Plastic Rainbow is a song by Marina Diamandis, released under her previous stage name 'Marina and the Diamonds'. Appearing on her self-released EP, Mermaid vs. Sailor, as the closing track.
The song was written and produced by Marina herself.
Background[]
Plastic Rainbow was first mentioned in MySpace comments on July 5, 2006, along with Troubled Mind and This Is L.A..[1] The three songs, as well as Philosopher My Arse and China's Dolls, were originally produced by an unknown collaborator in 2006. Unhappy with the progressive rock sound, Marina started producing her own music instead.[2] The 2007 version of Plastic Rainbow, featured on Mermaid vs. Sailor, was self-produced.
In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Marina revealed Plastic Rainbow was the first song she had ever written, around the age of 19 or 20. She described the lyrics as "lame", but added that writing the track lead her to want to become a songwriter.[3]
Meaning[]
In a 2010 interview with FaceCulture, Marina said the song was about "being a fake", and connected it to "me trying to be a fake for two years and then moving onto what I really was, which was myself".[4]
Trivia[]
- Along with Horror Pop and Daddy Was a Sailor, Plastic Rainbow is one of three Mermaid vs. Sailor tracks not to knowingly get reworked for The Family Jewels.
Official Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP | Mermaid vs. Sailor | 23 Nov 2007 | 4:07 | |
| 2006 | MySpace | ~05 Jul 2006 | 3:47 |
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I have let you melt me down
Into a plastic rainbow
And I have left myself to hang
In a Halloween sky
I let you tattoo a frown
Onto a face of white snow
Now I see footprints of a man
Runnin' through my eyes
[Pre-Chorus]
Do I despise these perfect lies
I tell myself each night and day?
Go kiss my blackened heart goodbye
I'm runnin' out of things to play-ay
Hey, see I need to forget
[Chorus]
That I've become a plastic rainbow
And I'm meltin' in the sun
And I am fallin' from the sky
In a million multi-coloured lies
I've had enough of your ideals, ideals
Yeah-eah, yeah-eah
Yeah-eah-eah, ehhhh, ehh
[Verse 2]
I'm gonna break her like a Barbie doll
Push her face down in the dirt
Blue Maybelline mascara
Is runnin' down my favourite shirt
And whoever thought that messing with me
Was ever gonna hurt
With plastic swords, too many times
Your black suspenders and her mini-skirts
[Pre-Chorus]
Do I despise these perfect lies
I tell myself each night and day?
Go kiss my blackened heart goodbye
I'm runnin' out of things to play-ay
Hey, see I need to forget
[Chorus]
That I've become a plastic rainbow
And I'm meltin' in the sun
And I am fallin' from the sky
In a million multi-coloured lies
I've had enough of your ideals, ideals
Yeah-eah, yeah-eah
Yeah-eah-eah, ehhh, eh, eh, eh
[Outro]
Yeah, I became a plastic rainbow
Yeah, I fell from the sky
In a million multi-coloured lies
Your comments hurt for a while
But now all I seem to do is
Smile, smi-ile, smi-i-i-ile
Oh ohh, oh ohh, oh-oh, ohh
Oh oh, oh oh-ohh, do I, I smile?
[Verse 1]
I have let you melt me down
Into a plastic rainbow
Why I have left myself to hang
In this Halloween sky?
I let you tattoo a frown
Onto a face of white snow
Now I see footprints of a man
Runnin' through my eyes
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Do I despise these perfect skies
I paint myself each night and day?
Go kiss my blackened heart goodbye
Cause I'm running out of things to play
[Chorus]
Hey, see I need to forget
That I've become a plastic rainbow
And I'm melting in the sun
And I am falling from the sky
In a million multi-coloured lies
[Post-Chorus]
I've had enough of your ideals, ideals yeah
[Verse 2]
I'm gonna break her like a Barbie Doll
Push her face down in the dirt
Blue Maybelline mascara
Is running down my favourite shirt
And whoever thought that messing with me
Was ever gonna hurt?
Played plastic swords, too many times
In black suspenders and a mini-skirts
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Do I despise these perfect lies
You tell yourself each night and day?
Go kiss my blackened heart goodbye
I'm running out of things to play
[Chorus]
Hey, see I need to forget
That I've become a plastic rainbow
And I'm melting in the sun
And I am falling from the sky
In a million multi-coloured lies
[Post-Chorus]
I've had enough of your ideals, ideals yeah
[Chorus]
Yeah, I've become a plastic rainbow
And I'm melting in the sun
and I am falling from the sky
In your million multi-coloured lies
[Post Chorus]
I've had enough of your ideals, ideals yeah
[Outro]
I've become your plastic rainbow, yeah
You have become my plastic rainbow, yeah
Yeah
References[]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110502060729/http://www.rockabilly.net/marina/discog/songs.shtml
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Dh30Jf-89d4?t=380
- ↑ "Marina and the Diamonds Slay a Special Acoustic Show" YouTube. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRB8NaGaON8
 | |
|---|---|
| Merch • Photography • MySpace | |
| Discography | |
| Releases | Mermaid vs. Sailor |
| Tracklist | Seventeen • Horror Pop • Hermit the Frog • Daddy Was a Sailor • Simplify • Plastic Rainbow |
| Non-Album | |
| Outtakes | The Common Cold |
| Speculated | Hot, Cross Bun • Hubba • Lonely Bones • Pancake Karma • Perfect-Oh • Silver Walls • Starlight • Where Diamonds Grow |
| Misc | China's Dolls • Philosopher My Arse • This Is L.A. • Troubled Mind |
| Other Eras | |
| Mermaid vs. Sailor • The Family Jewels • Electra Heart • FROOT • LOVE + FEAR • Ancient Dreams • Sixth Studio Album (Upcoming) | |
