Ride away from Holloway
I said “Mum, this isn’t a holiday
Listen up, I ain’t coming back
‘Til I can fill the shack up with all gold plaques.”
Soon come, home run, whack!
Knock it out the park with a baseball bat
When I’m driving on the wrong side of the road
I feel like JFK you know
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Doing things the American way, yay yay
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Living the dream like a London queen (oi!)
Now I live in Hollywood
I can’t stop even though I know I should
It feels so good, oh yeah, oh oh
When I’m driving on the wrong side of the road
I feel like JFK you know
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Doing things the American way
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Doing things the American way
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the dream like a London queen
Oi, oi, oi (whack)
Oi, oi
Oi, oi, oi (whack)
Oi, oi
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Doing things the American way
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Doing things the American way
I never thought I’d be living in the USA
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the dream like a London queen
Living the dream like a London queen
Living the dream like a London queen
Living the dream like a London queen, oi!
Living the Dream: Charli XCX’s Transatlantic Anthem
“London Queen” by Charli XCX is a vibrant, tongue-in-cheek celebration of cultural transformation and ambition. The song playfully contrasts British roots with the glitz and chaos of American life. Charli’s lyrics evoke the thrill of chasing dreams across the Atlantic—leaving behind London’s Holloway for Hollywood’s endless possibilities. The recurring motif of “driving on the wrong side of the road” cleverly highlights both the literal and figurative disorientation of adapting to a new world. The anthem’s repetitive chant of “living the dream like a London queen” cements her pride in her heritage as she navigates a new identity, blending British grit with American extravagance. Bold, energetic, and self-aware, the track captures the essence of youthful ambition and international reinvention.
Song Credits
- Artist: Charli XCX
- Songwriters: Charlotte Aitchison, Justin Raisen, Jerker Hansson
- Release Year: 2014
- Label: Atlantic Records