TOY BOY - Lyrics Discussion

[Soaring Simpson]

Well I have a little language problem For my idea to work, a "wind-up toy" needs to have double meaning as something that winds people up and I don't know if that is possible

 

I'd say that was a reasonable interpretation

[silver]

The thought occurs that we are trying to interpret these words, but we are dealing with Mr Forget the Lyrics here

 

Suppose, for example, it's not "left me in Georgia" but "left me with Georgia". This would make better sense of the toys for rental idea - not owned, but passed from one person to another.

 

And it would make Georgia the hag, in the sense of witch or fag hag, depending on which level you are looking at the words.

Edited April 24, 2009 by silver

[lollipop_monkey]

Not really I don't want this to be a toy at all, I want it to be a part of his personality

 

Iiiinteresting.

 

Come on, girl, elaborate for us! I'd love to hear your interpretation. After all, we're all just grasping at straws and coming up with whatever sounds remotely plausible.

 

And bear in mind, we'll likely never know what was really in Mika's mind when he wrote this.

 

After all, he once went on about how "Happy Ending sounds like a traditional breakup song, but really it's more about losing...things." I just can't see that, considering the lyrics. "Can't get no love without sacrifice." "No hope or love or glory, happy ending's gone forevermore." Sounds like pretty clear breakup song, IMHO.

[Louiza]

And bear in mind, we'll likely never know what was really in Mika's mind when he wrote this.

 

After all, he once went on about how "Happy Ending sounds like a traditional breakup song, but really it's more about losing...things." I just can't see that, considering the lyrics. "Can't get no love without sacrifice." "No hope or love or glory, happy ending's gone forevermore." Sounds like pretty clear breakup song, IMHO.

 

thats what i've been thinking about too! we'll never know what this song or any of the songs are about unless he tells us.

 

it's exaclty like you said! how could we have ever guessed that happy ending would be about losing things and not a break up song. or who could predict that lollipop would be a message to his sister about not having sex (sorry chicken ) too soon after listening to its lyrics. i think he said in the LICM dvd that he tried to make lollipop sound as dirty as possible.

 

when i read the lyrics of toy boy i can see that they tell the story of a toy that was hurt by a couple of people. to find out if there's a deeper meaning i guess we'll have to wait for mika to tell us:wink2:

it's a brilliant song anyway...

[racinghorse83]

OK! I thought it would be a bit too much to post my evaluation on the whole song in one go, (especially as there’s nine verses, and I’ve written at least this much for each verse) and I haven’t exactly finished honing down my words on the last few verses yet.

 

I completely realise its highly likely that I’m reading a lot into this song, but I think that’s what Mika wanted us to do with this and its worth just throwing the opinions out there for people to toy with.

 

I’ve put each line in bold, and then written my current opinion on what it is saying in normal font underneath. WARNING; my opinion is subject to change. Easily. ;D

 

OK. Here we go. Hold onto your hats and don’t get too confused.

 

v1.

 

I’m a wind-up toy in an up down world

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

I’ve a heart of gold and the smartest styles

(I’ve a heart of gold in the smallest size)

Leave me in the dark, you’ll never hear me cry

 

 

I’m a wind-up toy in an up down world

 

At first, I thought the first line simply sets the scene for the whole song.

The most prominent and obvious meaning is that toy boy is a excitable, happy-go-lucky wind up toy in a world that is up, down and all over the show.

Looking at it closer, though, perhaps I’m picking holes but I see this;

‘wind-up in up-down’. This could be a different way of hinting toy boy is gay (for example up = gay, down = straight, up-down = bi) if I’m making sense.

So its saying; the world is up-down; it is full of all these different types of people with different sexualities. I, personally, am wind-up (gay.)

 

 

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

 

Toy boy needs someone to feel whole. Left alone he is lost, confused and he makes a mess. ‘i’ll make a mess for sure’ is confirmation that he needs to feel loved in order to operate correctly and he has been neglected in the past and made a mistake(s), or ‘mess’ as a result of that.

 

 

I’ve a heart of gold and the smartest styles

(I’ve a heart of gold in the smallest size)

 

People have quoted these lines as saying both versions, so I thought I would write my opinion on each.

The first interpretation; heart of gold and the smartest styles; has a completely different meaning to the second interpretation. For this one the meaning is basically what is said with no double meanings; toy boy is very sweet with childish, unconditional love. He isn’t going to hurt you, instead he is caring, sweet, and (in toy boys opinion) he is even stylish, which is a bonus.

