My Life
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never knowing, I was growing, everyday.
My life was once a toy to me,
And I wound it and I found it ran away.
So I raced through the night
With a face at my feet, like a God I would write,
All the melodies were sweet, and the women were white.
It was easy to survive, my life was so alive.
My life was once a flag to me
And I waved it and behaved like I was told.
My life was once a drag to me
And I loudly, and I proudly, lost control
I was drawn by a dream
I was loved by a lie, every serf on the scene
Begged me to buy.
But I slipped through the scheme
So lucky to fail
My life was not for sale.
My life is now a myth to me
Like the drifter, with his laughter in the dawn.
My life is now a death to me
So I'll mold it and I'll hold it till I'm born
So I turned to the land
Where I'm so out of place
Throw a curse on the plan
In return for the grace
To know where I stand
Take everything I own
Take your tap from my bone
And leave my life alone.
My life alone.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song My Life is about the different stages of life and the different perspectives that one can have. In the first stanza, the singer reflects on a time in his life where everything was easy, enjoyable and full of potential. He sees himself as a god-like figure who can write sweet melodies and be with beautiful women. However, as he moved further in life, he realizes that this perspective was just a toy he played with, and it eventually ran away from him.
In the second verse, he reflects on a period where he followed everyone else's lead, waving his flag to their tune, until he lost control. He was living a lie that everyone else was also living, but he eventually slipped through the scheme, lucky to fail. The third stanza is about realizing that his life is now a myth, and he doesn't fit in anymore. He turns to the land, where he is out of place, and throws a curse on the plan in return for the grace to know where he stands. He wants to be left alone to mold and hold his life until he's born again.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the different stages of life that one goes through, from the innocence of youth to the conformity of adulthood, and finally to the realization that one's life is their own and should be lived on their terms.
Line by Line Meaning
My life was once a joy to me,
At one point in time, I found my life to be a source of happiness and pleasure.
Never knowing, I was growing, everyday.
I was constantly experiencing personal growth and development without even realizing it.
My life was once a toy to me,
Before, I saw my life as something I could play with or control like a child's toy.
And I wound it and I found it ran away.
But when I tried to exert control or influence over it, it slipped out of my grasp and became unmanageable.
So I raced through the night
I hurried through life without stopping to fully experience it.
With a face at my feet, like a God I would write,
I held an air of superiority and ego, believing I had control over my life and those around me.
All the melodies were sweet, and the women were white.
Everything seemed perfect and life was easy, with pleasant music and easy romantic relationships.
It was easy to survive, my life was so alive.
My life was simple and without stress, making it easy to keep moving forward.
My life was once a flag to me
I once saw my life as something to be proud of and wave around like a flag.
And I waved it and behaved like I was told.
I followed societal expectations and behaved according to what others wanted or expected from me.
My life was once a drag to me
But eventually, my life became dull and uninspiring to me.
And I loudly, and I proudly, lost control
I rebelled against those expectations and lost control, making irresponsible and reckless choices.
I was drawn by a dream
I became fixated on a desired outcome or dream,
I was loved by a lie, every serf on the scene
and was seduced or fooled by illusions or falsehoods created by those around me.
Begged me to buy.
Others urged me to buy into their ideals or beliefs.
But I slipped through the scheme
I saw through the lies and deceptions and avoided being misled.
So lucky to fail
It was a blessing to have failed or lost in such situations, as it led to greater understanding and insight.
My life was not for sale.
In the end, my life was not something to be bought or sold, but rather a unique and personal experience.
My life is now a myth to me
My life has become almost fictional or legendary, rather than tangible or real.
Like the drifter, with his laughter in the dawn.
I can relate to a wandering, carefree spirit who experiences joy in the little things.
My life is now a death to me
My life is now something that has died or turned joyless and unfulfilling.
So I'll mold it and I'll hold it till I'm born
I will take control of my life and shape it into something that feels new or reborn.
So I turned to the land
I sought solace or guidance from nature.
Where I'm so out of place
But I feel like I don't fit in or belong in that natural environment, either.
Throw a curse on the plan
I feel angry or resentful towards the plans or expectations set out for me.
In return for the grace
In exchange for mercy or forgiveness.
To know where I stand
So that I can have clarity about my place in the world or my own life.
Take everything I own
I am willing to relinquish all of my material possessions.
Take your tap from my bone
I am willing to give up even the most essential parts of myself or my life.
And leave my life alone.
But I demand that I am allowed to live my life on my own terms.
My life alone.
My life belongs to me and me alone, and I wish to be free to live it as such.
Contributed by Cooper A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
f10
The lyrics are heartbreaking everytime. In the original Phil had to hide the song behind some happy 60s pop framework so people would could take it. BPB shows its soul
Jelena Skrabe
bonnie....satire eyes and beautiful truth, in songs.
My kind of poetry, if there is one
heartonearth
struggente