About the song's meaning, Mika said "It's about a few things. In a way, it's a kind of sad break-up song like 'My Interpretation.' But, at the same time, it's about a lot of other things. I'll never forget when I was actually recording this song in Los Angeles, I would take this drive from where I was staying to the studio, which wasn't in the city and the amount of homeless people I saw on the way was absolutely shocking. Those horrible images of homelessness that I would see every morning really connected with that song. So it just comes to show you that a bright song in a certain mindset had a meaning that really evolves and changes as time goes by. I think that it is very important that other listeners find their own meaning to songs."
The woman singing with Mika in “Happy Ending” on the album is Ida Falk Winland, an opera singer and former classmate of Mika's from the Royal College of Music. Mika has had a few different singers accompany him on "Happy Ending" for his live performances including Saranayde (Sara Skeete), Erika Footman, and Ms. Winland herself.
According to en.wikipedia.org : Taken from his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, producer Greg Wells remixed and rearranged the single, released online on 8 October 2007, and in shops on CD and 7" vinyl on 15 October 2007.
The music video starts with a piano playing on its own, then the camera shows Mika on the bed. He is singing and has a pink balloon attached on his arm and while he is floating above, it reveals Mika with a pink suit. His room walls are shown full of pictures that start moving their mouths and singing with Mika. Mika passes through white balloons, which show all the times he felt different emotions. The video ends with Mika singing, and gloved hands resembling singing faces. He smiles as the screen goes black. The music video was directed by AlexandLiane.
Happy Ending
MIKA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
Like it's forever
Then live the rest of our life
Wake up in the morning
Stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen
I guess I wish you well
Mmm a little bit of heaven
But a little bit of hell
This is the hardest story (ooh)
That I have ever told,
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wasting every day
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
Like it's forever
Then live the rest of our life
Both not together
Two o'clock in the morning
Something's on my mind
Can't get no rest
Keep walking around
If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong
I can get to my sleep
I can dream that we just carried on
This is the hardest story
That I have ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wasting every day
Oh I feel as if I'm wasted (this is the way you left me, I'm not pretending)
(No hope, no love, no glory, no happy ending)
And I'm wasting every day (this is the way that we love, like it's forever)
Then live the rest of our life
But not together
A little bit of love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
(Little bit of love, little bit of love)
Little bit of love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
Little bit of love, love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
I feel as if I'm wasted (little bit of love, little bit of love)
And I'm wasting every day (little bit of love, little bit of love)
Hey, hey, hey hey (little bit of love, little bit of love)
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
Like it's forever
Then live the rest of our life
Both not together
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
Like it's forever
Then live the rest of our life
Both not together
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
The song "Happy Ending" by Mika is an emotional ballad about a failed relationship. The lyrics describe the singer's feelings of abandonment and hopelessness after their lover has left them. The opening lines, "This is the way you left me, I'm not pretending, no hope, no love, no glory, no happy ending," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is admitting to their vulnerability and lack of control in the situation. The chorus repeats the idea of there being no hope for a happy ending for this relationship, emphasizing the point that it is truly over.
The verses reflect on the singer's struggle to move on from the relationship. They can't stop thinking about their former lover and are tormented by memories and regrets. The line, "If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong, I can get to my sleep, I can dream that we just carried on," highlights the struggle to let go and move forward.
Overall, "Happy Ending" is a powerful and relatable song about heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on from a relationship that didn't work out.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the way you left me
The singer is describing the situation that they were left in.
I'm not pretending
The singer is being sincere and honest about their feelings and situation.
No hope, no love, no glory
The situation that the singer is in is without hope, love or glory.
No happy ending
The story or situation the singer is describing does not have a happy ending.
This is the way that we love
The singer is describing a way of loving that was experienced.
Like it's forever
This way of loving was done as if it would last forever.
Then live the rest of our life
After this way of loving, the singers continue to live their life.
But not together
However, the singers do not live their life together anymore.
Wake up in the morning
The singer begins to describe how they live their life after this way of loving.
Stumble on my life
The singer is feeling lost or uncertain about their life.
Can't get no love without sacrifice
The singer is saying that love requires sacrifice and the lack of love that the singer is experiencing may be due to a lack of sacrifice.
If anything should happen
If something were to happen to the person the singer is singing to.
I guess I wish you well
The singer wants the best for the person they are singing to.
Mmm a little bit of heaven
The situation the singer experienced had a little bit of heaven, or something good or enjoyable about it.
But a little bit of hell
However, this situation also had some negative or bad aspects to it.
This is the hardest story (ooh)
The singer is acknowledging how difficult the story they are telling is.
That I have ever told,
The singer is saying that this story is the hardest they have ever had to tell.
No hope, or love, or glory
The situation the singer is describing lacks hope, love, or glory.
Happy endings gone forever more
The situation the singer is describing does not have a happy ending and never will.
I feel as if I'm wasted
The singer is expressing that they feel like they are wasting away or not living their life to the fullest.
And I'm wasting every day
The singer is not making the most of their time or living their life to the fullest.
Two o'clock in the morning
The singer is describing a particular moment in their life.
Something's on my mind
The singer is feeling preoccupied or worried about something.
Can't get no rest
The singer is having trouble sleeping.
Keep walking around
The singer is pacing or restless at this time.
If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong
The singer is describing a coping mechanism they use to help themselves feel better about the situation they are in.
