TOY BOY - Lyrics Discussion

[Suzy]

Let's not forget Mika wrote "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) in 15 minutes.

This might be just a story he whipped up in 12 minutes too! Tragic and funny perhaps, and we can make it as deep and complicated as we want.

Edited April 18, 2009 by Suzy

[dilek]

Let's not forget Mika wrote "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) in 15 minutes.

This might be just a story he whipped up in 12 minutes too! Tragic and funny perhaps, and we can make it as deep and complicated as we want.

 

exactly:thumb_yello:

 

that's what i meant with my previous post,no one get it though:naughty:

[mika-fan1001]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/jagrb5

 

 

 

I don't know if I should be posting it, but a mod can remove the link if it's necessary.

 

youre pretty mmuch my hero! my friend really wanted to listen to it last night, and we were going to sing the lyrics along w/ the video, but it ws downn, and so i sang it how i thought the tune was, then we made it a rap

[sparkly1]

You both made a point in there:

 

Adding, IMO:

 

There's a contradition here...

 

 

He's "Such a wonderful plaything"

 

Because he is...

 

More than an illustration - meaning that he considers himself real not an illusion, besides being a "toy"...

 

but then he has...

 

Points of articulation - meaning flexible, like a puppet ( Pinoquio's knees had those nails/pins when he was made of wood, remember the movie???)

 

who only...

 

Come to life on a brass spring - needs someone to pull the spring

 

 

 

Or maybe i just listened to it so many times i need medication by now...

 

one can NEVER listen to it too many times

[dilek]

ha ha! lyrics are already on lyric sites!

 

http://www.elyricsworld.com/toy_boy_lyrics_mika.html

[Kasia_xxx]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/jagrb5

 

 

 

I don't know if I should be posting it, but a mod can remove the link if it's necessary.

 

Thanks a lot! You've made my day! I love that one!!!!!!

[neeve272]

The hag part: Yes you're so right, fag used to be any woman, in a not so nice way, and I love how he use it in this song to emphasise the double meaning.

 

In the second last line I can definitly hear a "be" in the end!

I'm so thankful that you're trying to figure out what he's singing, it's almost impossible for a not native English spoken person!

 

Awh I just watched Sara's vid, and I think I've got the 2nd last line!!:

When your oldest son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

 

What do you think?

 

ha ha! lyrics are already on lyric sites!

 

http://www.elyricsworld.com/toy_boy_lyrics_mika.html

 

Oh wow lol

[sienna]

Awh I just watched Sara's vid, and I think I've got the 2nd last line!!:

When your oldest son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

 

What do you think?

 

 

I think it can be right, it makes perfect sense to the rest of the verse!

[AnnaMariaPetra]

Awh I just watched Sara's vid, and I think I've got the 2nd last line!!:

When your oldest son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Oh wow lol

 

Could it perhaps be your ONLY son?

Edited April 18, 2009 by AnnaMariaPetra

[neeve272]

I think it can be right, it makes perfect sense to the rest of the verse!

 

Yeah I think so

 

Could it perhaps be your ONLY son?

 

Oooh yeah that sounds even better!!!

[AnnaMariaPetra]

Does hag mean witch?

 

I ask because the dutch word for witch is heks....

[neeve272]

Does hag mean witch?

 

I ask because the dutch word for witch is heks....

 

No, now it's just a derogatory term for a woman, but I'm pretty sure that was its original meaning...like probably back in Old English..so I guess that's where the connection with Dutch comes in...interesting!

[sparkly1]

This is constructing on the bit that people have said, "This song isn't necessarily about Mika".

 

One of the things that makes Mika such a wonderful musician, is that he's not afraid to write about real life. Where other artists stick to reality as a relationship between a man and a woman, a break-up between a man and a woman; Mika explores reality as it actually is.

 

He'll write about two men in a relationship. He will write about larger ladies. Mika sings about aspects of life where other artists don't dare to.

 

If or if not these issues are a part of Mika's life doesn't matter. What matters is that he's made a wonderful, interesting song about it and shared it with us!

 

That's my take on it.

 

I agree with that and think I said so earlier but in a different way lol. I mean when I was a kid I used to fancy the dark haired guy out of Stingray and thunder bird 1 Scott, and Captain Scarlett phwoar don't get me started on him lmao, so it's yet another twist taht it could take.... that is why I love it and I love Mika's writting cos it really can MEAN whatever EACH and every one of us wants it to. It's far more enjoyable for it to have a so much going on and COULD be going on

[suzie]

Could it perhaps be your ONLY son?

 

Yes. It is ONLY son

[racinghorse83]

i hope you don't mind me breaking the flow of 'only son' conversation, but..

 

 

gawd, i just love this song *dies*

[AnnaMariaPetra]

i hope you don't mind me breaking the flow of 'only son' conversation, but..

 

 

gawd, i just love this song *dies*

 

Ha, doesn't matter! I love the song too:blush-anim-cl: That's why I keep coming back to this thread!

 

I really love the lyrics (that is in fact my number one reason why I love Mika's music!) and I am really in love with his singing- and storytelling voice in this song. From high to low and back, yummie:mf_lustslow:

Edited April 19, 2009 by AnnaMariaPetra

[racinghorse83]

oh gawsh, don't get me started on how much i love mika's low voice that makes my heart do funny things.

 

this is why i love toy boy;

 

it reminds me of lollipop, but with darker lyrics on a better level.

the tune is so beautiful, flutey, trumpety, violiny flirty and carefree.

the lyrics are interesting, full of double meanings, twists,and they're quite dark.

its not made out of enirely low singing but high too

 

i just love everything about that song

[mouselle]

I've been following this thread with great interest, and have given in to the impulse to join the fun.

