yo yo Yo Yo - Song and Lyrics Discussion

[Poisonyoulove]

It's conventional and repetitive enough to be a huge mainstream hit.

[Anna Ko Kolkowska]

When I heard the song for the first time I had this: What is going on? It doesn't sound like what I've heard before from little pieces posted here and there. You know, my first impression was: His voice sounds sort of sad. Like he was a bit behind the rhythm. 

And then I understood - this is Mika's pattern!!!! 

Happy music with a sad lyrics. The old Mika is still there 

Doesn't sound like Platform Balerinas which has this very positive vibe.

 

And the meaning for me?

 

I will not chase you for love. I will stay here because sooner or later you will come back to me. 

And if not that's ok.

I will dance here concentrated on the beat to keep my heart steady. 

 

So all in all - even if my heart beats like crazy I will stay calm because what will be will be.

Of course it's just a discussion between heart and brain  Who is the winner?

 

 

 

[dcdeb]

Don't know if anyone noticed, but there's a new Yo-yo tee shirt in the Mika shop!

 

 

https://shopus.mikasounds.com/products/yo-yo-tee

[krysady]

40 minutes ago, Poisonyoulove said:

It's conventional and repetitive enough to be a huge mainstream hit.

Yep, and it's funny how he said so many times that he doesn't wanna be mainstream and that he'll keep his genuine musical path without any compromise 

[carafon]

1 hour ago, dcdeb said:

 

 

 

Yes, I guess it is "be will be" -- I originally heard "we will be" but listening again I do hear BE.

 

And you know before the lyric video came out, I was listening over and over and thought I heard "repeat" now and then, but couldn't be sure. Glad the lyric video confirmed that.

Talking about the lyric video ......it's strange because I understand "shake my heart like a yoyo" and the way he says "treat" is not the same here than latter when he says "treat me like a yoyo " 

 

At least with the "ta da da" lines I don't need any explainations 

 

[MatanBenYosef224]

On the one hand, I'm glad Mika released a new song. On the other hand I wonder what I think of this song. It reminds me a bit of "Cry" from MNIMH, something with the EDM vibe.  I Do think it's very Mika-ish song but It feels a bit like listening to a Remix rather than the original edit. I Get it that Mika sometimes puts on songs which are much more "mainstream" than others and I do hope it will succeeds in charts!  But for me it won't be the best one from him, But I Still enjoy it and play it on repeat... on the beat... on repeat... 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by MatanBenYosef224

[dcdeb]

1 hour ago, Poisonyoulove said:

It's conventional and repetitive enough to be a huge mainstream hit.

 

1 hour ago, krysady said:

Yep, and it's funny how he said so many times that he doesn't wanna be mainstream and that he'll keep his genuine musical path without any compromise 

 

I don't think there's any compromise or shift for him here -- it's not like he's never done a repetitive lyric or a dance-y type song before.

 

All I wanna do is make you happy
All I wanna do is make you happy
All I wanna do is make you happy

 

Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry
Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry
Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry

 

In general, I appreciate deeper and more varied lyrics -- I'm a words person -- but for this type of song, I think the repetition fits perfectly.
 

[krysady]

1 hour ago, dcdeb said:

I don't think there's any compromise or shift for him here -- it's not like he's never done a repetitive lyric or a dance-y type song before.

I know, I didn't mean the repetitive lyrics. It's the musical genre of this song, this is house music based on the synthesizer and bass beats, basically it sounds like DJ's remixes made on a computer. Sounds very mechanical and impersonal, which is far from Mika's style, imo. 

He also said that he doesn't want his music to be considered a background music, yet this song suits very well to this category. But it's good that people enjoy doing exercises, running, vacuum cleaning or doing other chores while playing it, and maybe he'll also attract different fans now 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by krysady

[MatanBenYosef224]

42 minutes ago, krysady said:

I know, I didn't mean the repetitive lyrics. It's the musical genre of this song, this is house music based on the synthesizer and bass beats, basically it sounds like DJ's remixes made on a computer. Sounds very mechanical and impersonal, which is far from Mika's style, imo. 

