Toy Boy
by Mika

Album: The Boy Who Knew Too Much (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Mika felt under pressure writing a follow up to his highly successful debut album so he took advice from The Who's Pete Townshend. He explained to The Sun September 11, 2009: "I was really nervous about going back into the studio and Pete Townshend said to me, 'You need to think like a craftsman then the art will come.' I was round his house having dinner and to be told that by such a legend made me think carefully. I had to be disciplined and found that's the trick. So I started to imagine I was writing songs for an imaginary film."
  • Mika added to The Sun that this is his favorite track on the album: "I think it's really clever. It's almost like a punk Disney soundtrack. I try to use multiple voices so it's like you're being spoken to by different characters in a movie."
  • Mika told Q magazine June 2009 that many of his lyrics on The Boy Who Knew Too Much are "dark and emotional" He added that this song, for instance, is about a "toy that gets used and abused by different owners. I guess these songs are the antidote to my first album."
  • Mika said to Q: "This has a full orchestra, like a Disney soundtrack, but the lyrics are intense and dark. Toy Boy is full of twiddling flutes and lush strings, but the melody is very mechanical, like a music box."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Maxi Priest

Maxi PriestSongwriter Interviews

The British reggae legend tells the story of his #1 hit "Close To You," talks about his groundbreaking Shabba Ranks collaboration "Housecall," and discusses his latest project with Robin Trower.

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.