Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.
Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).
Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).
16. Don't You
Billy Idol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching oh yeah
Won't you come see about me?
I'll be alone, dancing and you know it baby
Tell me your troubles and doubts
Giving me everything inside and out, out
Think of the tender things that we were working on
Slow change may pull us apart
I'll get us back together at heart, baby
Don't you forget about me
Don't don't don't don't
Don't you forget about me
Will you stand above me?
Look my way and never love me
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down
Would you recognize me?
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Watching oh yeah
Don't you try and pretend
It's my feeling we'll win in the end
I won't harm you or touch your defenses
Vanity and security
Don't you forget about me
I'll be alone, dancing and you know it baby
Going to take you apart
I'll put us back together at heart, baby
Don't you forget about me
Don't don't don't don't
Don't you forget about me
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by
(as you walk on by)
Or will you walk on by?
Will you walk away?
Come on call my name
Come on call my name
Will you call my name?
I say
La la la.
Will you walk on by?
Would you call my name?
As you walk on by
Would you call my name?
When you walk on by?
Oh yeah
Come on and call my name
As you walk on by
Hey baby call my name!
When you walk on by
Would you call my name
Yeah, yeah, yeah
The song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Billy Idol is a powerful plea for attention from a loved one who may be drifting away. The lyrics address a partner who seems distant and unresponsive, asking them to not forget about the love they had shared. The song begins with the singer watching and waiting, and then singing to his partner to come see him, promising to dance alone until they arrive. He asks his partner to share their doubts and troubles, offering everything he has in return, alluding to the "tender things" they had worked on together.
As the song continues, the singer acknowledges that time and change may create distance between them, but he reassures his partner that he will work to bring them back together. The repeated refrain, "Don't you forget about me," is an impassioned cry to not lose sight of their love. The end of the song is a plea to his partner to call his name when they walk by, to not walk away from what they had shared.
Overall, the song is a heart-wrenching plea for attention and reconciliation, with a driving beat and powerful vocals that intensify the emotional urgency of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, hey, hey
The singer is excited and trying to get someone's attention.
Watching oh yeah
The singer is observing something, maybe a person or a situation.
Won't you come see about me?
The singer is asking someone to check on him or be with him.
I'll be alone, dancing and you know it baby
The singer will be by himself, possibly dancing, and the other person he's addressing knows this.
Tell me your troubles and doubts
The singer wants the other person to open up to him and share their problems.
Giving me everything inside and out, out
The other person is being asked to give the singer their all, both emotionally and physically.
Love's strange so real in the dark
The singer is saying that love can be intense and overwhelming, especially in private or hidden situations.
Think of the tender things that we were working on
The singer is asking the other person to remember and focus on the good moments between them.
Slow change may pull us apart
The singer acknowledges that change can be a challenge and might separate them from the person they care about.
I'll get us back together at heart, baby
The singer promises that even with challenges, he will bring them back together in spirit.
Don't you forget about me
The singer is asking the other person not to forget him, his emotions, or their connection.
Don't don't don't don't
The repetition of the word 'don't' emphasizes that the singer wants to be remembered.
Will you stand above me?
The singer is asking if the other person will have power over him or look down on him.
Look my way and never love me
The singer fears that the other person will reject him or not show love.
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling, down, down, down
The singer uses rain as imagery and implies that something negative or sad is happening.
Would you recognize me?
The singer wonders if the other person would still know him or acknowledge him.
Call my name or walk on by
The singer wants the other person to show some sort of response when they see him.
Don't you try and pretend
The singer is calling out the other person on their behavior or emotions.
It's my feeling we'll win in the end
The singer believes that their emotions, relationship, or situation will eventually lead to success.
I won't harm you or touch your defenses
The singer wants the other person to know that he won't hurt them or cause them to keep their guard up.
Vanity and Security
It's difficult to discern a specific meaning for these two words without context or additional information. They might refer to emotions, actions, or characteristics associated with the singer or the other person.
I'll put us back together at heart, baby
The singer restates his promise to bring them back together emotionally or spiritually.
As you walk on by
The singer is watching the other person leave or move away.
Will you call my name?
The singer wishes that the other person would acknowledge him in some way.
I say La la la.
It's unclear what this phrase means, but it might be an expression of the singer's emotions or a sound effect.
Come on and call my name
The singer is urging the other person to call him by name or pay attention to him.
Hey baby call my name!
The singer repeats his request to be called by the other person.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
The repetition of 'yeah' serves as an emphasis to the previous line or expression of excitement.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEITH FORSEY, STEVE W. SCHIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@trytocalmmenow2473
I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen
And I'll do anything
For little run away child
Gave my heart an engagement ring
She took everything
Everything I gave her
Oh, sweet sixteen
Built a moon for a rocking chair
I never guessed it would rock her far from here
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy brain
And filled it in
Well, I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh, I'll do anything
For little runaway child
Well, memories will burn you
Memories grow older as people can
They just get colder
Like sweet sixteen
Oh, I see it's clear
Baby, that you are all through here
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy house
To house her in, oh-oh
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy brain
And filled it in
And I do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh, I do anything
For little run away girl
Yeah, sad alone and blue
Hey, gettin' over you
How, how do you think it feels?
To get up in the morning, get over you
Up in the morning, get over you
Wipe away the tears, get over you
Get over, get over
My sweet sixteen
Oh, runaway child
Oh, sweet sixteen
Little runaway girl
Gave my heart an engagement ring
She left everything
Everything I gave her
Sweet sixteen
Built a moon for a rocking chair
I never guessed it would rock her far from here
Oh, oh, oh
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy house
And house her in
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy house
To house her in
And I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh, I'll do anything
For little runaway child
Do anything
For my sweet sixteen
I'll do anything
For little runaway girl
Little runaway girl
Oh, sweet sixteen
Oh sweet sixteen
Oh-oh
@justin-fs8hf
When first I saw the love-light in your eye
I thought the world held naught but joy for me
And even though we drifted far apart
I never dream but what I dreamt of thee
I loved you as I've never loved before
Since first I saw you on the village green
Come to me ere my dream of love is o'er
I love you as I loved you, when you were sweet
When you were sweet sixteen
I loved you as I've never loved before
Since first I saw you on the village green
Come to me ere my dream of love is o'er
I love you as I loved you, when you were sweet
When you were sweet sixteen
@ladygrinningsoul357
"Sweet Sixteen"
I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen,
And I'll do anything
For little run away child
Gave my heart an engagement ring.
She took ev'rything.
Ev'rything I gave her,
Oh sweet sixteen.
Built a moon
For a rocking chair.
I never guessed it would
Rock her far from here
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen.
Someone's built a candy brain
And filled it in.
Well I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh I'll do anything
For little runaway child
Well, memories will burn you.
Memories grow older as people can
They just get colder
Like sweet sixteen
Oh, I see it's clear
Baby, that you are
All through here
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen,
Someone's built a candy house
To house her in.
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen.
Someone's built a candy brain
And filled it in.
And I do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh, I do anything
For little run away girl.
Yeah, sad and lonely and blue.
Yeah, gettin' over you.
How, how do you think it feels
Yeah to get up in the morning, get over you.
Up in the morning, get over you.
Wipe away the tears, get over you,
get over, get over...
My sweet sixteen
Oh runaway child
Oh sweet sixteen
Little runaway girl.
Gave my heart an engagement ring
She left everything
Everything I gave her
Sweet sixteen
Built a moon
For a rocking chair,
Never guessed it would
Rock her far from here
Oh, oh, oh
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen.
Someone's built a candy house
To house her in.
Someone's built a candy castle
For my sweet sixteen
Someone's built a candy house
To house her in.
And I'll do anything
For my sweet sixteen
Oh, I'll do anything
For little runaway child.
Do anything
For my sweet sixteen
I'll do anything
For little runaway girl
Little runaway girl
Oh sweet sixteen
Oh sweet sixteen
Oh
@carrerahlb
Who's listening this masterpiece in 2024?
@justwalkwithme1102
From 14 till 49 y.o.
@babss44
❤❤❤
@ralphwinchester7135
Never stopped listening to this masterpiece. Find Coral Castle a fascinating story that goes unsolved
@mskfrutoz
Right now
@Luziemagick
I do!
@NEnigma777
I don’t think people truly appreciate how damn talented this man is
@NEnigma777
@Dan Dugan I love Scotland!
@isabel1983
I know right! Definitely one of the best artists of all time ❤️ under appreciated vocalist too!
@derbigpr500
Yes, Natalie, you're the only one in the world genius and enlightened enough to realize that this man, who happens to be famous and has been famous for the past 40 years, and has several billion views on his songs, is actually a talented man.
We're all in awe at your ability to recognize talent and we all wish we could do the same.