He also said that he doesn't want his music to be considered a background music, yet this song suits very well to this category. But it's good that people enjoy doing exercises, running, vacuum cleaning or doing other chores while playing it, maybe he'll also attract different fans now 

 

 

I Agree. The musical arrangement of Yo Yo is a bit too much DJ's remixes. It's not the repetitive lyrics that I'm bothered with (That's Fine, Mika does that a lot and with Yo Yo, it actually helps to deliver the message. 

[TinyLove_CJ]

For the upcoming music video I think it will either be Mika singing the song in a club like setting with low lights, with more of a focus of him on a stage perhaps, and Mika looking out across a crowded dance floor while keeping eye contact with the person who treats him like a yo-yo...

 

Or

 

Possibly an animated music video using the 8 bit style artwork to create a a pixel Mika (or other character) that walks through the colourful Yo Yo background, similar to a Super Mario platformer game, where the character has to jump in various places to collect things, the music video could have someone collecting yo-yos! 😁

[silver]

Rather unfortunately the chorus of this song reminds me of the chorus of a song my nan used to sing (which I have discovered was itself a Eurovision entry in 1960!)

 

(just the chorus)

 

 

[TinyLove_CJ]

42 minutes ago, silver said:

Rather unfortunately the chorus of this song reminds me of the chorus of a song my nan used to sing (which I have discovered was itself a Eurovision entry in 1960!)

 

(just the chorus)

 

 

 

Mika needs to cover this song but also add in his own chorus from Yo Yo! 

[silver]

1 minute ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

 

Mika needs to cover this song but also add in his own chorus from Yo Yo! 

 

Every time I get to the Yo Yo chorus I wander off into the chorus from the other song

[crazyaboutmika]

On 4/22/2022 at 9:02 AM, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

Yes, this was my first thought too. Just a bunch of repeated words and the beat.

But now - as I mentioned in my post above - I find it sexy - with double meaning like Ice Cream. So it makes sens with the rhythm and repeated words - sort of "making love with this base line" as once Mika was joking about the beginning of Ice Cream  

My thoughts exactly  With the studio version I was also reminded of "love on the beat" by Gainsbourg. Mika's single is much more subttle but   Yo yo is deffo sexy  and hypnotising. I have become totally hooked to it

 

[crazyaboutmika]

4 hours ago, MatanBenYosef224 said:

 

I Agree. The musical arrangement of Yo Yo is a bit too much DJ's remixes. It's not the repetitive lyrics that I'm bothered with (That's Fine, Mika does that a lot and with Yo Yo, it actually helps to deliver the message. 

I love this arrangement. I feel like dancing and all the kids I have made them listen to can't help dancing as well. And when you dance away your heartbreaks it helps feel better. I think it gives Mika a good chance to get this single played on radios too.   

[crazyaboutmika]

5 hours ago, dcdeb said:

 

 

I don't think there's any compromise or shift for him here -- it's not like he's never done a repetitive lyric or a dance-y type song before.

 

All I wanna do is make you happy
All I wanna do is make you happy
All I wanna do is make you happy

 

Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry
Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry
Don't make me cry cry cry cry cry

 

In general, I appreciate deeper and more varied lyrics -- I'm a words person -- but for this type of song, I think the repetition fits perfectly.
 

I think it could be a hit. It is easy to sing along, it makes kids (including me ) want to dance. I'm totally hooked. I got into it faster than into Ice Cream and Elle Me Dit but I'm deep in it right now I have it on repeat So looking forward to hear him sing it live on Saturday

[crazyaboutmika]

5 hours ago, krysady said:

I know, I didn't mean the repetitive lyrics. It's the musical genre of this song, this is house music based on the synthesizer and bass beats, basically it sounds like DJ's remixes made on a computer. Sounds very mechanical and impersonal, which is far from Mika's style, imo. 

