The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Teenage dreams in a teenage circus
Running around like a clown on purpose
Who gives a damn about the family you come from?
No givin' up when you?re young and you want some
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
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
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
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
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
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
We are not what you think we are
We are not what you think we are
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
Running around like a clown on purpose
Who gives a damn about the family you come from?
No givin' up when you?re young and you want some
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
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
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
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
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
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
We are not what you think we are
We are not what you think we are
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
Running around again
(Running around again)
Running from running
We are not what you think we are
We are golden, we are golden
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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.