Unfair… Read Full Bio ↴The Auteurs was a British alternative rock band of the 1990s.
Unfairly dismissed as the egotrip of acclaimed songwriter Luke Haines, The Auteurs were one of the unsung bands of the mid-nineties Britpop movement. Releasing their first record, New Wave, in 1993, the Auteurs were compared to Suede, and the resurgent glam-rock movement, and began to amass a reasonable cult following. 1994's second album, and commercial highlight, Now I'm A Cowboy, saw the band embracing at times a more contemporary sound, notably on the single Lenny Valentino, which probably remains Haines' best-known song. Now I'm A Cowboy was marked out by sprawling guitar lines as much as by Haines' inimitable lyrics, a kind of visceral social commentary. While touring this album in 1995, Haines jumped off a fifteen-foot wall, breaking both ankles, resulting in his being in a wheelchair for the rest of that year, recording the starker, angrier third album After Murder Park, most notable for the ballad-like lead single Unsolved Child Murder, released for Christmas at Haines own bidding. Following this, Haines took time out to work on other projects such as Black Box Recorder and Baader Meinhof, reforming the Auteurs in 1999 for the release of the mostly overlooked final album, How I Learned To Love The Bootboys.
While Haines remains widely respected for his lyrical eloquence and eye for the minutae of life, his eccentric, confrontational personality, and habit of styling himself as a louche ne'er-do-well, perhaps impeded the formation of a more affectionate bond with his fans. The Auteurs, similarly, tended to be respected rather more than they were loved.
I'm A Rich Man's Toy
The Auteurs Lyrics
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Sick of the way you've been putting me down
Sick of all your stupid games
I'm a rich man's toy
You're a son of a gun and I'm easily led
Coming up sometimes for air
I'm a rich man's toy
Sick of all your stupid games
A toy - when you die they'll burn your bones
But they'll never destroy your remains
You must be the king of the world
I'm a rich man's toy
The duchess envoy said when I was a kid
You'd smack me around on a whim
I'm a rich man's toy
Your boyfriend moved all my things in the hall
- Didn't know you were sleeping with him
I'm a rich man's toy
With powder and make-up
D'you think that I scrub up well?
Watching you wake up
Who's right who's not
Who's gonna get it now that I'm a rich man's toy
What's the matter with me?
What's the matter with you?
What's the matter with me
Read us the riot act
Or read your cues
Powder and make-up
Watching you wake up
Do you think that I scrub up well
Who's right who's not
Who owes who what
Who's gonna get it now...
I'm a rich man's toy
The song "I'm A Rich Man's Toy" by The Auteurs is a sarcastic take on the idea of wealth and power. The lyrics tell the story of a person who is tired of being mistreated by their partner and decides to become a "rich man's toy" instead. This person sees themselves as a possession of sorts, belonging to a wealthy man who can provide them with everything they desire. However, the song also suggests that this person is not completely happy with their new situation, as evidenced by the line "What's the matter with me? What's the matter with you?" The chorus, "I'm a rich man's toy" is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the singer's status as an object of desire.
The lyrics also touch on themes of manipulation and betrayal. The singer is "easily led" and has been taken advantage of by their partner, who has been playing "stupid games." The line "Your boyfriend moved all my things in the hall - Didn't know you were sleeping with him" suggests that the partner has been cheating on the singer with their friend, adding a layer of deception and betrayal.
Overall, the song presents a cynical view of wealth and power, suggesting that even those who appear to have everything may still be dissatisfied and manipulated.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a rich man's toy
I am an object of amusement and pleasure for wealthy individuals.
Sick of the way you've been putting me down
Tired of being belittled and insulted by the person addressed in the song.
Sick of all your stupid games
Fed up with the manipulative and deceitful behavior of the person addressed in the song.
You're a son of a gun and I'm easily led
The person addressed in the song is cunning and manipulative, while the singer is vulnerable and impressionable.
Coming up sometimes for air
Occasionally taking a break from the situation to reassess and gather strength.
The duchess envoy said when I was a kid, you'd smack me around on a whim
The singer was physically abused by someone associated with royalty when they were younger.
Your boyfriend moved all my things in the hall, didn't know you were sleeping with him
The singer was unaware that the person addressed in the song was involved with their partner and feels betrayed.
With powder and make-up, do you think that I scrub up well?
The singer is questioning their appearance and attractiveness to others.
Watching you wake up, who's right who's not, who's gonna get it now that I'm a rich man's toy
The singer is observing the person addressed in the song and contemplating their power dynamics now that they are with a wealthy individual.
What's the matter with me?
The singer is questioning their own issues and insecurities.
What's the matter with you?
The singer is questioning the behavior and motives of the person addressed in the song.
Read us the riot act or read your cues
The singer is challenging the person addressed in the song to either be aggressive and confrontational or strategic and calculating.
Who owes who what, who's gonna get it now...
The singer is thinking about who has the upper hand in their relationship and what may come next.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LUKE MICHAEL HAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind