Born in Valdosta, Georgia, and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Royal became a local star at the Bamboo Ranch in Savannah in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 US Top 10 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks", which, along with the singles "I Knew You When" (Top 20, 1965) and "Hush" (1967), were written and produced by Joe South. Another South composition, "Yo-Yo," just missed the top 40 in Canada and charted poorly in the U.S. when Royal released it in 1967, but a later remake by The Osmonds was a much greater success. His 1969 single, "Cherry Hill Park", peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 1970s his recording of "Heart's Desire" gained popularity among Northern soul enthusiasts and was regularly played in Northern soul nightclubs.
During the 1980s, Royal had a successful comeback with several Top 10 country hits, including "Tell It Like It Is", "Burned Like a Rocket", and "I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow".
Royal's career experienced a second major period during the 2000s due to regular airplay on "oldies" radio stations. His music was further exposed to younger generations through a movement known as The Beat Army, an online music forum based on Facebook which is operated by author and music producer Paul Collins. Royal continued to tour regularly, performing concerts at casinos, music festivals and clubs in Canada, the United States, Japan and throughout Europe. His set lists include a mixture of songs representing multiple genres from the 1960s to the present.
Royal played Robert Ally in the indie Western film Billy the Kid (2013), co-starring country singer Cody McCarver.
Royal died in his sleep on October 6, 2015 in Morehead City, North Carolina.
My Girl
Billy Joe Royal Lyrics
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Take a few piano lessons
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Do all the things that little girls do
'Cause if you don't know how to be true
You better go start over again
But you sure lead me wrong
I found out you just
Played me for a fool
Now don't you know it's wrong to lie
And make the one who loves you cry
I wonder where you missed
The golden rule
You better go join the campfire girls
Take a few piano lessons
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Do all the things that little girls do
I thought you knew like everyone
That love's a sacred thing
And not a game to play
With every boy
But you thought it was funny
When you put me down for him
To you, my heart was
Just another toy
You better go join the campfire girls
Take a few piano lessons
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Do all the things that little girls do
You better go join the campfire girls
Take a few piano lessons
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Do all the things that little girls do
The lyrics of Billy Joe Royal's song "My Girl" is about the betrayal of the singer by his girlfriend, who he thought was his true love. The lyrics encourage the girl to go back to being young and innocent, where she should join clubs like the Campfire Girls and learn piano, in order to become a better person. The singer's love interest deceived him by making him believe that he was the only one, but he discovered that he was just being played. The singer tells her that it's wrong to lie and cause someone who loves you to cry. He wonders where she missed the golden rule of being honest in love.
Throughout the song, the singer repeats to his former love that she should go back to being a little girl and do all the things that little girls do. It's as if he believes that her betrayal is a result of her not being pure enough, and that she could remedy her behavior by reverting back to her childhood. The singer emphasizes the importance of knowing how to be true in love and warns that if she doesn't know how to do this, she should start all over again.
Overall, the lyrics of "My Girl" convey the pain and frustration of being misled and betrayed in a relationship. Yet, it also suggests that the root of the issue is a lack of innocence and honesty, which could be regained through returning to a simpler time.
Line by Line Meaning
You better go join the campfire girls
Maybe you should try being a little more innocent and playful in your actions
Take a few piano lessons
You should try to cultivate an elegant image
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Focus on building close, genuine relationships with people who care about you
Do all the things that little girls do
Incorporate your natural creativity and sense of wonder into your life
'Cause if you don't know how to be true
If you aren't genuine in your behavior...
You better go start over again
...you might need to hit the reset button and try again
You said, I was your only boy
You claimed that you only had eyes for me
But you sure lead me wrong
But you were dishonest with me
I found out you just
I discovered that all along, you...
Played me for a fool
...were manipulating me and taking advantage of me
Now don't you know it's wrong to lie
It should be clear to you that telling lies is immoral
And make the one who loves you cry
And it's cruel to make someone who cares about you upset or hurt
I wonder where you missed
I'm curious where you went astray and...
The golden rule
...why you didn't internalize the principle of treating others as you want to be treated
I thought you knew like everyone
I assumed that you, like other people...
That love's a sacred thing
...understood that love is a special, important emotion
And not a game to play
It shouldn't be treated like a frivolous activity or something to manipulate others with
With every boy
To be used and tossed aside by any guy you meet
But you thought it was funny
But you found it amusing...
When you put me down for him
...to belittle me and favor another guy instead
To you, my heart was
To you, my feelings and emotions...
Just another toy
...were something to use and discard when you were done playing with them
You better go join the campfire girls
Perhaps you need to embrace a more innocent, genuine way of life
Take a few piano lessons
Consider pursuing activities that will make you more cultured and refined
Buy a little doll to have for your best friend
Make genuine connections with people who are kind and supportive
Do all the things that little girls do
Use your natural creativity and love of exploration to enjoy a more fulfilling life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald White, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind