I am very confused about this song.
i THINK its like, adults blame young people for a lot of rubbish, when infact, the young people are innocent.
and their fed up of it?
i have no idea its quite confusing :L x

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I'm getting two opposing voices: the kid who claims to know best (who gives a damn, we are not what you think, etc), and the one who finally realises they're all alone after they abandoned their family.

I believe this song is about exploring his homosexualty and the confusion of discovering this feelings... Having problems with someone who can't accept it, feeling bad about it on the one hand (because of the "hurting himself"-line) but on the other hand also enjoying it and being pride.

To me it seems rather obvious and is just about the teenage, young adult 18-21 lifestyle.

Waking up in the midday sun
What's to live for?
You could see what I've done
Staring at emotion
In the light of day
I was running from the things that you'd say


So this (as well as the chorus) sets the scene for the protagonist as someone who parties hard and wakes up at midday. He's finding himself as all young adults are, and not in the best of ways. There is an authority figure here saying grow up, but he/she is ignoring and just doing their own thing.


I was a boy at an open door
Why you staring
Do you still think that you know?
Looking for treasure
In the things that you threw
Like a magpie
I live for glitter, not you


This is what really seals the deal for me. As I am completely over the whole clubbing, getting drunk phase, however looking for treasure could not be more true. In the quest to define myself, I have tried about everything there is always looking for the greener grass over the hill, the shiny treasure. An example would be relationships, I've had my fair share and these days I just do multiple open relationships, so for example I live for the ride not the people (or her).


Now I'm sitting alone
I'm finally looking around
Left here on my own
I'm gonna hurt myself
Maybe losing my mind
I'm still wondering why
Had to let the world let it bleed me dry


This is the sad ending, say 5 years or so has passed, and he never did find himself unfortunately.

This is probably one of my all time favorite songs! I've been listening to is non-stop for the past hour and it just makes me grin from ear to ear.

To me, this song is just about discovering yourself. People tend to really experiment with who they are during their teens/early 20's and I think this song embodies this confusing time perfectly.

Teenage dreams in a teenage circus
Running around like a clown on purpose
Who gives a damn about the family you come from?
No giving up when you're young and you want some

These lines are sort of saying that teens run around and seem to be up to no good but are just sort of having fun and trying to find themselves. The part about the family seems to mean that you can be whoever you want to be, regardless on the type of family you came from. Your family doesn't define you, you define yourself.


I was a boy at an open door
Why you staring
Do you still think that you know?
Looking for treasure
In the things that you threw
Like a magpie
I live for glitter, not you

Like bibop, I think this song also touches on MIKA himself trying to discover who he is. Mika being "a boy at an open door" could relate to the fact that many believe he is gay but he hasn't confirmed not denied this. And this part is just about him coming to terms with who he really is. He's wondering why people stare at him, possibly pointing out that whether he is gay or not doesn't really matter in the long run. He's also sort of musing about how people speculate about his sexuality with the line "Do you still think that you know?"

He lives for his music and his fans, the "glitter" of his life. His personal life doesn't matter since he's found himself and he's happy with who he is. He doesn't care what others think about him because he lives "for the glitter, not you." I believe this also ties into the song title and repeated line, "We are golden." Everyone is golden because teens in the song are just having fun and trying to find themselves. By saying they are golden, Mika is sort of saying that you are perfect that way you are and that once you find yourself, you will be golden.

I think the main point of the type being we are golden and the repeating line we are golden means we are true or real or authentic

The chorus is awfully close to the hook from "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" (Rick Nowels/Ellen Shipley; most people know Belinda Carlisle's recording). Not sure whether to take it as a tribute or just a near-copy...

i think its about following your dreams and doing what you want to do, no matter what others think is best for you or where you come.
its a very common issue for him i think.

i love this song and the video so much.

I believe that this song is saying that it doesnt matter where your from, your sexual orientation, race, gender, or political ideas, because we are all precious and unique.

On Skavlan he said it's about him when he was a teenager and had a dream.... I think. I have a bad memory so it could be wrong.

It's about being a teenager. i heard him say something like that in the making of the video. i think the entire album is kinda based on teenagers a bit, you know? i think this song is like being a teenager (hence the messy room and crazy half naked dancing) and like having fun and that possibilities are endless, and by saying "we are not what you think we are" its kinda like.. people think that teenagers are a menice to soiety but no he's saying "we are golden" :) so thats kinda nice.

I need to study these lyrics some more, but i got this idea that the whole song could be about hiding from who you are. Maybe teen age culture is a circus full of clowns, hiding behind a mask. And the whole song could be about hiding and being afraid that parts of you of which you are ashamed are exposed. I am a little unsure about "running from running", it might refer to the insecurity getting so bad that you get a little paranoid because of it.