The instrumental introduction is reminiscent of "Incubation" by Joy Division.
The Man Who Came To Stay
Babyshambles Lyrics
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The boy he replaced, disappeared without a trace...
Stole all my songs and my style away
No-one would say what they wanted to say
So he was king for a day..
If you sail into the sun
Beware the eyes of green
And if the whole room tells you 'you are the one'
There's a man who came to stay...
Never showing on time
Out of his mind, diddly doo doo dine
Every single gig I play
Something's not right inside
Paranoia and pride, nowhere to hide...
If you sail into the sun, la la la la lala
Beware the eyes of green
And if the whole world tells you 'you are the one'
You must be hearing those voices again my son
If you sail into the sun
Please beware the eyes of green
And if it's all too much for you my son
, hold on tight with all of your might
The lyrics of The Man Who Came To Stay by Babyshambles are a reflection of the music industry and the way it treats artists. The song talks about a musician who has been replaced by another artist who has stolen his songs and style. This is a common occurrence in the music industry where artists are undervalued and their work is taken advantage of by those with power. The singer of the song is trying to warn others about the dangers of entering into this industry.
The lyrics also touch on themes of paranoia and identity. The singer feels like something is not right inside and is questioning himself and the world around him. The eyes of green are a symbol of envy and jealousy, which can lead to betrayal and backstabbing in the music industry. The advice given in the song is to be careful and not to believe everything that people say, as it may not be genuine.
In addition, the repetition of the lines "If you sail into the sun, beware the eyes of green" reinforces the warning and reminds the listener to be cautious. The song ends with the message of holding on tight with all of your might, suggesting that the music industry is a tough place to navigate but it is possible to survive if you stay true to yourself.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man who came to stay
A man has come and stuck around for a while
The boy he replaced, disappeared without a trace...
The man has taken the place of someone who vanished without a trace
Stole all my songs and my style away
The man took credit for the singer's songs and copied his style
No-one would say what they wanted to say
People were afraid to speak the truth about the man's behavior
So he was king for a day..
The man was able to take over and control things for a short period of time
If you sail into the sun
If you take a risk and pursue something big
Beware the eyes of green
Be cautious of those who are envious
And if the whole room tells you 'you are the one'
If everyone is praising and flattering you
I defy you not to believe them, my son...
It is hard to not believe positive feedback, even if it may not be true
Never showing on time
The man is always late or not present
Out of his mind, diddly doo doo dine
The man is crazy and unpredictable
Every single gig I play
At every performance
Something's not right inside
The singer is worried or uncomfortable about something
Paranoia and pride, nowhere to hide...
The singer feels both anxious and self-assured, with no place to escape those emotions
If it's all too much for you my son
If it becomes overwhelming and difficult for you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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