Killer / Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
George Michael Lyrics


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So you want to be free?
To live your life the way you want to be
Will you give if we cry
Will we live or will we die?

Tainted hearts heal with time
Shoot bad love so we can stop the bleeding
Solitary brother
Is there still a part of you that wants to live?
Solitary sister
Is there still a part of you that wants to give?
Solitary brother
Is there still a part of you that wants to live?
Solitary sister
Is there still a part of you that wants to give?

It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
Because that was the day that my daddy died
Never had a chance to see him, no
Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
My mama just hung her head and said

Papa was a Rollin' Stone
Yeah, wherever he laid his hat was home
And when he died
All he left us was alone
Then my mama she said
(Papa was a Rollin' Stone) oh, my mama said
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died
All he left us, all he left us
Can you believe he left us
All alone, yeah
All alone, yeah
All alone, yeah





Yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to George Michael's song Killer are powerful and poignant, exploring themes of freedom, love, and loss. The song begins with a question, "So you want to be free?" This seems to be directed at someone who is seeking a way out of a difficult situation or who simply wants to live life on their own terms. However, the next line adds a layer of complexity, "To live your life the way you want to be, will you give if we cry, will we live or will we die?" Here, George Michael is asking if the pursuit of one's own freedom should come at the cost of others' suffering.


The chorus of the song, "Tainted hearts heal with time, shoot bad love so we can stop the bleeding," suggests that healing comes from letting go of negative experiences and people. The next verse addresses loneliness, with Michael asking both a solitary brother and sister if there is still a part of them that wants to live and give, despite their isolation.


Finally, the song ends with a powerful anecdote about the death of Michael's father. He questions the negative things he has heard about him and asks his mother for the truth. However, all she can offer is a revelation that his father was "a rolling stone" who left the family alone. This final verse suggests that the search for the truth about our loved ones is often an elusive one and that dealing with the aftermath of their loss can be a complex and painful process.


Line by Line Meaning

So you want to be free?
Do you really wish to live life according to your terms?


To live your life the way you want to be
To live life according to how you imagine it to be


Will you give if we cry
Are you ready to lend your support in times of need?


Will we live or will we die?
Are our fates governed by our actions?


Tainted hearts heal with time
Wounded souls can be mended with patience and love


Shoot bad love so we can stop the bleeding
Get rid of toxic relationships to bring an end to the emotional pain


Solitary brother
A person living in solitude


Is there still a part of you that wants to live?
Do you still find something worth living for?


Solitary sister
A person living in isolation


Is there still a part of you that wants to give?
Do you still wish to contribute towards the well-being of others?


It was the third of September
A specific day in the past


That day I'll always remember, yes I will
A day which left a lasting impression on the artist's memory


Because that was the day that my daddy died
The day when the singer's father breathed his last


Never had a chance to see him, no
The singer hadn't met his father in a long time


Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
Whatever the singer had heard about his father was negative


Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
The artist looks up to his mother for honesty and facts


My mama just hung her head and said
The mother appeared ashamed and disappointed


Papa was a Rollin' Stone
The father was a wandering person, never settling down anywhere


Yeah, wherever he laid his hat was home
The person's home was anywhere he chose to live


All he left us was alone
The father's lifestyle meant that the family was always incomplete


Can you believe he left us
A rhetorical question indicating the artist's sadness and disbelief


All alone, yeah
There were no joys or support structures after the father's death


All alone, yeah
Repetition of how lonely the family was after the father died


All alone, yeah
The emptiness of life without the father


Yeah
An exclamation of deep sorrow, grief and pain




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adam Paul Tinley, Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@user-he3od3hk5m

Hi everyone who still watches it in 2023 :)

@alexandrevieira8470

Me. Hello from Brazil

@user-xb4de5yl4i

Я смотрю! Норм видео.

@riverpso

Olá from Portugal 🇵🇹

@andromeda13728

Привет

@janehorror7852

Топовый клип

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@pbc5137

George Michael...your voice is eternal. Thank you for your music. RIP you beautiful soul.

@jedrzejsiata98

This song is a real adrenaline rush. George Michael had a powerful male voice of all time.
RIP (1963–2016)🖤

@user-xy2ou6hz5v

Светлая ему память! Радуга - наше место)

@eduardoalexandrealmeida7500

👍👍👍👍🤔Eduardo Almeida.

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