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).

It's So Cruel
Billy Idol Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here I am again pretty baby
Hanging around
Tonight I've been in every bar in town
Here I am again pretty baby
Hanging around
Tonight I have to try out every girl in town
I took some ecstasy in love

I took my troubles to the East side
I'm getting messed up on my backside
Wall of blocks A-D
Ended up in somebody else's sheets

It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you, without you babe
It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you
Will it ever be over baby
Feel my love come on over
Over you

Here you are again
Pretty baby
Hanging around
Tonight you walked through all my pleasant dreams
Here I am
You know where I look leads to a late night
Low down, low down scene
Really mean
Took the subway to the East side
I get messed up on my backside
Wall of blocks A-D
Ended up in somebody else's sheets

It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you, without you babe
You know what I'm talking about
It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you
Will it ever be over

Feel my love slide
You know what I'm talking about now
It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you, without you babe
You know what I'm talking about now
It's so cruel
I - I - I'm round
Without you
Will it ever be over
Feel my love come on over

Over you babe
For you babe, for you babe, for you babe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billy Idol's "It's So Cruel" tell the story of two people who keep going back to each other, despite the pain their relationship causes. The song begins with the singer confessing that he's been going to every bar in town, looking for someone new to distract him from his feelings of heartbreak. He even takes ecstasy in an attempt to forget about his pain, but ultimately ends up in someone else's bed.

The second verse reveals that the woman he's singing to has been appearing in his dreams, reminding him of what he's lost. He, too, turns to the East side of town for solace, only to end up in another person's bed. The chorus repeats the word "cruel," implying that their cycle of hurt and longing is an endless cycle that never seems to end.

The bridge reveals the emotional core of the song: The singer asks if their love will ever be over, before pleading for his lover to feel his love come on over. The repetition of the phrase "you know what I'm talking about now" implies that their pain is something they both understand and are complicit in.

Overall, "It's So Cruel" is a powerful exploration of the struggle many people face when they feel drawn to someone who continually hurts them. The song acknowledges the cycle of heartbreak and desire that so often characterizes toxic relationships, while also acknowledging just how difficult it can be to break free from them.

Line by Line Meaning

Here I am again pretty baby Hanging around Tonight I've been in every bar in town
I'm back here with you, my love, wasting my time. I've been drinking myself silly all over town.

Here I am again pretty baby Hanging around Tonight I have to try out every girl in town
I'm back here with you, my love, but I feel like I need to see other women tonight.

I took some ecstasy in love
I tried to enhance my feelings for you by using drugs.

I took my troubles to the East side I'm getting messed up on my backside Wall of blocks A-D Ended up in somebody else's sheets
I went to a rough part of town to try and forget my problems. I got drunk and ended up having sex with someone else.

It's so cruel I - I - I'm round Without you, without you babe It's so cruel I - I - I'm round Without you Will it ever be over baby Feel my love come on over Over you
It's so painful being without you. Will this ever end? My love for you is strong and I want to be with you.

Here you are again Pretty baby Hanging around Tonight you walked through all my pleasant dreams Here I am You know where I look leads to a late night Low down, low down scene Really mean Took the subway to the East side I get messed up on my backside Wall of blocks A-D Ended up in somebody else's sheets
You're back here with me, but it seems like a nightmare. When I look for love elsewhere, it leads to dangerous situations. I went back to that rough area and got drunk and slept with someone else again.

It's so cruel I - I - I'm round Without you, without you babe You know what I'm talking about It's so cruel I - I - I'm round Without you
Being without you is unbearable. You understand what I'm going through.

Will it ever be over Feel my love slide You know what I'm talking about now It's so cruel I - I - I'm round Without you, without you babe You know what I'm talking about now
Will this pain ever go away? You can feel the depth of my love for you. Being apart from you is torture. You understand exactly what I'm going through.

Will it ever be over Feel my love come on over Over you babe For you babe, for you babe, for you babe
Will this pain ever end? My love for you is overwhelming. I want to be with you and only you.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILLY IDOL, PHILLIP HAWK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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