One summer night, the August before my senior year of high school, my friend Harly texted me and asked if I wanted to join her on a nighttime drive.
Now, to put this in context, Harly’s nighttime drives were the stuff of legends. Her jeep, with the top down, transported you into some ethereal world where you were surrounded by the dark coolness of night and filled with the energy of music blasted all the way up. I had never before been given the honor of joining her, but tonight would be the night.
When I asked my mom if I could leave without knowing exactly where I was going, she gave me a quizzical look before hesitantly agreeing. Harly picked me up, and after a quick stop at Starbucks (she ordered a coffee, I bought chocolate milk), we were on our way.
We drove up to Jo Hays Vista, a lookout with a view of State College below, and the stars above. Sitting on top of her jeep, we laughed and looked out to the pinpricks of light, both above and below, before spying a stray shooting star.
On our way back down the mountain, Harly asked me to put her phone onto her favorite night driving song, and the first chord to “Ribs” by Lorde soon filled the air. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting the night pass by me.
When “Pure Heroine,” Lorde’s first (and so far, only) album, came out, I was shocked by how much I related to the lyrics describing suburban life and its eternal reach. As a State College native, I know what it’s like to live in a world where nothing seems to change. So many summer nights were spent driving or chatting at random fast food restaurants, because there was nothing much else to do.
Lorde was only 17 when she released “Pure Heroine,” and ever since she has captured the heart of teenagers and young adults everywhere with her stark lyrics and vocals. Although I often envy her accomplishments at such a young age, I’m definitely a fan.
Her look is wild, with a mane of hair that any lion would envy, and dark makeup accentuating her pale skin. Lorde is more than just a musician, but an icon of what one can become.
When driving down the mountain with Harly, “Ribs” gave me the impression that even the mundane matters, and that growing up is scary but not the end of the world. The music gave me a sense of wholeness and I could feel its energy in my own chest. Although never complicated, Lorde’s music has captured so many of the complexities of growing up and feeling like there is always more, but not knowing where to find it.
The first thing I must say is I am very interested in who this Harly person is. I did not grow up around here, so I would love to hear more about these “legendary drives”, because I feel the situation enhanced listening to the song. As for the song, I have been looking through the lyrics and see how you could relate with these lyrics, especially, “reeling through the midnight streets and I’ve never felt more alone”. It seems like this directly ties with what you were doing at the time. My only question is that this song seems to emphasize the past with another person so I want to know more about how these lyrics affected you. One in particular is towards the end when she says, “You’re the only friend I need sharing beds like little kids… But that will never be enough”. I want to know your thoughts on this powerful lyric. Overall, I think you did great and there is a lot more to talk about (Thanks for a new song btw)!