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Any Other World Lyrics

In any other world
You could tell the difference
And let it all unfurl
Into broken remnants
Smile like you mean it
And let yourself let go

Cause it’s all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Take a bow
Play the part of a lonely, lonely heart
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
To the world you thought you lived in


I tried to live alone
But lonely is so lonely you know
So human as I am, I had to give up my defences
So I smiled and tried to mean it
To let myself let go

Cause it’s all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Take a bow
Play the part of a lonely, lonely heart
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
To the world you thought you lived in

Cause it’s all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Take a bow
Play the part of a lonely, lonely heart
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
To the world you thought you lived in

Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Say goodbye

In any other world
You could tell the difference
46 Meanings
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Mika quotes in an interview:

There is a little spoken introduction that many people may miss.

It’s a family friend of mine who lost her eye during the war in Lebanon and I realised in everyone’s life their comes one point — or several points — where something happens and you have to completely change the way you have lived your life because of one event.

And it really makes you readjust and rethink and rejudge parts of your life all over again.

That happens to some people in a dramatic way like Rafa who lost both her eye and her husband within six months. Or it can be in a much quieter way like when you are 22-years-old and you finally leave university after being in education all your life or when you lose your job.

I wanted to put that in the song, because when you’re 68 or 14, it’s still the same feeling and it’s still just as hard.

I wanted to try to capture that quite difficult period that people have to go through at least once in their life.

:-)

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To me it sounds like a waking up after being in "love." He sees the a whole new world, cold, bitter, alone. And he says "smile like you mean it" as opposed to smiling on the outside only. So he says to let yourself let go... it's time to move on and smile but that just can't happen. I've been smiling on the outside and feeling what he's feeling for the past 5 months :(

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I think you guys hit the nail on the head, BUT, does anybody think that maybe the 'bitter, bitter man' part could be about God? I hope not, due to the fact that if it is, it's controversial, and Mika would be going against everything he represents.

Possibly?

I wondered that. Either the future is in our hands and we're the bitter ones, or it is God, and after the suffering we have been through, we see Him as a bitter, vengeful Man. Whatever, I think it's open to interpretation, and for me works either way!

I was thinking that it might have been god. there has been a lot of suffering on the earth for a long time and i think mika may have been saying that he is a bitter man because he hasn't done anything about the suffering. just a thought i got nothing against god or anything like that.

I think that's it. The "bitter, bitter man" is God. I don't think Mika is anti-religion or hates God. Plus, the fact that he mentions God shows that he believes in him. Just, sometimes, when tragedy strikes, it makes you wonder: "WHY GOD, WHY???!!!" and maybe for a while you don't quite see him as a loving father but more like a "bitter, bitter man." I think it's normal for a lot of believers to be angry at God sometimes and this is just a song about that.

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If I was to try to interpret this literally I would…“Cause it’s all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man” reminds me of being in a controlling relationship and being told to smile, and numbing yourself not to feel anything. You have to give up all of your being and let your self let go. You are with the other person just so you are not alone. But the way the song sounds I feel that it’s about a person dying, and they are now seeing the truth in their life, and having to say good bye to their world they thought they lived. It has been a deception and they are no finding this out as they are turning their life over to someone else. I don’t know…just a thought or two, tell me what ya’ll think?...:)

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If I was to try to interpret this literally I would…“Cause it’s all in the hands of a bitter, bitter man” reminds me of being in a controlling relationship and being told to smile, and numbing yourself not to feel anything. You have to give up all of your being and let your self let go. You are with the other person just so you are not alone. But the way the song sounds I feel that it’s about a person dying, and they are now seeing the truth in their life, and having to say good bye to their world they thought they lived. It has been a deception and they are no finding this out as they are turning their life over to someone else. I don’t know…just a thought or two, tell me what ya’ll think?...:)

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I completely agree with silverprod. Same feeling here. :(

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This struck me as more of a global song. I thought of the bitter, bitter man as Geo. W. and about having my liberties taken away. Mika is from a war-torn area and has lived a life I cannot imagine, and so I wonder if this song is about living under a dictatorship -- smile and take it because you have no choice and you don't know any better anyway because you haven't been allowed to leave and travel anywhere else, to see any other world.

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This song just sends me into space! I can't help but think it's about coping with love, how you're letting the decision fall into the hands of your partner. Probably wrong, I can't define too well...eek.

Bitter, bitter man = God?

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I also think that silverprod is right. To me this is a woman talking to his friend and she is so sad because she just realised that her love story is over. This friend lived the same situation some time ago and explained that life is really hard when you're alone and even if it is really difficult to trust someone after having suffered so much we don't have any other chance to "give your defences". The first part of the song can be explained to me because this is the human being is the only living species able to feel love and in any other place or world such feeling would just be "remnants".

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This struck me as more of a global song. I thought of the bitter, bitter man as Geo. W. and about having my liberties taken away. Mika is from a war-torn area and has lived a life I cannot imagine, and so I wonder if this song is about living under a dictatorship -- smile and take it because you have no choice and you don't know any better anyway because you haven't been allowed to leave and travel anywhere else, to see any other world.

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