 

The second interpretation ‘I’ve a heart of gold in the smallest size’ is much darker. ‘Heart of Gold’ once was a common term for a prostitute, but over time was remodelled into slang which eventually came to loosely mean ‘one who commonly associates with/is comfortable being around people who are more ‘slutty.’’ So ‘a heart of gold in the smallest size’ could be meaning that toy boy is into that kind of scene, but not in a hugely significant kind of way; rather he holds a small interest in such things.

 

The second obvious meaning for the second interpretation of the line is that toy boy is sweet in a miniscule type of way; but I personally believe it is the latter because it is much more typical of mika to word it that way.

 

 

Leave me in the dark, you’ll never hear me cry

 

Double meanings again. First meaning; here toy boy states he is brave. He needs to be loved in order to function correctly, but he can handle being left alone.

Second meaning; being ‘left in the dark’ is a common metaphor for being left in the dark on a situation. This could be toy boy stating that he is OK not knowing secrets and he will not protest if there are things going on behind his back that he’s better off not knowing about. ‘you’ll never hear me cry.’ To reword that into one sentence, ‘Leave me in the dark about what’s happening and I won’t protest (cry) and want to know.’

[suzie]

Thank you so bloody much suzie, I was just right now ranting on MSN that noone else seemed to have anywhere near the same interpretation as I have, but now you came a bit closer

 

I don't dare to post my full analysis though, as it's bound to piss people off

 

I think in the beginning (perhaps not on this thread, though Suzy tried to collect the most important ones, so it might be listed here, too) there were all types of interpretations. I remember I posted one with no mum as 'the hag', but then came the younger generation and I realised I shouldn't go into more in-depth analysis here...

I'm interested in what you'd say, though so perhaps you can start a new thread like Kata's thoughts or something (marking it 18+ ) where we can follow you

[Kata]

I think in the beginning (perhaps not on this thread, though Suzy tried to collect the most important ones, so it might be listed here, too) there were all types of interpretations. I remember I posted one with no mum as 'the hag', but then came the younger generation and I realised I shouldn't go into more in-depth analysis here...

I'm interested in what you'd say, though so perhaps you can start a new thread like Kata's thoughts or something (marking it 18+ ) where we can follow you

 

Nah I'll post it here, just need to find the right words

[suzie]

Nah I'll post it here, just need to find the right words

 

Try doing it with pictures

[Kata]

Try doing it with pictures

 

 

nah

[suzie]

 

nah

 

I think I understand.

 

Did you know Tinky Winky was actually banned in Poland because of the ambiguous messages he delivers?

[Kata]

I think I understand.

 

Did you know Tinky Winky was actually banned in Poland because of the ambiguous messages he delivers?

 

That's evil He was always my favourite

[suzie]

That's evil He was always my favourite

 

you mean (S)HE?

[Kata]

you mean (S)HE?

 

Hey he's a gay teletubby, not a tranny teletubby

[suzie]

Hey he's a gay teletubby, not a tranny teletubby

Sorry for being confused over that.

Maybe I should watch an episode to always be politically correct.

[Kata]

Sorry for being confused over that.

Maybe I should watch an episode to always be politically correct.

 

You won't find anything in the episode, it's completely taken out of the blue or eh...purple

[suzie]

You won't find anything in the episode, it's completely taken out of the blue or eh...purple

I see... I was wondering how they could have possibly coded it for the 2 year-olds.

 

[lollipop_monkey]

Hey he's a gay teletubby, not a tranny teletubby

 

I've always wanted to start a "Random MFC Quotes" thread where people quote other MFCers, but leave out the context. With humourous results.

 

That would be a great first post.

[lily]

I've always wanted to start a "Random MFC Quotes" thread where people quote other MFCers, but leave out the context. With humourous results.

 

That would be a great first post.

 

 

haha, that would be really funny, and there's definetly plenty of good MFC quotes out there!!!

[katydid1994]

The thought occurs that we are trying to interpret these words, but we are dealing with Mr Forget the Lyrics here

 

Suppose, for example, it's not "left me in Georgia" but "left me with Georgia". This would make better sense of the toys for rental idea - not owned, but passed from one person to another.

 

That's a very valid point and would make a lot of sense, it also slants the story another direction. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

I am loving this thread, it's like a bookclub discussion.

[racinghorse83]

lol. completely ignored. greeeat.

[katydid1994]

lol. completely ignored. greeeat.

 

I read your post, I'm sorry I was catching up on about 5 pages together. I agree with your thoughts.

