Released: 2024
Dua Lipa’s song “Houdini” is about being elusive and hard to catch. She talks about not staying in one place for too long and needing someone to prove they’re worth her time. The Houdini reference highlights her ability to disappear if she’s not impressed.
In the opening lines, Dua sets the tone by saying, I come and I go. She’s not around for long and wants to know how someone needs her. If they can’t keep up, she’ll disappear, just like Houdini, the famous magician known for his escape acts.
When she sings, Time is passin’ like a solar eclipse, it shows how fleeting her presence is. A solar eclipse doesn’t last long, and neither does she. She’s giving them a chance to make a move, asking, Come in closer, are you readin’ my lips?
The chorus repeats the idea of coming and going, making it clear that she wants someone to prove they’re worthy. Prove you got the right to please me emphasizes that it’s not going to be easy. Everyone knows she’s a challenge to keep around.
In the later verses, she suggests that someone good enough might make her stay. Maybe you could cause a girl to change (her ways) shows that there’s a possibility, but it’s slim. She needs to believe in them, If you got it, baby, give it to me.
The song closes by reiterating the main theme: she’s not here for long. If they want her to stay, they need to act fast and impress her. Otherwise, she’ll disappear like Houdini. The repeated line Catch me or I go Houdini drives home the point.