I can get to my sleep
By pretending that nothing has gone wrong, the singer is able to fall asleep.
I can dream that we just carried on
By pretending that nothing has gone wrong, the singer is able to dream about a scenario where things continued as they were before.
A little bit of love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is emphasizing that a little bit of love can be important.
(Little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is repeating this line to emphasize its importance.
Little bit of love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is repeating that a little bit of love can be important.
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
The singer is once again saying that a little bit of love can be important.
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
The singer is repeating this line to emphasize its importance.
Little bit of love (little bit of love)
The singer is repeating that a little bit of love can be important.
Little bit of love, love (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is saying that love, even just a little bit, is important.
I feel as if I'm wasted (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is repeating that they feel like they are wasting away, but adding that even a little bit of love can help.
And I'm wasting every day (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is repeating that they feel like they are wasting their time, but emphasizing that even a little bit of love can help.
Hey, hey, hey hey (little bit of love, little bit of love)
The singer is adding this line as a repetition of the importance of love, even just a little bit.
This is the way you left me
The singer is once again describing the situation they were left in.
I'm not pretending
The singer is once again asserting that they are being sincere and honest about their feelings and situation.
No hope, no love, no glory
The situation that the singer is in is still without hope, love or glory.
No happy ending
The story or situation the singer is describing still does not have a happy ending.
This is the way that we love
Once again, the singer is describing a way of loving that was experienced.
Like it's forever
This way of loving was once again done as if it would last forever.
Then live the rest of our life
After this way of loving, the singers once again continued to live their life.
Both not together
However, the singers are once again not living their life together anymore.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michael Holbrook Penniman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@manuelacambria5596
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
This is the way that we love,
Like its forever,
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together
Wake up in the morning,
Stumble on my life,
Can't get no love without sacrifice,
If anything should happen,
I guess I wish you well,
Mmm a little bit of heaven,
But a little bit of hell
This is the hardest story,
That I have ever told,
No hope, or love, or glory,
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I?m wasting,
And I waste every day
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
This is the way that we love,
Like its forever,
Then live the rest of our life,
Both not together
Two o'clock in the morning,
Someone's on my mind,
Can't get no rest,
Keep walking around,
If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong,
I can get to my sleep I can dream now and just carry on??
This is the hardest story,
That I have ever told,
No hope, or love, or glory,
Happy endings gone forever more,
I feel as if I'm wasting,
And I waste every day,
Oh I feel as if I'm wasting,
And I waste every day
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
This is the way that we love,
Like its forever,
Then live the rest of our life,
Both not together
A little bit of love
Little bit of love (repeated)
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
This is the way that we love,
Like its forever,
Then live the rest of our life,
Both not together
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
This is the way that we love,
Like its forever,
Then live the rest of our life,
Both not together
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending,
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending
@a.l763
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
Wake up in the morning
Stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen
I guess I wish you well
Mm
A little bit of heaven
A little bit of hell
This is the hardest story
That I've ever told
No hope or love or glory
Happy ending's gone forevermore
Ahhhh
Feel as if i'm wasting
And ahhhh
Wasted every day
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
Like it's forever
And live the rest of our life
Both not together
Two o'clock in the morning
Someone's on my mind
Can't get no rest
Keep walking around
If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong
I can get to my sleep
I can think that we just carried on
This is the hardest story
That I've ever told
No hope or love or glory
Happy ending's gone forevermore
Ahhhh
Feel as if I'm wasting
And ahhhh
Wasted every day
Oh ahhhh
(This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending)
Feel as if I'm wasting
(No hope no love no glory
No happy ending)
And ahhhh
(This is the way that we love
Like it's forever)
Wasted every day
(And live the rest of our life
Both not together)
Little bit of love
(Little bit of love)x7
Little bit of love
(Little bit of love)x3
Little bit of love
(Little bit of love)
Little bit of love
It's a bit of love love love
(Little bit of love) x3
Feel as if I'm wasting
(Little bit of love) 2x
Hey hey hey hey
(Little bit of love) 3x
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending (Background "Little bit of love")
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
This is the way that we love
But its forever
To live the rest of our life both not together (End Background "Little bit of love")
This is the way you left me
I'm not pretending
No hope, no love, no glory
No happy ending
Sections in parenthesis are sung by the chorus and occasionally overlap MIKA's voice.
@margaretclark56
When my 13 year old daughter was planning her own funeral , this was what she included in her “ playlist” of her favourite songs. When she died, there was so much family opposition to it being played, but in the end her wishes were respected .
As her Mum , I had never heard of it before , but we had it playing at the end of the funeral , as her coffin was being carried out of the church . Every time I hear it now, it takes me back to that day , it never fades. But the song is awesome , and the lyrics are so sadly poignant and amazingly apt. My daughter made a beautiful choice in her funeral ending song .
@user-lr8ih2kq2k
That's so sad it made me cry. I hope your daughter is in peace. <3
@margaretclark56
Pure Youth TM thank you .🤞
@rasul407
Sad story indeed... what happened to your daughter? What was the cause of her departure?
@maxw383
Sorry for your loss. All the best
@emmzy848
I will remember this every time I hear this song...😔
@thea3904
I came here after watching Eurovision. It reminded me of how much I love this song. Mika is a genius !
@inesreisx
yess
@theshiber
i just discovered this song yesterday 😭
@JOSEFALCON77
me too