Billy Brown
Mika Lyrics
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Two kids, a dog and the precautionary wife
While it was all going accordingly to plan
Then Billy Brown fell in love with another man
He met his lover almost every single day
Making excuses through his dodgy holiday
Unto religion that he said he newly found
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
Don't let the stars get you down
Don't let the waves let you drown
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
Gonna pick you up like a paper cup
Gonna shake the water out of every nook
Oh, Billy Brown
Oh, Billy Brown needed a place somewhere to go
He found an island off the coast of Mexico
Leaving his lover and his family behind
Oh, Billy Brown needed to find some peace of mind
And on his journey and his travels on the way
He met a girlie who was brave enough to say
When they made love he shared the burden of his mind
Oh, Billy Brown you are a victim of the times
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
Don't let the stars get you down
Don't let the waves let you drown
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
Gonna pick you up like a paper cup
Gonna shake the water out of every nook
Oh, Billy Brown
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
Gonna pick you up like a paper cup
Gonna shake the water out of every nook
Oh, Billy Brown
Oh, Billy Brown had lived an ordinary life
Two kids, a dog and the precautionary wife
While it was all going accordingly to plan
Then Billy Brown fell in love with another man
The song "Billy Brown" by Mika tells the story of a man named Billy Brown who lived an ordinary life with his wife, kids, and dog. However, he falls in love with another man, and starts making excuses to see him. To cover up, Billy claims to have found religion, but in reality, he is hiding his true desires from those around him. Billy then decides to leave his family and lovers behind and find peace on an island off the coast of Mexico. On his journey, he meets a courageous woman who understands his situation and shares the burden of his mind.
The song is a powerful commentary on the societal pressures faced by individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and are forced to hide their true selves to conform to societal norms. The lyrics convey the struggle of living a double life and seeking acceptance from those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Billy Brown had lived an ordinary life
Billy Brown had an unremarkable, typical life
Two kids, a dog and the precautionary wife
He had a family that included children, a pet and a wife who valued safety.
While it was all going accordingly to plan
His life was going as he had planned and anticipated.
Then Billy Brown fell in love with another man
But his life took a different turn when he fell in love with a man.
He met his lover almost every single day
Billy had frequent, clandestine meetings with his male lover.
Making excuses through his dodgy holiday
He had to make excuses to his family for his suspicious absences.
Unto religion that he said he newly found
He claimed to have become religious to justify his behavior.
They didn't know that his faith was earthly bound
However, his faith was only a superficial excuse.
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
The chorus addresses Billy Brown.
Don't let the stars get you down
Don't be discouraged by your problems or the obstacles you face.
Don't let the waves let you drown
Don't let the difficulties overwhelm you.
Gonna pick you up like a paper cup
We are going to help you, just like picking up a disposable cup.
Gonna shake the water out of every nook
We will help remove the problems wherever they may be hiding.
Oh, Billy Brown
The chorus addresses Billy again.
Oh, Billy Brown needed a place somewhere to go
He needed to escape.
He found an island off the coast of Mexico
He found an isolated place to go to in Mexico.
Leaving his lover and his family behind
He had to leave behind both his male lover and his family to find peace.
Oh, Billy Brown needed to find some peace of mind
He needed to find inner peace.
And on his journey and his travels on the way
As he traveled to find peace, he encountered new experiences.
He met a girlie who was brave enough to say
He met a woman who was honest with him.
When they made love he shared the burden of his mind
He could share his worries and thoughts during intimacy with this woman.
Oh, Billy Brown you are a victim of the times
The chorus acknowledges that Billy's struggles are caused by the society and time period he lives in.
Brown, oh, Billy Brown
The chorus addresses Billy again.
Gonna pick you up like a paper cup
We will continue to support and help you.
Gonna shake the water out of every nook
We will still work to eliminate any remaining problems in your life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Holbrook Penniman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind