Greed
Magenta Lyrics


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Heaven be praised
My press have come for me
And I don't want to be free
My public lust to see

Soon there will come a time
Maybe this is the tune
They're looking out
They're looking out for me

Maybe this is the time
It's finally come for me
The crowds are here
But are they here for me

Heaven be praised
The press have come for me
Just a slip of the tongue
The headlines run again

Don't look now
I think it's a camera
A smile, a kiss and a wave
As I'm carried away

And they all know
As I grow old
I will always be here for you now
I will play the fool for you all
I will always live here with my crowd
And you will see
That I will please

Heaven be praised
My press have come for me
And I don't want to be free
The public lust to see
Heaven be praised

Maybe this is the time
It's finally come for me
They're looking out
And they looking out for me

Maybe this is the time
It's finally come for me
The crowds are here
But are they here for me

Heaven be praised
My press have come for me
And I don't want to be free
My public lust to see

Don't look now
I think it's a camera
A drunken stumble, some flesh
As they drag me away

And they all know
As I grow old
I will always be here for you now
I will play the fool for you all
I will always live here with my crowd
And you will see
That I will please

You and I we have a need
You and I we have a need to fil our lives
I need love you need my pain
Drink and drugs the men who leave again
Feel my pain (The looks they fade, the will is weak)
Feel my pain (Body is old but the surgeons knife)

Pray for me
And I mistake for you

You and I we have a need
You and I we have a need to fil our lives
I need love you need my pain
Fame it fades never to come again
Feel my pain (No curtain calls, a life so still)
Feel my pain (Mind so numb, lose the will)

Pray for me
Pray for me
And my mistakes my friends

Laughing the day away, hoping the day
Crying the day away
Fame will live again
My fame will live again

Spend the day in a wam safe place
Re-live the life, re-live the life, living
Spend the day at the studio place
Re-live the life, re-live the life, living
Spend my life in this wam safe place
Re-live the life, re-live the life, living
Spend my life at this chosen pace
Re-live the life, re-live the life, living

Laughing the day away, making the day
Living the life once more
Fame is here to stay
My fame its here today

Art mimics life
To hell with the rest
And Daddy says that he knows beat
Do as you are told
Don't think you're old
The secret never told
He leaves me

My leading man, he's all dressed in white
Don't tell abouit our secret nights
Do as I am told
Doesn't mind I'm old
Secrets never told
He loves me

People around
Like Angel and Damned
I dance and I sing
My life once more

People around
Like Angel and Damned




I dance and I sing
They love me now

Overall Meaning

The song Greed by Magenta is a commentary on the destructive nature of fame and the entertainment industry. The main character in the song is addicted to the attention and admiration from fans and the press, going so far as to prefer being in the public eye to being free. The lyrics suggest that the character is aware of this addiction and even considers it a need to fill their life. The chorus, “You and I we have a need / You and I we have a need to fill our lives / I need love, you need my pain,” speaks to both the neediness of the character and the parasitic relationship between celebrities and their fans.


Throughout the song, there are references to the character’s declining physical and mental state, such as “The looks they fade, the will is weak / Body is old but the surgeon’s knife.” Despite this, the character is willing to do anything to maintain their fame, including playing the fool or putting on a false persona to please their fans.


The lyrics also touch on the exploitation and abuse that can happen in the entertainment industry, with a mention of “secret nights” with someone who is referred to as the character’s leading man. The song suggests that the pursuit of fame and fortune can come at a great cost, both to the individuals involved and to society as a whole.


Line by Line Meaning

Heaven be praised/ My press have come for me/ And I don't want to be free/ My public lust to see
The singer is excited to see the press, she is willing to show her public persona and doesn't want privacy.


Soon there will come a time/ Maybe this is the tune/ They're looking out/ They're looking out for me
The singer feels like she's finally getting noticed and people are showing interest in her.


