The story behind "Relax, take it easy"?

When I first heard "Relax, take it easy" I thought- wow this is really deep: Something happened that was controversial, life changing and full of meaning.

"Relax, take it easy

Blame it on me or blame it on you"

"It's as if I'm playing with fire

Scared

It's as if I'm terrified

Are you scared?Are we playing with fire?"

My questions are: Blame what on me or you?

How are we playing with fire?

I know Mika has been reported to have said that this was in response to the July 7th bombings in London- but for some reason this song struck me as being more about a personal experience:

"It's clear, we don't understand but the last thing on my mind is to leave you

I believe that we're in this together"

For some reason attributing this song to a single event makes it finite, whereas I feel that it suggests something that goes much deeper: Mika are you keeping something from us? Is there something else behind this song in addition to your response to July 7th...?

What's everyone else's thoughts on this?

there is a thread about it.. I'm too tired too search for it and too tired to remember what it said, but you can check it you want to.. but searching it.. sorry yeah no help, as usual .. but try search, ok?

In 1 interview he sez its a song about the london bombings on the 7th of July last year... (or the year before).

And on another interview he jus sed he wanted to make a laid-back sort of dance track. So dunno... i expect it really was about the london bombings if you listen to the lyrics.

Hope that helps

I think it is about being in a relationship during/after the London bombings. Whether it has any personal relevance to Mika or not I don't know. I don't think he has ever said?

I've always assumed it to be along the same lines as the other famous "Relax", by Frankie Goes to Hollywood".......

.......that must be my dirty mind!

I've always assumed it to be along the same lines as the other famous "Relax", by Frankie Goes to Hollywood".......

.......that must be my dirty mind!

exactly.. I think lots of people think about that when they here word "relax" or that song:naughty:

I've always assumed it to be along the same lines as the other famous "Relax", by Frankie Goes to Hollywood".......

.......that must be my dirty mind!

I've always loved that song, but it never dawned on me what is was really about. Wow, I'm a prude. Still love that song, though.

I haven't been nosey on this one, but for me it sounds like there's something more as well......it's got to be personal, you wouldn't sing it with such emotion in your voice otherwise......

Everybody has secrets...let Mika have one as well

I've always loved that song, but it never dawned on me what is was really about. Wow, I'm a prude. Still love that song, though.

When it came out, I was at primary school and we thought we were being really rude changing the words to "Relax, don't do it, don't pick your nose and chew it"!

Oh, how sweet and innocent we were!

Hi!

I wonder what is the story behind Relax, take it easy? Does anybody know?

I've just seen Mika talking about songs like Grace Kelly, Lollipop, My interpretation, Love today, Billy Brown, Big girls... But not this one.

I dunno if I`m right on this,but I vagely remember it had to do smth with the war in Irak I think

Could you tell me please where did he speak about My interpretation? I think I've not heard that.

Yes, mika wrote it after 7/7 attacks in London...but in his particular way

You can find My interpretation video there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi77YYVvu8k

It's lovely performance.

You can find My interpretation video there:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi77YYVvu8k

 

It's lovely performance.

Thanks that's really lovely

I know!

It's about his dad getting held hostage in the gulf war, and basicly about the gulf war in general.

(Im toooooo obsessed, I know!)

MIKAMAD

(Petra)

You can find My interpretation video there:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi77YYVvu8k

 

It's lovely performance.

Thanks for the link. Which line exactly is he talking about when he says it could only have been written by a woman?

no, i'm actually quite sure that is was written about the July 7 attacks. QUITE sure

Christine: Well, it's the second verse where he sings "I hold my breath and wonder when..."

Strange, I've never thought about the story behind it.

Yes, mika wrote it after 7/7 attacks in London...but in his particular way

It's about his dad getting held hostage in the gulf war, and basicly about the gulf war in general.

Which one is it? If it's either of them, the song is far heavier than I've always thought it to be. I love how Mika can write a song that sounds one way but means another; it's very tongue-in-cheek and ironic.

