Music Review: Sia "Chandelier"

Sia

Chandelier

Album: 1000 Forms of Fear

Year: 2014

           Sia battles her self-esteem issues with alcohol in the subdued “Chandelier.”

           Echoing synths open the single, setting a faraway tone. He shoves his tongue down her throat and presses his fingers into her lips, leaving marks. She grabs onto the grimy wood as he kisses her neck. He tugs at her skirt and she looks up at the wall, making sure to pant and moan. When he finishes with her, he tells her she was great. She gives him a closed smile. When she returns to her friends, she gets another drink and says she had the best sex ever. Her phone vibrates in her pocket. A guy she vaguely remembers texted that he’ll meet her sexy ass soon. She shows her text to her friend and answers a couple more, asking her where she is. She invites them all. People want to be around her. A majority of people usually keep their distance from her. They may only want to drink with her but at least they like her for something. (“Party girls don't get hurt/Can’t feel anything, when will I learn/I push it down, push it down/I'm the one "for a good time call"/Phone’s blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell/I feel the love, feel the love.”)

           In the pre-chorus, her friend buys a couple of rounds of shots. They slam every single of one them down. (“1,2,3 1,2,3 drink/1,2,3 1,2,3 drink/1,2,3 1,2,3 drink/Throw ‘em back, till I lose count.”)

         In the chorus, she thinks of a way to up the ante. She’s the crazy one among her friends and has to maintain that reputation. It’s what people expect of her. She sees the chandelier and thinks it will get people talking. (“I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist/I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry/I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier.”)

           In the bridge, she clasps her hands around the glass.  She can’t think about what she’s doing or how much she’s had. When the bartender hands her another drink, she quickly exchanges her glass. She made it through tonight. Tomorrow may be different. (“And I'm holding on for dear life/Won't look down, won't open my eyes/Keep my glass full until morning light/Cause I'm just holding on for tonight/Help me, I'm holding on for dear life/Won't look down, won't open my eyes/Keep my glass full until morning light/Cause I'm just holding on for tonight/On for tonight.”)

         Her throat is dry and she takes half a bottle of water from her friend. Her eyes water and the stench of vomit is over her clothing. A couple of people see her and she wants to hide. (“Sun is up, I'm a mess/Gotta get out now, gotta run from this/Here comes the shame, here comes the shame.”)

           The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

           The bridge is sung again to close the single.

         Sia’s bullheaded vocals grapples to fix the cracks in her façade. Her hands shake and her jaw snaps with each overzealous holler . The happy-go-lucky wild girl is who she must be. It’s all who she knows to be.

              The detailed “Chandelier” impresses with its artful design.