Maybe this is the time/ It's finally come for me/ The crowds are here/ But are they here for me
The singer is questioning the intent of the crowd that has gathered, and whether they are truly there for her.


Just a slip of the tongue/ The headlines run again/ Don't look now/ I think it's a camera
The artist has become famous enough that just any bit of information about her becomes a headline, she is always being watched by the media.


A smile, a kiss and a wave/ As I'm carried away
The artist is happy to have attention and she always responds positively to the media and the crowd.


And they all know/ As I grow old/ I will always be here for you now/ I will play the fool for you all/ I will always live here with my crowd/ And you will see/ That I will please
The singer intends to always be on stage and entertain people, even when she gets old. She is committed to pleasing her followers.


A drunken stumble, some flesh/ As they drag me away
The singer is in the public eye so much that her private moments can no longer be hidden. She has succumbed to substance abuse.


You and I we have a need/ You and I we have a need to fil our lives/ I need love you need my pain/ Drink and drugs the men who leave again/ Feel my pain (The looks they fade, the will is weak)/ Feel my pain (Body is old but the surgeons knife)
The artist acknowledges that people like her for the pleasure they get from her pain and misery, and she is willing to endure physical pain and surgery to maintain her fame.


Pray for me/ And I mistake for you
The artist is asking others to pray for her as she knows she is making mistakes and leading a lifestyle full of vices.


Fame it fades never to come again/ Feel my pain (No curtain calls, a life so still)/ Feel my pain (Mind so numb, lose the will)
The artist is afraid of losing her fame and would rather feel pain than be forgotten or ignored. She is addicted to the attention and can't stop living her life in the public eye.


Pray for me/ Pray for me/ And my mistakes my friends
Once again, the singer is asking for others to pray for her as she is living recklessly and unconsciously.


Laughing the day away, hoping the day/ Crying the day away/ Fame will live again/ My fame will live again
The artist is saying that she goes through highs and lows every day, and that fame is the one constant that will keep coming back to her. She is willing to go through pain in order to keep her fame.


Spend the day in a wam safe place/ Re-live the life, re-live the life, living/ Spend the day at the studio place/ Re-live the life, re-live the life, living
The singer finds solace in her studio or any place where she is famous and can relive her past good moments.


Spend my life in this wam safe place/ Re-live the life, re-live the life, living/ Spend my life at this chosen pace/ Re-live the life, re-live the life, living
The singer has chosen this lifestyle and is not planning to stop. She will continue to live in her own bubble and relive her past experiences.


Laughing the day away, making the day/ Living the life once more/ Fame is here to stay/ My fame its here today
The singer is once again saying that she lives for the highs of fame and will keep reliving them. She believes that she is famous and that her fame will always be present.


Art mimics life/ To hell with the rest/ And Daddy says that he knows beat/ Do as you are told/ Don't think you're old/ The secret never told/ He leaves me
The artist believes that art mimics life, and that she has to do as she is told by older men, who control her life behind the scenes.


My leading man, he's all dressed in white/ Don't tell abouit our secret nights/ Do as I am told/ Doesn't mind I'm old/ Secrets never told/ He loves me
The artist is in a relationship with an older man who is her leading figure. Their relationship is a secret, but she is willing to do anything to keep it going, even if it means sacrificing her youth and revealing her secrets to him.


People around/ Like Angel and Damned/ I dance and I sing/ My life once more
The singer is surrounded by people who view her as a savior, yet they also hope to destroy her. But she keeps performing and living her life, undeterred.


People around/ Like Angel and Damned/ I dance and I sing/ They love me now
The singer has come to recognize that people are always around her, admiring her and wanting to get close to her. She continues to perform for those fans who love her now.




Contributed by Brooklyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Alessandro

this is genius, first time hearing this version!

Freddy Valero

Love the music you made! Cheers from Venezuela!!!

Phil Wilkes

Just brilliant! Doop...

Ming Zhang

from my favorite album 7777777!

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