Hi there,

I thought the same thing when I heard Relax, take it easy. It was written in the aftermath of the bombings that took place in London July 7th 2005...Mika had nothing to do since the tube network was brought to a standstill, so he sat down and wrote about it. It could be a love affair in that setting???

See this thread for other discussions...

http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1627

Akim: Thanks for that link.

This thread is interesting! I've always thought that Relax, take it easy relates to experience which is very very very personal. There's particular contrast in it. On the other hand it's crying-for-help-song, on the other hand it's calm-down-song. Very ironic and confusing in brilliant way.

I guess that Relax, take it easy is basically a story about the difficulties Mika had gone through his childhood. And yes, it still can be based on some special circumstances like attacks in London. Maybe I've to ask this from Mika himself IF I'm able to see him in London Hammersmith.

Hi there,

 

I thought the same thing when I heard Relax, take it easy. It was written in the aftermath of the bombings that took place in London July 7th 2005...Mika had nothing to do since the tube network was brought to a standstill, so he sat down and wrote about it. It could be a love affair in that setting???

 

See this thread for other discussions...

 

http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1627

Thanks for the link.

I always took the song on its dancey surface level but re-reading the lyrics now it strikes me how deep t is. The imagery in the first few lines, of being on a broken train at the end of the line with no one you know, is powerfully bleak, empty and sad. The next line aptly appeals to the universality of death and pain. The chorus touches upon blame and helplessness; the latter is often all that you can do when you experience the former. The juxtaposition of a cheerful tune with lyrics about being scared and terrified is ironic. The line "playing with fire" seems slightly out of place: it refers to taking risks perhaps out of your league rather than dealing with bleak circumstances as the rest of the song does. Using the term "it's as if...", phrasing the last line of the chorus, "Are we playing with fire?", as a question and the line "It's clear we don't understand..." brings across a feeling of uncertainty very well. The last verse is a contrast to the others with its more positive tone: it admits that the situation is bad but it appeals to solidarity and asks you to move on. All in all, it's a song with very well-written lyrics, almost poetic, cleverly hidden in a dance track. Mika seems to have his tongue permamently in his cheek.

You're both very welcome:thumb_yello:

Thanks for the link.

 

I always took the song on its dancey surface level but re-reading the lyrics now it strikes me how deep t is. The imagery in the first few lines, of being on a broken train at the end of the line with no one you know, is powerfully bleak, empty and sad. The next line aptly appeals to the universality of death and pain. The chorus touches upon blame and helplessness; the latter is often all that you can do when you experience the former. The juxtaposition of a cheerful tune with lyrics about being scared and terrified is ironic. The line "playing with fire" seems slightly out of place: it refers to taking risks perhaps out of your league rather than dealing with bleak circumstances as the rest of the song does. Using the term "it's as if...", phrasing the last line of the chorus, "Are we playing with fire?", as a question and the line "It's clear we don't understand..." brings across a feeling of uncertainty very well. The last verse is a contrast to the others with its more positive tone: it admits that the situation is bad but it appeals to solidarity and asks you to move on. All in all, it's a song with very well-written lyrics, almost poetic, cleverly hidden in a dance track. Mika seems to have his tongue permamently in his cheek.

This is a really thoughtful, in-depth analysis of the track.

Akim: Thanks for that link.

 

This thread is interesting! I've always thought that Relax, take it easy relates to experience which is very very very personal. There's particular contrast in it. On the other hand it's crying-for-help-song, on the other hand it's calm-down-song. Very ironic and confusing in brilliant way.

 

I guess that Relax, take it easy is basically a story about the difficulties Mika had gone through his childhood. And yes, it still can be based on some special circumstances like attacks in London. Maybe I've to ask this from Mika himself IF I'm able to see him in London Hammersmith.

You both point out the contrasting nature of the lyrics against the tone or mood of the music...

Yes it does demonstrate Mika's talent at song writing... (I feel like a school teacher here:bleh: )

You guys are WAY to good at this interpreting stuff