Halsey is a prominent name in the American Music Industry. She is an icon that resonates well with the young generations, talking about a mix of complex relations as well as socially pressing issues. Halsey has quite a vast range of music under her personal brand. Although many label her as a pop singer, she prefers the domain of “alternate music” more relevant to her compositions. The song, “Castle” is from her debut album, Badlands. Although the song was released in 2015, it was re-recorded for the stellar movie “The Huntsman: Winter’s War”(2016). The track was well-received as part of the movie and garnered a huge fanbase. The lyrics for this song were written by Halsey herself along with the song’s producer, Lido.
What does the title mean?
The word “Castle” is a symbol of royalty, imperialism, and ruling. It is exactly what the song talks about as well. It is about claiming the throne – the castle. The music video for the song has Halsey in the spotlight with a crown on her head. This reiterates the royalty part of the castle. It is, thus, a song about a queen who is taking back her kingdom – her castle. This song has many subtle social references as well. Halsey castle lyrics’ meaning is quite deeply connected with social structures of power. It also hints at the traditional belief that a king has the kingdom. So, this song refutes that claim and supports the queen taking back her power. It is against the ongoing patriarchal beliefs of power.
The title and Halsey castle lyrics’ meaning is also quite apt for the movie, The huntsman: winter’s war. The movie has a backdrop of royalty, castles, and power. The song along with the female lead protagonists fits perfectly in the movie.
Verse 1 – What does it mean?
Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there’s no use crying about it
The song opens with Halsey talking about the noise around her. There is the noise of people talking, paparazzi, and fake mannerisms. These lines are quite relatable for a regular person as well. There are fake social circles, gossip, and whatnot. So, it is also quite imaginable how difficult the same thing would be for a celebrity like Halsey. She talks of being on the lookout every moment. The reference of her neck being wide open is quite a raw imagery of her emotional state. The invitation of a fist around her neck is a calling to the noise, burden, and restrictions that people and situations put on her. At the end of the verse, she also talks of her pride. This is slightly contrasting but quite natural. There is pride amongst people who have achieved such applause – be it a celebrity, a royal, or someone else.
What does the pre-chorus mean?
Agnus dei
Agnus dei
Agnus dei
Agnus dei
The phrase “Agnus Dei is a Latin term. It is repeated over and over in the pre-chorus. It means “Lamb of God” in English. It might be a reference to Jesus here as he was named Agnus Dei once. This label was bestowed because of the belief that Jesus will save the world from sin. Halsey might be hinting that the power of the castle is the same in terms of saving the people. A crown has to protect the reign from any evil. Likewise, it is also about protecting the crown from sins prevalent around.
What does the chorus mean?
I’m headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne
That’s saying that I probably shouldn’t be so mean
I’m headed straight for the castle
They’ve got the kingdom locked up
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne
That’s saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle
In the chorus, Halsey points out the hurtful patriarchy that is at play. There is an old man, as is noticed in many present-day board meetings, on the end of the table. He is the ruler, ruling out unjust statements. They are also commenting on her nature – something that is prevalent in the real world as well. A lot of times when women speak up or ask for their rights, they are called different names. They are called mean or arrogant, and even mere tools in the greater scheme of things.
The chorus continues to depict the state of the affairs. Despite the appalling statements, the lead is moving towards the castle. Even though they are locking the kingdom – consolidating the resources – she is not stopping. The core line is reiterated here – Straight for the castle. Another point to be noted here is that the castle is now going to become the battleground as it is going to be a clash of the powers.
Verse 2 – What does it mean?
Oh, all these minutes passing, sick of feeling used
If you wanna break these walls down, you’re gonna get bruised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there’s no use crying about it
Halsey gets vulnerable in the second verse. She talks of the bruise and struggles faced. These bruises are not demotivating, rather they are a motivation to keep ongoing. She calls for the upheaval of the system that makes her feel small and used. This is true when we break free from any authority. When we have to speak up, there might be stark arguments but we have to stand tall and strong.
What does the chorus mean?
I’m headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne
That’s saying that I probably shouldn’t be so mean
I’m headed straight for the castle
They’ve got the kingdom locked up
And there’s an old man sitting on the throne
That’s saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle
The chorus is repeated again like a holy chant. It is this repetition that is used to draw strength to fight against the old man and his system. The words like “pretty mouth” are used to gravitate to the concept of women being seen as mere pretty objects. So, Halsey is taking a stand and not stepping back.
What does the bridge mean?
There’s no use crying about it
There’s no use crying about it
There’s no use crying about it
There’s no use crying about it
In the bridge, she is again repeating the same words. She is deriving strength from the point that one has to keep ongoing. There is no point in crying or cribbing. The mere behavior of cribbing over a tough situation would not help to overcome it. This is possibly what the lead of the movie also draws on. The chorus is then repeated again, ending the song on a much more powerful note.
Conclusion
The song is quite powerful and impactful. Halsey castle lyrics meaning is for every woman out there who feels that there is an authority against her and she has to run against the wind. She has to claim back her power – get to her castle.
