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Good days, bad day
I've had a few of those
Same old story
I know how this song goes
At least I did
But now I'm not so sure
Nothing's in its place
Nothing's certain anymore
Birds fly, trees sway
Why can't I be like that?
Happy knowing what I am
In fact and leaving be?
But truth has been obscured
I am only human
And I'm always wanting more
And the world is a place
And they say it's on our side
But I wonder is there comfort in those moments when we die?
Now I see, Mr. King
It was in the books you gave me
Which I read, disbelieving
Thinking poets are depressed
Oh Mr. King I have changed
I confess
Oh, those good days
I remember well
Tape on windows
Wintertime was hell
But it was fun
And people there were kind
There was good work to be done
And I learned to think my time
And the world was a good place
And in days were where I lived
I imagined life had purpose
And I'd something good to give
Mr. Cave played along on the battered hallway piano
Oh, every love song a secret to be shared
Hey Mr. King, how I wish I was back there
Now I've got ten things lined up on a shelf
Reasons to be cheerful for myself
I don't know why
You're showing me the sky
You say you see heaven
I see hell but want to try
And the world is a place
And I pray it's on my side
But I'd find greater comfort
If I just lay down and died
I don't know what's become of a girl who once knew sunshine
What's become of a girl who knew sorrow but was strong?
Hey Mr. King you were right all along
Mr. King you were right
Oh Mr. King you were right
I was wrong
I've had a few of those
Same old story
I know how this song goes
At least I did
But now I'm not so sure
Nothing's in its place
Nothing's certain anymore
Birds fly, trees sway
Why can't I be like that?
Happy knowing what I am
In fact and leaving be?
But truth has been obscured
I am only human
And I'm always wanting more
And the world is a place
And they say it's on our side
But I wonder is there comfort in those moments when we die?
Now I see, Mr. King
It was in the books you gave me
Which I read, disbelieving
Thinking poets are depressed
Oh Mr. King I have changed
I confess
Oh, those good days
I remember well
Tape on windows
Wintertime was hell
But it was fun
And people there were kind
There was good work to be done
And I learned to think my time
And the world was a good place
And in days were where I lived
I imagined life had purpose
And I'd something good to give
Mr. Cave played along on the battered hallway piano
Oh, every love song a secret to be shared
Hey Mr. King, how I wish I was back there
Now I've got ten things lined up on a shelf
Reasons to be cheerful for myself
I don't know why
You're showing me the sky
You say you see heaven
I see hell but want to try
And the world is a place
And I pray it's on my side
But I'd find greater comfort
If I just lay down and died
I don't know what's become of a girl who once knew sunshine
What's become of a girl who knew sorrow but was strong?
Hey Mr. King you were right all along
Mr. King you were right
Oh Mr. King you were right
I was wrong
Lyrics submitted by cristinaish
Track duration: 04:22
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I've always thought this song might relate to depression: the narrator has experienced suffering and has managed to stay strong through it, so can't understand why she's feeling so low now ("I don't know what's become of a girl who once knew sunshine / What's become of a girl who knew sorrow but was strong"). Mr King sounds to me like a therapist, counsellor, or even just a friend who's helping her through her depression and showing her how to turn her life around. "I don't know why / You're showing me the sky / You say you see heaven / I see hell but want to try" sounds like Mr King is using a metaphor of heaven and hell to help the narrtor stop looking at things negatively and begin looking at them positively. He also advises her to count her blessings, which is why she has "ten things lined up on a shelf / Reasons to be cheerful for myself." It seems as though Mr King's guidance is effective, as at the end of the song, the narrator realises that he was "right all along."
However, the fourth verse as it's set out above remains a mystery to me! Why "tape on windows" and where is this place where there's "good work to be done" and "people are kind"? I always imagine a sort of rehab when I hear this verse, but I don't think that's what's meant ^-^ any ideas??
Mr King refers to her old manager at a record company: "And then one day I woke up and I was in the real world, with a proper job (ok, not that proper, it was at a record company) working for Mr King. "
Mr Cave refers to: "The screenplay is by a certain Nick Cave, of whose work I have always been fond, and who also gets a name check in Mr King…"
To me, personally, this song is about growing up...the loss of innocence, the realization that the world is not always a happy place. ):
It's always struck a chord in me - I have a friend who was my "Mr King".
Mr. King you were right
Oh Mr. King you were right
Nerina obviously suffered from writer's block when these words were written. You really have to try to be as repetitive as that.