Thursday August 20, 2020 “Grace Kelly” Mika

Aug 20

Mika’s first album in 2007 sold more than five million copies, generated a number one hit, “Grace Kelly”, won a UK Brit award, was nominated for a Grammy and I am guessing that you have never heard of him.

Michael Holbrook Penniman, no relation to “Little” Richard Penniman, known throughout Europe as Mika, is a musical phenomenon who has been compared vocally to Queen’s Freddie Mercury, who he references in this tune. He wrote this song when his record label insisted he do something poppier and more commercial so his protesting lyrics suggest maybe he shouldn't be Mika that he could be anyone, anything, even Grace Kelly. The melody is based on the Rossini aria “Largo al Factotum” from The Barber of Seville.

The extracts of Grace Kelly speaking are from her Academy Award-winning performance in the 1954 film The Country Girl and are ‘spoken’ in the video by the young girl, the video director’s daughter.

Enjoy what may be an introduction to Mika for you in this somewhat awkward, energetic, fun and somewhat awkward (did I say that already?) video. Ironically his music is quite accessible and commercial.

Stay safe and well...and yes it might be fun to be like Grace Kelly, at least while she was alive.

I wanna talk to you

The last time we talked, Mr. Smith

You reduced me to tears

I promise you, it won't happen again

Do I attract you?

Do I repulse you with my queasy smile?

Am I too dirty?

Am I too flirty?

Do I like what you like?

I could be wholesome

I could be loathsome

I guess I'm a little bit shy

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like me without making me try?

I try to be like Grace Kelly

But all her looks were too sad

So I tried a little Freddie

I've gone identity mad!

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you walk out the door!

How can I help it?

How can I help what you think?

Hello, my baby

Putting my life on the brink

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you like yourself?

Should I bend over?

Should I look older just to be put on your shelf?

I try to be like Grace Kelly

But all her looks were too sad

So I tried a little Freddie

I've gone identity mad!

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you walk out the door!

Say what you want to satisfy yourself

But you only want what everybody else says you should want

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Why don't you walk out the door!

I could be brown

I could be blue

I could be violet sky

I could be hurtful

I could be purple

I could be anything you like

Gotta be green

Gotta be mean

Gotta be everything more

Why don't you like me?

Walk out the door, ooh

Humphrey, we're leaving

Ka-ching

edward walsh