He also said that he doesn't want his music to be considered a background music, yet this song suits very well to this category. But it's good that people enjoy doing exercises, running, vacuum cleaning or doing other chores while playing it, and maybe he'll also attract different fans now 

 

When he will sing it live everyone wiĺl dance like on Elle Me Dit. It's good that he tries new styles. This could be a hit and people could dance all summer on it. For me it's not background music it's a music that lifts me up and makes me feel like dancing. And there will be all sorts of other songs  to come  

[crazyaboutmika]

7 hours ago, carafon said:

Talking about the lyric video ......it's strange because I understand "shake my heart like a yoyo" and the way he says "treat" is not the same here than latter when he says "treat me like a yoyo " 

 

At least with the "ta da da" lines I don't need any explainations 

 

I heard "shake" too

[holdingyourdrink]

15 hours ago, krysady said:

I know, I didn't mean the repetitive lyrics. It's the musical genre of this song, this is house music based on the synthesizer and bass beats, basically it sounds like DJ's remixes made on a computer. Sounds very mechanical and impersonal, which is far from Mika's style, imo. 

He also said that he doesn't want his music to be considered a background music, yet this song suits very well to this category. But it's good that people enjoy doing exercises, running, vacuum cleaning or doing other chores while playing it, and maybe he'll also attract different fans now 

 

I was surprised by the “mainstream” character of the song as well. I can’t help but think that part of this is Mika’s social experiment and in a way his poetic resistance towards the music industry. It’s a “see what happens if I try to sound a certain way”.

 

16 hours ago, dcdeb said:

I don't think there's any compromise or shift for him here -- it's not like he's never done a repetitive lyric or a dance-y type song before.

I agree; if anything it’s an enrichment of the genres he can cover. And the polarity in the reactions to it  As much as we love how he can convert any of his songs to a symphonic version, he is also able to do dancy club songs. He can do repetitive, he can do lyrical. Ironically his voice is perfect for all of it. And isn’t that what it is all about? It’s about the diversity of his art and music that makes him special to us as fans. 
 

The other day I was looking at my running playlist and was hoping to have for a perfect Mika song to run to. So far I have Live Your Life, Platform Ballerinas, Ice Cream (Live from Brooklyn Steel), Stay High and Sound of an Orchestra (among other artists). They are lyrically extensive and I’m happy I have a no brainer song now 

[krysady]

11 hours ago, crazyaboutmika said:

And there will be all sorts of other songs  to come

That's my hope as well.

46 minutes ago, holdingyourdrink said:

I can’t help but think that part of this is Mika’s social experiment and in a way his poetic resistance towards the music industry.

I love it how this "poetic resistance" can be interpreted in so many ways   But if it was his record label who chose it and not Mika, then the whole concept becomes meaningless in this case, isn't? 

[holdingyourdrink]

56 minutes ago, krysady said:

I love it how this "poetic resistance" can be interpreted in so many ways   But if it was his record label who chose it and not Mika, then the whole concept becomes meaningless in this case, isn't? 

I don’t think anything Mika does is by accident. I think this is exactly the song he wanted to bring out and was meeting the record label for. It was played after the gigs in North America, even before he had a meeting with the label. So who knows 

[crazyaboutmika]

58 minutes ago, krysady said:

That's my hope as well.

I love it how this "poetic resistance" can be interpreted in so many ways   But if it was his record label who chose it and not Mika, then the whole concept becomes meaningless in this case, isn't? 

I like that he tries all sorts of things the way David Bowie and Serge Gainsbourg did   Each person can find something they.like  A happy dance song to get over heartbreaks and dance them away as the first single and lots of other amazing different songs that will be totally surprising and will make us happy

[crazyaboutmika]

22 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

 

I noticed that too, I think it is intentional!

 

 

Guess I got it wrong about this song having another voice in it 😅

 

I'm glad it's just Mika though, I absolutely love it! Got up super early to download it straight away, and kept it on repeat for quite a while too! 😁

(neighbours are gonna hate me )

 

Really makes me want to dance too, I miss proper club dancing from my Uni days... This reminds me of those times!

My new obsession

[crazyaboutmika]

13 minutes ago, holdingyourdrink said:

I don’t think anything Mika does is by accident. I think this is exactly the song he wanted to bring out and was meeting the record label for. It was played after the gigs in North America, even before he had a meeting with the label. So who knows 

Yes he wanted to test it 

[TinyLove_CJ]

1 minute ago, crazyaboutmika said:

My new obsession

Same here! 

 

Makes me want to dance all the time, really hoping Mika sings it at the London gig, I don't just want to jump up and down I want to actually dance!

 

Is it odd that I also find the song somewhat relaxing? 😅