Tilted by Christine and the Queens Lyrics Meaning – Embracing the Off-Kilter Reality of Existence
Lyrics
So I’ll fight sleep with ammonia
And every morning, with eyes all red
I’ll miss them for all the tears they shed
But I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I miss prosthesis and mended souls
Trample over beauty while singing their thoughts
I match them with my euphoria
When they said, “je suis plus folle que toi”
But I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
Nous et la manne on est de sortie
Pire qu’une simple moitié
On compte à demi-demi
Pile sur un des bas côtés
Comme des origamis
Le bras tendu paraît cassé
Tout n’est qu’épis et éclis
Ces enfants bizarres
Crachés dehors comme par hasard
Cachant l’effort dans le griffoir
Et une creepy song en étendard
Qui fait
I’m doing my face
With magic marker
I’m in my right place
Don’t be a downer
I’m doing my face
With magic marker
I’m in my right place
Don’t be a downer
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
I’m actually good
Can’t help it if we’re tilted
On the surface, Christine and the Queens’s hit track ‘Tilted’ is an infectious melody that commands one to sway along. Yet, beneath the earworm of a chorus and lush production lies a labyrinth of meaning waiting to be unraveled. Released as part of her debut album, ‘Chaleur Humaine,’ the song thrust the French artist into a spotlight that shone far beyond the borders of her homeland.
The rhetorical grace of ‘Tilted’ is both precise and enigmatic, a language that speaks to the universal dance of self-acceptance and societal defiance. Much like Héloïse Letissier’s – the face behind the Christine and the Queens persona – own experience of traversing cultural and gender norms, the song serves as a poetic manifesto for those who find themselves perpetually on the fringes.
Defying Mortality with a Wink and a Nudge
The opening lines of ‘Tilted’ immediately throw us into the deep end of existential restlessness. Referencing Methuselah, the biblical figure famed for his longevity, the lyrics toy with the notion of inevitable mortality. However, it’s no somber acceptance; instead, it’s a brazen, defiant claim, using ammonia to stave off the sleep that resembles death.
It’s as though Letissier is daring the fates, acknowledging the fleeting nature of life but choosing to meet it head-on with vibrant energy. The ‘eyes all red’ suggest a fight for consciousness, perhaps a metaphor for the struggle to maintain one’s individuality in a world that often urges conformity.
A Rallying Cry for the ‘Tilted’ Souls
As the chorus hits, the succinct mantra ‘I’m actually good, can’t help it if we’re tilted’ becomes more than a catchy loop. It’s an affirmation of being ‘good’ despite not fitting within traditional standards – ’tilted’ not broken. The repeated declaration stands tall as an anthem for the outliers, the oddities, the ones who flourish in their unique slant on life.
Christine and the Queens embeds a sense of pride in these lyrics. There’s beauty and strength in the ’tilted,’ and it’s not just a shield but a celebration. This central message resonates powerfully with anyone who’s ever felt misaligned with the societal norm.
The Enigmatic French Verse and Its Cultural Tapestry
Delving into the French verse that adorns the second half of the song, there is a playfulness in its rhyming cadence, a poetic gait that invites a deeper reflection. Christine touches on half measures and unbalanced sides, tracing the theme of duality and imperfect halves that somehow complement the whole.
The reference to ‘origamis’ with arms that ‘seem broken’ conjures images of artful transformation – pain and imperfection folded into something new and beautiful. It’s a nod to the complexities of identity and the multifaceted nature of human experience.
Makeup as Metaphor: The Creative Act of Self-Construction
‘I’m doing my face with magic marker,’ Christine sings, melding the mundane act of applying makeup with the profound act of creating oneself. The ‘magic marker’ implies boldness, a willingness to color outside the lines of traditional beauty and identity norms.
Here, Christine isn’t just redefining her appearance but reclaiming the narrative of self. There’s power in the playful medium she chooses – a marker, typically associated with impermanence, that becomes her tool of choice for self-expression. It’s a spirited refusal to be a ‘downer’ or to succumb to a sense of defeat.
The Lingering Echo of ‘Creepy Songs’ and Cultural Discomfort
Perhaps one of the most intriguing elements of ‘Tilted’ lies in the line about ‘creepy songs’ that stand as banners. It hints at a commentary on how society often views the expressions of those who exist on the margins as discomfiting or even frightening.
Yet, in the eclectic soundscape of Christine and the Queens, these ‘creepy songs’ are not admissions of defeat but badges of honor. They underscore a willful embrace of the strange and the surreal, a conscious choice to be the ‘bizarre child’ who proudly exists outside of convention.
