Introduction to "Handlebars"
"Handlebars" is one of the standout tracks from JENNIE's highly anticipated debut album Ruby, and it sets a high bar for the rest of the record. The song features British pop sensation Dua Lipa, and together, they deliver a dynamic collaboration that blends sultry pop with JENNIE's confident rap style. The song starts off with a catchy, carefree chorus that immediately pulls you in with its infectious energy and relatable lyrics. The opening lines, "I trip and fall in love / Just like a Tuesday drunk," are a clever metaphor for the thrill and chaos that love can sometimes bring. It’s fun, playful, and brimming with raw emotion, perfectly capturing the theme of surrendering to love despite its risks.
JENNIE’s Confident Vocal Performance
From the very first verse, JENNIE showcases her versatile vocal prowess, smoothly transitioning between rap and melody. She exudes self-assurance as she reflects on the bittersweet nature of love. Her delivery in the first verse is powerful, drawing listeners into her emotional vulnerability. The lyrics, "Why is it love is never kind to me?" highlight her ability to express pain while maintaining her assertive persona. Her mix of vulnerability and strength is one of the key elements that makes her such a compelling artist, and it’s especially evident here in "Handlebars."
Dua Lipa’s Playful and Soulful Contribution
Dua Lipa's contribution to the track is equally impressive. Her smooth, soulful vocals complement JENNIE's fiery energy perfectly. In her verse, Dua gives a more playful and flirtatious vibe, singing about the intoxicating feeling of love and desire. Lines like "I'm a little too buzzed on your love to play it cute" reflect a sense of reckless abandon that pairs beautifully with JENNIE’s more introspective lines. The way their voices intertwine during the pre-chorus creates a magical tension that keeps the song exciting and unpredictable.
The Catchy and Hypnotic Chorus
The chorus, with both JENNIE and Dua Lipa singing together, is the heart of the track. The repetitive, almost hypnotic lines "I always go all in, all in, all in / Over the handlebars" evoke a sense of recklessness and thrill, encapsulating the theme of diving headfirst into love despite the consequences. This infectious refrain is a highlight of the song, guaranteed to get stuck in your head long after the track ends. The mix of rap and pop elements keeps the song fresh and engaging, making it one of the most memorable tracks on Ruby.
A Powerful Start to JENNIE’s Debut Album
"Handlebars" is a perfect introduction within the first 3 tracks to JENNIE’s debut album. The track’s catchy chorus, emotional depth, and the chemistry between JENNIE and Dua Lipa make it an instant favorite. It’s a seamless fusion of pop and rap that showcases JENNIE’s growth as an artist and her ability to collaborate with diverse talents. With Ruby shaping up to be a defining album in her career, "Handlebars" is an exciting taste of what’s to come.
Listen to JENNIE Handlebars Featuring Dua Lipa
JENNIE Handlebars Lyrics Meaning Explained
The meaning of Handlebars by JENNIE featuring Dua Lipa is a reflection on the impulsive and intense nature of love, portraying the emotional highs and lows that come with diving headfirst into relationships without hesitation. The song explores themes of emotional vulnerability, risk-taking, and the consequences of love’s unpredictability. Through vivid metaphors and imagery, JENNIE expresses the thrill of falling in love recklessly, even when it leads to pain and heartache. The lyrics depict the longing for intimacy and connection while acknowledging the emotional turmoil that often accompanies such passionate involvement.
Impromptu Love and Emotional Impulsivity
The opening lines of the chorus, “I trip and fall in love / Just like a Tuesday drunk”, use the metaphor of a "Tuesday drunk" to express how falling in love feels like an impulsive and out-of-place decision. Typically, drinking is associated with weekends, but Jennie references Tuesday, a random, less expected day for it. She implies that love strikes unpredictably and impulsively, often at times when it doesn’t seem to make sense or when it’s least expected. This idea is continued with “I always go all in, all in, all in / Over the handlebars,” where the metaphor of going "over the handlebars" represents losing control. Normally, handlebars are something we hold onto for balance and control, but going over them symbolizes taking risks and embracing love without hesitation. This suggests that when Jennie falls in love, she commits fully, even at the cost of emotional fallout.
The Consequences of Emotional Commitment
The following line, “Hitting the ground so hard / If I'm alone, fallin', fallin', fallin'”, intensifies the imagery of a bumpy emotional ride. It represents the emotional crashes that often come after diving into relationships with full intensity. The repetition of “fallin’” emphasizes the loss of control and how deeply she lets herself get involved in love, even when it leaves her feeling alone. The chorus concludes with “We ain't gotta talk about it”, which reflects a desire to avoid discussing the situation's emotional complexity. It could imply a reluctance to face the consequences of falling in love impulsively, brushing it off with indifference.
Frustration with Love's Pain and Repetition
In the first verse, Jennie sings “Mercy / Why is it love is never kind to me?” expressing frustration and confusion about the pain that love brings. The word "Mercy" here conveys a sense of pleading or exasperation, asking why love always seems to lead to hurt. She follows with “I heard that fools rush in and, yeah, that's me”, referencing the saying, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Jennie admits to her impulsiveness, acknowledging that she doesn’t hesitate to dive into relationships, even when she knows the risks of getting hurt. She continues with “It burns me time and time again / So why am I still fixing for this frying pan, thinkin'”, comparing her emotional experiences to being burned repeatedly. The line about fixing for the "frying pan" plays on the saying "Out of the frying pan, into the fire," suggesting that despite the pain love causes, she keeps coming back for more, almost as if she’s attracted to the emotional risk, even when she knows it will lead to more hurt.