 

I love the voice Mika shows in this song. For every time I've spent listening for the words, I had another time when I absolutely ignore the words and admire his voice as an instrument.

I am grateful and thankful for the recordings of Mika at a time when he has not been madly touring, and his voice is rested, and he does not have a sore throat or a cold! Quick, let's work out a plan to keep him this healthy forever!

 

I will seriously make a point that I don’t especially think this is an autobiographical story at all.

It could be a story about anyone who didn’t fit in to the society in an obvious way.

Like in Billy Brown when Mika explicitly says, when he’s asked the question, this is a story of my friend Billy Brown.:

 

Love Sienna's interpretion. Haven't yet got enough of an opinion myself to comment, except that I like to consider that the lines -

 

I’m a wind-up toy in an up down world

If you leave me all alone, I’ll make a mess for sure

 

-might be about the lack of independence of a wind-up toy, and a grown-up person's opinion that an incompetent boy/toy is likely to stuff up most things he touches. (In the context of Sienna's song notes.)

 

 

Another thought - I love what this song (most of Mika's songs) show about him.

 

It does not matter whether or not they are in any way autobiographical. What matters is that he writes songs expressing an emotion/mood/feeling, and you can't do that unless you understand those emotions and that point of view.

 

(If they were all autobiographical, that might not be true, but I'm taking his word for Billy Brown and Holy Johnny at least. )

 

What that means to me is that he is a deeply empathic person, and really does receive what other people 'tell' him, and can enter into their feelings. That skill is so rare... He's not just doing the standard 'love and lust and lost', he's seeing the wholeness of people...

[mouselle]

Another thought while I am on a roll -

 

This sort of song, with strong storyline lyrics and amazing melody is strongly reminiscent of the best songs in musicals like Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables.

 

I wonder...

 

Is he hearkening back to his past, or giving a glimpse of his future - or both?

[Droopsy]

What that means to me is that he is a deeply empathic person, and really does receive what other people 'tell' him, and can enter into their feelings. That skill is so rare... He's not just doing the standard 'love and lust and lost', he's seeing the wholeness of people...

 

 

I agree with you there:wink2: I like the fact that his songs can be about so many different things. Most songs you hear are about relationships/love/wanting but not getting any... And those songs just are what they are, there aren't *insert number here* different interpretations possible.

[lily]

Tell them a story of a boy like me, is the last line i think

 

 

Is it possible that the part where he starts talking about the woman and being dressed up as the man she loved is a completely different story then the first part?

[daisylou]

the point of the matter is MIKA! will never tell you what the meaning of this song is...I for one have realised by now that whatever we all "think" it is...the song will have some dark, other meaning behind it...he is a tease and twists things till they make sense on many levels to him. They have more tiers than a wedding cake!

xxx

ps. can't fathom the words out...

On a long lost day when you're grey and old

Would you be there remembering your old toy boy

When your ******** wondering what to be

tell them the story of a boy like me

xxx

[Gatagordinha]

the point of the matter is MIKA! will never tell you what the meaning of this song is...I for one have realised by now that whatever we all "think" it is...the song will have some dark, other meaning behind it...he is a tease and twists things till they make sense on many levels to him. They have more tiers than a wedding cake!

xxx

ps. can't fathom the words out...

On a long lost day when you're grey and old

Would you be there remembering your old toy boy

When your ******** wondering what to be

tell them the story of a boy like me

xxx

 

I kind of agree with you Daisy. We probably won't ever know the real meaning of the song, and I can't see much point analysing every last word and phrase to be honest because as you say, there are so many layers and double entendres.

 

And a general point (not directly at Daisy): sometimes I think over-analysing lyrics spoils the enjoyment..and asking a songwriter to explain lyrics is futile, though no doubt he will get asked constantly about thees particular lyrics when the album comes out *yawn*.

 

I have my own ideas/interpretation about the meaning (as everyone probably does) but I see no point in discussing it here, frankly! Though if everyone else enjoys that, then that's absolutely fine.

[neeve272]

the point of the matter is MIKA! will never tell you what the meaning of this song is...I for one have realised by now that whatever we all "think" it is...the song will have some dark, other meaning behind it...he is a tease and twists things till they make sense on many levels to him. They have more tiers than a wedding cake!

xxx

ps. can't fathom the words out...

On a long lost day when you're grey and old

Would you be there remembering your old toy boy

When your ******** wondering what to be

tell them the story of a boy like me

xxx

 

We figured it out a page or so ago... we reckon it's:

When your only son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

[Soaring Simpson]

I kind of agree with you Daisy. We probably won't ever know the real meaning of the song, and I can't see much point analysing every last word and phrase to be honest because as you say, there are so many layers and double entendres.

 

And a general point (not directly at Daisy): sometimes I think over-analysing lyrics spoils the enjoyment..and asking a songwriter to explain lyrics is futile, though no doubt he will get asked constantly about thees particular lyrics when the album comes out *yawn*.

 

I have my own ideas/interpretation about the meaning (as everyone probably does) but I see no point in discussing it here, frankly! Though if everyone else enjoys that, then that's absolutely fine.

 

I think that's only half true- a songwriter won't know half of what he puts into a song, some of the content will be unconscious- but Mika's comments on Grace Kelly were very interesting and added to our understanding of him. Even he did get asked a million times.

 

I think discussing lyrics is lots of fun, and if I wrote them I'd be pleased people were so into them. And looking at the layers and double entendres Mika has chosen to include does tell us something about him.

 

I'm feeling some pressure to add "but of course, we must realise that our conclusions are far from hard fact" but, though I've read a few people saying this, I haven't seen any evidence that people are making that mistake, so I won't.