William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a Brit… Read Full Bio ↴William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He also holds United States citizenship. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".

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).

Fatal Charm
Billy Idol Lyrics

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There may be trouble ahead, baby, yeah.
There may be teardrops to shed, ahuh.
I'm comin' in from the cold, baby.
Yes, I'm in and I'm warm. You don't
Forget that, baby.Hey!
Well, I'm comin' in from the storm, uhhuh,
Believe me mama.
Yes, I'm in from the storm, okay, forget it, mama.

And there's a skin and bone, teardrop too,
Down on Maggie's farm.
Yes, I lived that life, lived it through and it
Cut me a-with my fatal charm, with my fatal charm.
Wow! Shake!

Yeah, I'm gonna stay on the run,
I'm gonna have all the very last fun.
You see, they're all gettin' ready,
Devil may care, and who cares? I care! Waah!
Lady Luck, let the dice stay hot.
Lady Luck sure with ev'ry shot.
Show him, show him, what I got, what they not,
Yeah, yeah.

I see skin and bone, teardrop too,
A-down on Maggie's farm.
Yeah, I lived that place, I lived it
Through and I cut! Whoo!
Skin and bone and teardrop too,
Down on Maggie's farm.
Yeah, I lived that life, lived it through, I cut
A-with my fatal charm.
I cut them with my fatal charm.
They don't forget that, baby.
They don't forget that, ahuh.
They don't forget that, baby.
Heh! Huh! Ah ah ah ah!

Yeah! I'm a-gonna stay on the run,
Yeah, I'm gonna have all the very last fun.
They're all gettin' ready for the devil may care,
But who cares? I dare.
Lady Luck lettin' the dice stay hot.
Lady Luck sure with ev'ry shot.
What we got, nuttin'!
That's what we got, nuttin'! Oh yeah!

Would you yeah, would you yeah, would you yeah?
Ooh well they cut me a-with their fatal charm

Overall Meaning

The song "Fatal Charm" by Billy Idol describes the singer's reckless lifestyle and his pursuit of pleasure with a sense of hedonism. The opening verse acknowledges the potential challenges and emotional pain that might arise from this lifestyle but quickly dismisses them as insignificant in comparison to the singer's desire for excitement and satisfaction. The chorus expresses the singer's intention to continue living life on his own terms and the confidence he has in his charm to get him through any obstacles.

The reference to "skin and bone, teardrop too, down on Maggie's farm" alludes to a life of poverty and hardship which the singer claims to have lived through. He also mentions the "fatal charm" which seems to be his most valuable asset in life, one that he has used to his advantage although it's unclear if he's referring to actual charisma or just his reckless attitude. The song shifts in style towards the end, becoming more comedic with the use of repetition, nonsense lyrics and mock singing.

Line by Line Meaning

There may be trouble ahead, baby, yeah.
I am warning you that there may be difficulties in our relationship in the future.

There may be teardrops to shed, ahuh.
We may face emotional challenges in our relationship that could bring tears to our eyes.

I'm comin' in from the cold, baby. Yes, I'm in and I'm warm. You don't Forget that, baby.Hey!
I am coming into your life to provide warmth and comfort. You should never forget that.

Well, I'm comin' in from the storm, uhhuh, Believe me mama. Yes, I'm in from the storm, okay, forget it, mama.
I have weathered the storm and I have come out on the other side. You can forget about it now, it's all okay.

And there's a skin and bone, teardrop too, Down on Maggie's farm. Yes, I lived that life, lived it through and it Cut me a-with my fatal charm, with my fatal charm. Wow! Shake!
I have seen tough times and difficult people. It all contributed to my personality that has a certain attractiveness, but it can also be dangerous.

Yeah, I'm gonna stay on the run, I'm gonna have all the very last fun. You see, they're all gettin' ready, Devil may care, and who cares? I care! Waah!
I am going to have a lot of fun and enjoy life to the fullest. Other people might be careless, but I take my life seriously.

Lady Luck, let the dice stay hot. Lady Luck sure with ev'ry shot. Show him, show him, what I got, what they not, Yeah, yeah.
I am lucky and I always seem to come out ahead. Let me show you what I have that others don't.

I see skin and bone, teardrop too, A-down on Maggie's farm. Yeah, I lived that place, I lived it Through and I cut! Whoo! Skin and bone and teardrop too, Down on Maggie's farm. Yeah, I lived that life, lived it through, I cut A-with my fatal charm. I cut them with my fatal charm.
I have seen some tough people and situations, but I survived by being attractive and having a certain attitude.

They don't forget that, baby. They don't forget that, ahuh. They don't forget that, baby. Heh! Huh! Ah ah ah ah!
People remember me and my personality because I have an powerful presence.

Yeah! I'm a-gonna stay on the run, Yeah, I'm gonna have all the very last fun. They're all gettin' ready for the devil may care, But who cares? I dare. Lady Luck lettin' the dice stay hot. Lady Luck sure with ev'ry shot. What we got, nuttin'! That's what we got, nuttin'! Oh yeah! Would you yeah, would you yeah, would you yeah? Ooh well they cut me a-with their fatal charm
I will keep going, having the best time of my life. Other people might be reckless, but I don't care. Luck is on my side and I have nothing to lose. They might have tried to bring me down, but they couldn't resist my charm.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY IDOL, KEITH FORSEY, STEVE STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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