Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
どうもありがとうミスターロボット (dōmo arigatō misutā Robotto)
また会う日まで (mata au hi made)
どうもありがとうミスターロボット (dōmo arigatō misutā Robotto)
秘密を知りたい (himitsu wo shiritai)
You're wondering who I am - machine or mannequin
With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man
I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.
So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive-just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive
I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see
I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know
I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control-we all need control
I need control-we all need control
I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask
So no one else can see my true identity
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you
The problem's plain to see: too much technology
Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.
The time has come at last
To throw away this mask
So everyone can see
My true identity...
I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!
また会う日まで (mata au hi made)
どうもありがとうミスターロボット (dōmo arigatō misutā Robotto)
秘密を知りたい (himitsu wo shiritai)
You're wondering who I am - machine or mannequin
With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man
I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.
So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive-just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive
I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see
I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know
I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control-we all need control
I need control-we all need control
I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask
So no one else can see my true identity
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you
The problem's plain to see: too much technology
Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.
The time has come at last
To throw away this mask
So everyone can see
My true identity...
I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!
Lyrics submitted by kevin
Track duration: 05:29
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
The black man have to act like he white, with a mask and all, and he fake, like cheap parts from Japan. The brain being IBM is code like crap, standing for "Im really A Black man".
The black man do the jobs for the white man that he wont do but he going to take over the white world with revolution. "domo arigoto" mean "dont aryan (whitie) got to... got to" but he aint going to cuz "I'm Kilroy!" going to take over the world.
The robots are still racist, though.
My theory is that Mr.Roboto is actually based on identity issues.
Mr. Roboto is the Alter ego
Kilroy is the true inner self
The song is between Mr. Roboto and Killroy. This is likely a moment of self-awareness by Kilroy.
"You're wondering who I am-machine or mannequin"
He is displaying his alter ego here. Mr. Roboto is perceived as cold and uncaring.
"With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man"
Parts made in Japan is used for story continuity. Modren likely is a play on the word modern. His alter ego is common amongst modern men to this day.
"I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin"
Mr.Roboto is telling us that he is in fact an alter ego, not the persons real self.
"My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M."
Here he is telling us that while he has feelings, his mind has full control over them. Kilroy is the flesh and blood of man, Mr. Roboto dwells within the more logical brain.
"So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive-just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive"
Kilroy is explaining Mr. Roboto is a defense mechanism. Though he admits from time to time he gets caught off guard and lets his true feelings show.
"I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see"
Further establishing that his alter ego is not the true man.
"I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know"
Mr. Roboto is explaining his function. It is thankless, but important. Not "we" is used, they rely on each other as they are one in the same.
"I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control-we all need control
I need control-we all need control"
Kilroy is here explaining his reasoning for developing Mr. Roboto. It saves him from having to deal with emotional issues. He is able to manipulate his perception. This gives him control of the world as it exists in his mind.
"I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask
So no one else can see my true identity"
Repeating what he has been saying all along, He is a modern man hiding behind an alter ego and he rarely if ever lets anyone see who he really is.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you"
Here he is expressing thanks to his alter ego for dealing with the emotional times in his life. Helping Kilroy "escape" from the emotionally trying times. It is the context of a parting of ways, a "goodbye".
"The problem's plain to see: too much technology
Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize."
This could simply be part of the story, or is a comment that seems to be a bigger issue today than in 1983, the idea that we are desensitized by the machines and technologies that surround us. It is a double edged sword as technologies are also able to preserve life.
"The time has come at last
To throw away this mask
So everyone can see
My true identity...
I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!"
Here he is saying he wants to do away with his alter ego, Mr. Roboto and be his true self.
You know, I always wondered how people could adore Come Sail Away (still constantly hear THAT one on the radio) and then totally dismiss this song as fanciful eighties garbage.
Robots/cyborgs... whoa man. Way too far out there. LOL.
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo...domo
Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you
MAGICAL
The robots were identical to humans and were used as slave labor "off-world". Humans were being ushered off Earth to other worlds and given a "companion" robot as a prize for leaving as the Earth was becoming un-inhabitable from pollution and overpopulation. In the movie 4 robots return illegally to Earth and try to find their maker to see if they can reverse the 4 year life cycle. The movie and the song touch on alot of similarities, a being whose circumstances are beyond their control. Hiding and trying to stay alive as the cops on Earth hunt and kill robots. There is a scene where Daryl Hannah (a robot) disguises herself as a maniquin. Also the robots in the movie were given memories to make them think they are real and have emotions such as love, compassion, hate, happiness, sorrow. I remember in the 80's this song put Styx back on the radio and yes, it changed the band. All 80's bands were heavy into synths and technology was beginning it's steady incline. What good timing. The message still rings true almost 30 years later? I would say it was a good song. I like guitars and harmonies and keyboard solos as well it's just different then most Styx stuff. Also to see Jim Carrey do the song in Fun with Dick and Jane .... classic...
The song Mr. Roboto is about the first meeting between Robert Orin Kilroy and Johnathan Chance, at the former Paradise theater.
Keep in mind, this song is song by Kilroy himself.
"My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M."
TO me, this line refers to the brainwashing that Kilroy underwent while in prison, watching Dr. Righteous preach. His heart is indeed human, and his blood boils with anger, and his brain was being programed like a computer.
The sixth and seventh stanzas refer to Robots and machines in general, and how they do all the jobs no one wants to do, but at the same time, take the needed jobs. It seems to be almost a sarcastic thanking when you take the whole album into consideration.
The stanzas before 6 and 7 are basically Kilroy trying to convince Johnathan Chance of what and who he is. The final stanza is when Kilroy removes the Roboto mask to show his real face.
youtube.com/… Here is the official video that was released with others that coincide with the album.