Promiseland
MIKA Lyrics


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I was born in that summer when the sun didn't shine
I was given the name that doesn't feel like it's mine
Lived my life as the good boy I was told I should be
Prayed every night to a religion that was chosen for me

Sold my soul, broke my bones
Tell me what did I get?
Did my time, told the line
Ain't seen anything yet
Strike me down to the ground
You know I've seen it before
Make it hurt I'll eat the dirt
I just don't care anymore

How could you break my heart?
Already played my part
I kept my promise, man
Show me the promiseland
Don't occupy my throne
Give me the crown I own
Lived like you told me how
Look at me now
I've got no money in my pocket
And the whole world's bringing me down
And the whole world's bringing me down

One person's lie is just another man's truth
We got done running from the devil but the devil was you
Every time I see the light I'm falling deeper in debt
If I've never seen the good how can I come to amend

Sold my soul broke my bones
Tell me what did I get
Did my time, told the line
Ain't seen anything yet
Strike me down to the ground
You know I've seen it before
Make it hurt I'll eat the dirt
I just don't care anymore

How could you break my heart?
Already played my part
I kept my promise, man
Show me the promiseland
Don't occupy my throne
Give me the crown I own
Lived like you told me how
Look at me now

I've got no money in my pocket
And the whole world's bringing me down
And the whole world's bringing me down
And the whole world's bringing me down

How could you break my heart
Already played my part
I kept my promise man
Show me the promised land
Don't occupy my throne
Give me the crown I own




Lived like you told me how
Look at me now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mika's song "Promiseland" reflect the confusion and frustration of someone who has lived their life according to other people's expectations, yet feels unfulfilled and disillusioned. As he reflects on his life, he realizes that he has been following a path that wasn't his own, praying to a religion that wasn't his choice, and trying to be the "good boy" he was told to be. The words "sold my soul, broke my bones, tell me what did I get" suggest that he has sacrificed his own desires and needs for the sake of pleasing others, and now feels lost and empty.


However, the song also reveals a desire for change and a search for a better future. The phrase "show me the promiseland" suggests a longing for something more meaningful and rewarding. He wants to be free from the expectations of others and find his own path, reclaiming the crown he feels he deserves. The repetition of the phrase "And the whole world's bringing me down" highlights the struggle he faces against societal pressures, but ultimately he refuses to give in, declaring that he "just doesn't care anymore."


Overall, "Promiseland" is a powerful reflection on the struggle to find one's own path in life and not conform to expectations. It is a call for individuality and a reminder not to sacrifice one's own desires and needs for others.


Line by Line Meaning

I was born in that summer when the sun didn't shine
I was brought into this world during a gloomy, joyless season.


I was given the name that doesn't feel like it's mine
The name attached to me feels like it doesn't belong to me.


Lived my life as the good boy I was told I should be
I was always instructed to be the model child and to follow the accepted path.


Prayed every night to a religion that was chosen for me
The faith I presented myself to every night was assigned to me, and I was forced to follow its practices.


Sold my soul, broke my bones
I gave up everything to play the game and follow orders.


Tell me what did I get?
What did I accomplish through all of this pain and sacrifice?


Did my time, told the line
I served my sentence and was a model employee, doing what I was told.


Ain't seen anything yet
I still have yet to experience the world without the constraints of the expectations placed on me.


Strike me down to the ground
I have been pushed down before and have experienced failures.


You know I've seen it before
I've lived through these moments of defeat and sadness before.


Make it hurt I'll eat the dirt
I've grown indifferent to the pain and suffering, and I'll bear it if necessary.


I just don't care anymore
I'm apathetic and disinterested in the consequences of the actions I take.


How could you break my heart?
I'm perplexed by how someone could hurt me so much.


Already played my part
I've already done all that was expected or required of me.


I kept my promise, man
I stayed true to my word and fulfilled my obligations.


Show me the promiseland
Reveal to me the place of happiness and success that I've been striving for all along.


Don't occupy my throne
Don't take away what I've worked so hard to attain or achieve.


Give me the crown I own
The honor and recognition I've earned should not be denied or withheld from me.


Lived like you told me how
I've followed the blueprint that was laid out for me by others.


Look at me now
Despite everything that's happened, I'm still here.


I've got no money in my pocket
I'm broke and lacking financial power.


And the whole world's bringing me down
Everything is going wrong, and it feels like the entire world is against me.


One person's lie is just another man's truth
What is considered a falsehood by one person may be viewed as a fact by someone else.


We got done running from the devil but the devil was you
We believed we were running from an evil entity or force, but it turned out to be you all along.


Every time I see the light I'm falling deeper in debt
Whenever I believe things are starting to look up, I end up in a worse situation.


If I've never seen the good how can I come to amend
If I've never experienced true happiness or success, how can I fix or repair anything that's become broken within me?




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, CYPMP
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BARAN, MICHAEL HOLBROOK PENNIMAN, SKYLAR STONESTREET

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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