[willywonka]

I've always wanted to start a "Random MFC Quotes" thread where people quote other MFCers, but leave out the context. With humourous results.

 

That would be a great first post.

 

 

 

What are you expecting to do it?????

 

Random is my middle name...

 

Oh but I guess everyone noticed it by now....

[neeve272]

 

 

Leave me in the dark, you’ll never hear me cry

 

Double meanings again. First meaning; here toy boy states he is brave. He needs to be loved in order to function correctly, but he can handle being left alone.

Second meaning; being ‘left in the dark’ is a common metaphor for being left in the dark on a situation. This could be toy boy stating that he is OK not knowing secrets and he will not protest if there are things going on behind his back that he’s better off not knowing about. ‘you’ll never hear me cry.’ To reword that into one sentence, ‘Leave me in the dark about what’s happening and I won’t protest (cry) and want to know.’

 

Nice interpretation, I agree with parts of it, and I like it.

the part I've quoted - I love both sides of your interpretation of it and hadn't thought about it like that, and I was thinking of another one:

If the owner leaves him in the dark, he abandons him, and so doesn't hear him cry. I think the toy boy is actually crying, but he's bitterly saying to the owner "you've ignored me, you can go on being happy but I'm still here, crying".

Just my two cents

 

The thought occurs that we are trying to interpret these words, but we are dealing with Mr Forget the Lyrics here

 

Suppose, for example, it's not "left me in Georgia" but "left me with Georgia". This would make better sense of the toys for rental idea - not owned, but passed from one person to another.

 

And it would make Georgia the hag, in the sense of witch or fag hag, depending on which level you are looking at the words.

 

Interesting slant on it! That definitely would work!

[suzie]

:shocked:OMG why do I fee that it is overanalysed now?

I always hated to take literary works of arts into pieces.

 

As I haven’t posted any detailed analysis yet, here is one simple one that still allows many interpretations:

 

Toy / Boy as a child:

I’m a wind-up toy in an up down world

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

I’ve a heart of gold in a smaller size

Leave me in the dark, you’ll never hear me cry

 

Toy / Boy comes to life (i.e. comes of age)

More than an illustration

Points of articulation

Come to life on a brass spring

Such a wonderful plaything

 

Toy / Boy realises he is ’different’ while longing for someone to love him:

It’s a cruel cross that I have to bear

Come a little close I’m going to pull your hair

More than just a toy in a patch-blue suit

Hold me in your arms I’m just a boy like you

 

'Inclination' of Toy / Boy is realised by his mum:

But your mama thought there was somethin’ wrong

Didn’t want you sleeping with a boy too long

It’s a serious thing in a grown-up world

Maybe you’d be better with a Barbie girl

 

Toy / Boy has to leave behind (either literally or supress inside) the object of his desire due to pressure of society

You knew that I had adored ya

But you left me in Georgia

Toys are not sentimental

How could I be for rental?

 

A female person (a generation older than TB) is trying to shape Toy / Boy into an archetypical male. Toy / Boy is fully confused and his heart is torn apart:

She’s the meanest hag that has ever been

Pulled out my insides with an old safety pin

I’m the sorest sight, now I feel like trash

Clothes are made of rags and they don’t even match

 

Toy / Boy loses not only his identity but also his soul:

So she dressed me up as the man she loved

Then threw me in a box when she had had enough

Now the light of day I no longer see

She stuck her voodoo pins where my eyes used to be

 

Toy / Boy realises he cannot go to back to his own self, feels completely destroyed:

Accidentally tragic

Victim of her black magic

Had a boy once who loved me

Now he’s so afraid of me

 

And now the most important part...

Toy / Boy now steps out of the story and turns to the audience:

Please remember this when you have kids or know a boy like this and do not ever let anyone change him. ..

It won’t work and you will simply destroy his prescious soul..

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

Would you be there remembering your old toy boy?

When your only son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

 

 

Right. That’s it. It took me 10 mins – will not discuss lyrics any more.

I hope it still enables all of you to still read into it as many things as you would love to.

Edited April 25, 2009 by suzie

[sienna]

 

 

 

And now the most important part...

Toy / Boy now steps out of the story and turns to the audience:[

Please remember this when you have kids or know a boy like this and do not ever let anyone change him. ..

It won’t work and you will simply destroy his prescious soul..

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

Would you be there remembering your old toy boy?

When your only son's wondering what to be

Tell him the story of a boy like me

 

 

 

I love this and agree it's the most important part!