Desire for Intimacy and Uncertainty in Love
The pre-chorus, where both Jennie and Dua Lipa sing, begins with “I wonder what you're doing for tonight and forever”, expressing a longing to know what the other person is thinking, paired with the desire for a lasting connection. “I could be the rest of your life or whatever” reflects a mix of hope and nonchalance. Jennie hints at the possibility of a lasting relationship, but the casual phrasing suggests uncertainty about the future. “My lips and your lips, we could press them together” emphasizes the desire for intimacy, showing that they are willing to act on the connection, even without overthinking it. Jennie concludes the pre-chorus with “I don't ever think twice, and, baby, that's why”, revealing that her lack of hesitation is a defining characteristic of how she experiences love—she jumps in without second-guessing, for better or worse.
Intense Infatuation and Emotional Obsession
In the second verse, Dua Lipa sings “Another round, another drink / I try to stop, but I can't think / About anything else but you (But you)”, comparing her infatuation to being drunk, unable to focus on anything other than the person she desires. Her love feels overwhelming, as if it's taking over her thoughts entirely. “And I'm a little too buzzed on your love to play it cute” suggests that her emotions are too intense for her to remain composed or reserved. She’s “buzzed” on love, losing her inhibitions in the process. She follows with “A single kiss, I lost my mind for seven days and seven nights”, exaggerating the impact of a kiss, which leaves her emotionally unbalanced and obsessed for a prolonged period. “Can't eat, sleep, baby, it's true” shows how overwhelming her feelings are, so much so that she can’t focus on basic needs like eating or sleeping. The line highlights how love can consume a person entirely.
Emotional Tension and Lack of Restraint
The verse continues with “Tryna bite my lip, I'm probably gonna slip / And say some crazy shit to you”, where Dua Lipa acknowledges the tension between holding back and giving in to her desires. Biting her lip shows restraint, but the excitement of the moment might cause her to slip and say something impulsive or overly emotional. It speaks to the reckless abandon that often comes with intense attraction.
Avoidance of Emotional Depth
The outro, where both Jennie and Dua Lipa sing “We ain't gotta talk about it”, returns to the theme of avoiding deeper conversation. Despite the intensity and emotional turbulence of their connection, they both seem content with not overanalyzing it, suggesting that sometimes, it’s easier to let the moment speak for itself.
Reckless Love and Emotional Consequences
"Handlebars" explores themes of impulsive love, emotional risk, and the consequences of diving headfirst into relationships. The lyrics portray love as both intoxicating and painful, with Jennie and Dua Lipa acknowledging the complexities of falling in love without holding back. Their willingness to embrace love’s highs and lows reflects a reckless yet passionate approach to relationships, where they give themselves fully, even if it leads to emotional turmoil.
JENNIE Handlebars Lyrics
[Chorus: JENNIE]
I trip and fall in love
Just like a Tuesday drunk
I always go all in, all in, all in
Over the handlebars
Hitting the ground so hard
If I'm alone, fallin', fallin', fallin'
We ain't gotta talk about
[Verse 1: JENNIE]
Mercy
Why is it love is never kind to me?
I heard that fools rush in and, yeah, that's me
It burns me time and time again
So why am I still fixing for this frying pan, thinkin'
[Pre-Chorus: Dua Lipa, JENNIE & Both]
I wonder what you're doing for tonight and forever (Oh-oh)
I could be the rest of your life or whatever
My lips and your lips, we could press them together ('Gether, 'gether, 'gether)
I don't ever think twice, and, baby, that's why
[Chorus: JENNIE & Dua Lipa]
I trip and fall in love
Just like a Tuesday drunk
I always go all in, all in, all in
Over the handlebars
Hitting the ground so hard
If I'm alone, fallin', fallin', fallin'
[Verse 2: Dua Lipa]
Another round, another drink
I try to stop, but I can't think
About anything else but you (But you)
And I'm a little too buzzed on your love to play it cute
A single kiss, I lost my mind for seven days and seven nights
Can't eat, sleep, baby, it's true (It's true)
Tryna bite my lip, I'm probably gonna slip
And say some crazy shit to you
[Pre-Chorus: JENNIE & Dua Lipa]
I wonder what you're doing for tonight and forever (Oh-oh)
I don't ever think twice, and maybe that's why
[Chorus: JENNIE & Dua Lipa, JENNIE, Dua Lipa]
I trip and fall in love
Just like a Tuesday drunk
I always go all in, all in (All in, all in), all in
Over the handlebars
Hitting the ground so hard
If I'm alone, fallin', fallin', fallin' (Fallin', yeah)
[Outro: Dua Lipa & JENNIE]
We ain't gotta talk about it
Na-na-na-na-na-na, na (Yeah)
We ain't gotta talk about it
Na-na-na-na-na-na, na
We ain't gotta talk about it
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