The Real Meaning Of 'Arcade' By Duncan Laurence

Although Duncan Laurence's "Arcade" was released in 2019, the enchanting ballad experienced a resurgence in popularity due to TikTok. In October 2020, the song went viral after being used in a "Dracotok" meme, which used the song with a deleted scene from 2011's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." The scene shows Draco Malfoy tossing Harry Potter his wand so he can defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all. 

This could have been a redeeming story arc for Draco since he is disliked by some fans of the "Harry Potter" franchise. That being said, since the scene did not occur in the books, it's no surprise that it didn't make the film's final cut. Needless to say, Draco fans were disappointed about the scene getting cut from the film. So, how does Laurence's "Arcade" fit into all this? Well, fans decided to create a trend that used the Dutch singer-songwriter's track to help depict the difficulty of being a fan of Draco.

While "Harry Potter" fans seemingly repurposed "Arcade" over on TikTok, what did Laurence actually hope listeners took away from the song?

While "Arcade" found new life on TikTok, its lyrics have resonated with people outside of the "Harry Potter" fandom. But what do the lyrics mean? In a December 2020 interview with The New Nine, Duncan Laurence opened up about the inspiration behind the single that has captured the hearts of many on social media. "I based 'Arcade' on a story of someone very dear to me from my past," he revealed.

Just by reading the lyrics, it's clear that they tell a tragic love story. The song begins, "A broken heart is all that's left/ I'm still fixing all the cracks/ Lost a couple of pieces when/ I carried it, carried it, carried it home." The lyrics center around a painful heartbreak, which is something a lot of people can say they have experienced at least once in their life. In this case, Laurence drew inspiration from a story of insurmountable loss.

"She had lost the love of her life, and until the day she died, she longed for him to come back," he told The New Nine. "It was a heartbreaking story that I couldn't help but think about. The chords and words came naturally as if the universe was telling me, 'Go on, today is the day you're gonna turn this tragedy into a song.' And so I did."