The King of an Island
Birth Control Lyrics


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I walked along a rainy street
Glanced at patterns on a floor
Some weary eyes are staring at me
An old man starts to call

He needs someone to talk to
Got no one, no one but his wife
He raised his head, a smile on his face
And asked me for the time

He walked along the road of life
Among the strong, among the weak
Shades from the past are stirring his mind
But doubts are not the real

He's not to blame for vietnam,
He's not to blame for watergate
He raised his head, a smile on his face
And asked me: "What's the deal"

He told me he was a sailor
In former times, in former times
And how he tamed all the young girls
And other well-known lies

He is the king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
The king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
He'll never abdicate

He told me he was a sailor
In former times, in former times
And how he tamed all the young girls
And other well-known lies

He is the king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
The king of an island
The king of an island, what a score

He is the king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
The king of an island
The king of an island, what a score

He is the king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
The king of an island
The king of an island, what a score

He is the king of an island
The king of an island, what a score
The king of an island




The king of an island, what a score
He'll never abdicate

Overall Meaning

The song "The King of an Island" by Birth Control is a poignant depiction of a man who has experienced various stages of life and is left with nothing but memories. The lyrics suggest that he is an elderly man who is seeking a conversation partner to share his stories with. He is looking for a person who can understand the life he has lived and empathize with his experiences. The man is lost and lonely, and the only person he has in his life is his wife. The song makes it clear that the man is content with his life and is not ashamed of the choices he made in his life.


The song has a sense of irony as the man talks about being a sailor, taming young girls, and being the king of an island. His stories are not entirely true, but they serve as a way for him to boost his self-esteem and indulge in nostalgia. The man's stories of his past are his way of reminding himself that he was once the king of his own world. Although all of these stories are false, the man is proud of who he is and is unwilling to give up his self-image.


Overall, the central theme of the song is the fleeting nature of life, the importance of empathy, and the significance of memories in our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

I walked along a rainy street
I strolled through a wet and gloomy road


Glanced at patterns on a floor
I took notice of the designs on the ground


Some weary eyes are staring at me
I met the gaze of tired and fatigued onlookers


An old man starts to call
An elderly gentleman began to speak to me


He needs someone to talk to
He is in search of a person to converse with


Got no one, no one but his wife
He only has his spouse as a companion


He raised his head, a smile on his face
He lifted his head and grinned


And asked me for the time
He inquired about the current time


He walked along the road of life
He journeyed through the ups and downs of existence


Among the strong, among the weak
He encountered the mighty and the feeble


Shades from the past are stirring his mind
Memories from yesteryear are causing him to muse


But doubts are not the real
But uncertainty is not the underlying issue


He's not to blame for vietnam,
He isn't culpable for the war in Vietnam,


He's not to blame for watergate
Nor is he responsible for the Watergate scandal


And asked me: "What's the deal"
And asked me what's going on


He told me he was a sailor
He recounted to me how he used to travel the seas


In former times, in former times
In a time long before the present


And how he tamed all the young girls
And how he claimed dominance over all the young ladies


And other well-known lies
And other falsehoods that are commonly known


He is the king of an island
He declares himself as the ruler of an undiscovered land


The king of an island, what a score
He boasts of being the monarch of this island, what a triumph


He'll never abdicate
He insists that he will never relinquish his position




Contributed by Jasmine T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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