Born in London's Forest Gate to Nigerian parents, Ejiofor started acting in school plays at the age of 13 at Dulwich College. He debuted in Steven Spielberg's 1997 film Amistad. He has recently portrayed Ellis, a pianist in Woody Allen's 2004 film Melinda and Melinda, as well as The Operative in Joss Whedon's Serenity. He took the lead in the 2005 film Kinky Boots.
Ejiofor is also a Shakespearean actor often taking the leading male roles such as in Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. It was for his role as Romeo that he was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award in 2000. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blue/Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage.
He was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle Theatre Awards (Drama) for his performance in Blue/Orange performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and later at the Duchess Theatre.
He was awarded the 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in Joe Penhall's acclaimed play Blue/Orange.
I Want To Be Evil
Chiwetel Ejiofor Lyrics
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I've petted stray dogs, and shied clear of dope
My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender
But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender
Prim and proper, the girl who's never been cased,
I'm tired of being pure and not chased.
Like something that seeks it's level
I wanna go to the devil.
I wanna be evil, and cheat at jacks
I wanna be wicked, I wanna tell lies
I wanna be mean, and throw mud pies
I want to wake up in the morning
with that dark brown taste
I want to see some dissipation in my face
I wanna be evil, I wanna be mad
But more than that I wanna be bad
I wanna be evil, and trump an ace,
Just to see my partner's face.
I wanna be nasty, I wanna be cruel
I wanna be daring, I wanna shoot pool
And in the theater
I want to change my seat
Just so I can step on
Everybody's feet
I wanna be evil, I wanna hurt flies
I wanna sing songs like the guy who cries
I wanna be horrid, I wanna drink booze
And whatever I've got
I'm eager to lose
I wanna be evil,
little evil me
Just as mean and evil as I can be
In Chiwetel Ejiofor's song "I Want to be Evil," the singer projects the persona of someone who is tired of being seen as pure and innocent, and desires to be someone who is wicked and mischievous. The singer wants to "spit tacks," "cheat at jacks," "be mean," and "throw mud pies." They want to wake up with a "dark brown taste" and see "dissipation" in their own face. Additionally, they want to be "nasty," "cruel," "daring," and even "horrid." The lyrics suggest that the singer wants to rebel, break rules, and push boundaries for the sheer thrill of it.
Moreover, there is a sense of liberation in the lyrics, as the singer seems to be tired of conforming to societal expectations of how a "girl" is supposed to behave. The phrase "unspoiled gender" suggests an awareness of how gendered expectations can constrain and limit a person's behavior. By expressing a desire to "go to the devil," the singer appears to be rejecting the stifling expectations of a society that sees women as inherently pure and submissive.
In this way, "I Want to be Evil" could be seen as an anthem of sorts for those who feel constrained by societal expectations of gender and behavior, and who yearn for the freedom to be rebellious and mischievous.
Line by Line Meaning
I've posed for pictures with Iv'ry Soap,
I've projected a clean and pristine image, perfectly portraying the ideal image of purity and virtue.
I've petted stray dogs, and shied clear of dope
I've always maintained a distance from anything that could potentially tarnish my pristine reputation.
My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender
I possess a charming, elegant aura; my radiant smile and warm, inviting gaze leave people spellbound.
But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender
However, what people really notice about me is the pure, unblemished nature of my femininity.
Prim and proper, the girl who's never been cased,
I've always been well-behaved, proper, and never been involved in any kind of indecent or immoral behavior.
I'm tired of being pure and not chased.
I'm exhausted of being the embodiment of purity and goodness; I want to be chased after and savored by everyone.
Like something that seeks it's level
I have an innate desire to be drawn towards something that aligns more with my true instincts and desires.
I wanna go to the devil.
I want to be involved in diabolic and sinful activities that are typically associated with the devil.
I wanna be evil, I wanna spit tacks
I want to be wicked and vile, with a vengeful attitude that is capable of hurting people’s feelings with sharp words.
I wanna be evil, and cheat at jacks
I want to be so bad as to try my hand at cheating at children's games like jacks.
I wanna be wicked, I wanna tell lies
I want to be evil enough to enjoy leading people astray with lies and deceit.
I wanna be mean, and throw mud pies
I want to be bad and nasty enough to harass people by throwing mud pies at them.
I want to wake up in the morning with that dark brown taste
I want to experience the aftermath of revelry from the previous night, the sort that leaves a dark taste in my mouth in the morning.
I want to see some dissipation in my face
I want evidence of debauchery to be visible on my face, perhaps in the form of wrinkles or other signs of aging.
I wanna be evil, I wanna be mad
I want to be so evil and depraved as to be considered insane.
But more than that I wanna be bad
Above everything else, I want to be cruel and wicked.
I wanna be evil, and trump an ace,
I want to be so bad that I have to resort to dishonesty to earn my victories, like foolishly using the strongest card to trump a weak one.
Just to see my partner's face.
I would delight in causing unpleasant surprises for anyone unlucky enough to work alongside me.
I wanna be nasty, I wanna be cruel
I want to be capable of malicious and merciless behavior with the ability to revel in the pain of others.
I wanna be daring, I wanna shoot pool
I want to be so bad as to be fearless and audacious enough to engage in illegal activities like gambling.
And in the theater, I want to change my seat
I want to be so disruptive, selfish and inconsiderate that I even make inconvenient changes in the seating arrangement while at the theater.
Just so I can step on everybody's feet
I would relish the opportunity to make everyone around me uncomfortable by stepping on their feet.
I wanna be evil, I wanna hurt flies
I want to be so wicked and cruel as to find joy in causing pain to anything, even the smallest and most helpless of creatures.
I wanna sing songs like the guy who cries
I want to be able to sing songs about suffering and sorrow, the sort that leaves people in tears.
I wanna be horrid, I wanna drink booze
I want to be so depraved and awful that drinking alcoholic drinks might seem like a preferable alternative.
And whatever I've got, I'm eager to lose,
I'm ready and willing to risk losing everything I have, including friends, possessions, and reputation, in pursuit of a life of wickedness and rebellion.
I wanna be evil, little evil me
I want to be totally wicked and depraved, completely opposite to who I am currently.
Just as mean and evil as I can be
I want to be as cruel, malicious, and wicked as possible, without any inhibitions.
Writer(s): Lester Judson, Raymond Taylor
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.