‘I’m a spark and you’re a boom’ metaphorically contrasts the subtlety of his own identity against the dominant, overwhelming force of societal expectations. It’s a revelation of his desire to be noticed and acknowledged in a world that favors the loud and the extravagant.
Materialism Versus Emptiness: A Lyrical Paradox
‘Mansion debut, Love it, do you? Absent father Pays his daughter’, these lines open up a dialogue on the cultural pursuit of material wealth as a substitute for genuine relationships and emotional fulfillment.
Sivan touches upon a raw nerve, exposing the underbelly of materialistic allure. It’s a world where everything has a price tag, even love and familial connections, as shown by the transactional nature of the absent father’s relationship with his daughter.
Memorable Lines that Echo the Void
‘When I’ve got that cigarette smoke, And Saint Laurent coat, but nothing is feeling right.’ These lines serve as a turning point in the narrative flow of the song. They vividly portray the artist’s realization that external embellishments can’t fulfill the yearning for inner satisfaction.
Sivan’s portrayal of internal conflict through the imagery of choking on smoke and being discontented despite the luxury of a Saint Laurent coat reflects a universal human struggle for meaning in a world that fixates on appearances.
The Conclusion: Learning to Swim in the Deep End
As ‘COOL’ progresses, a thematic transformation is heard as Sivan grapples with the dichotomy of appearance and essence. The repeated affirmation ‘I was just trying to be cool’ evolves into a poignant reminder that true coolness can’t be fabricated.
While the allure of ‘the islands’ and the Hollywood lifestyle is potent, finding oneself ‘Lost and trying to be’ among these distractions is a stark testament to the journey toward genuine self-expression, beyond the smoke screens of societal approval.
