Upstairs
Colorful Struggles: A Father's Love in Lily Victoria's 'Upstairs'
Lyrics
Hmm, ooh, ooh
Expressing a thoughtful sound
Papa's a hardworking man
Describing the father as hardworking
Likes a good rum too
Indicating the father's fondness for rum
He's often a tired man
Highlighting the father's usual tiredness
But he takes care of you
Emphasizing the father's care for his child
Papa likes purple and blue
Describing the father's preference for purple and blue
And he shares them with you
Sharing these colors with his child
He can be a strenuous man
Depicting the father as demanding
But he's a fair man too
Acknowledging the father's sense of fairness
He likes his two colors along
His liking for specific colors along with fabric
With linen and lace
Referring to the father's taste in material
Oh, 'cause papa likes purple and blue
Reiteration of the father's fondness for purple and blue
But not on your face
Stating his aversion to those colors on the child's face
And it's wrong and you know it
Acknowledging a sense of wrongdoing
But you find yourself defending him
Feeling the need to defend the father despite knowing it's wrong
'Cause after all it's your papa too and you love him
Expressing love for the father despite his flaws
And you know it's been such a long day
Highlighting the exhaustion of the day
And it hurts and you cry out
Expressing emotional pain and crying out
But he says keep it to yourself, little one
Father's instruction to keep emotions hidden from mother
'Cause mama's downstairs and she knows but she can't know
Implying that mother is aware but unable to intervene
Better listen to papa, little one
Emphasizing the authority of the father's advice
He's had a few drinks tonight
Noting the father's alcohol consumption
And his breath reeks of rum
Highlighting the strong smell of alcohol on the father's breath
Oh, papa likes purple and blue
Reiteration of the father's preference for certain colors
And he likes them on you
Expressing the father's desire for those colors on the child
And it's wrong and you know it
Repeating the sense of wrongdoing
But you find yourself defending him
Reiterating the need to defend the father despite knowing it's wrong
'Cause after all it's your papa too and you love him
Reaffirming love for the flawed father
Oh, listen to papa, little one
Emphasizing the importance of obeying the father
But it hurts and you cry out
Expressing pain and crying out despite father's instructions
But he says keep it to yourself, little one
Reiterating the instruction to keep emotions hidden
'Cause mama's downstairs and she knows but she can't know
Implying the mother's knowledge and inability to act
And you know he must be right tonight
Believing in the correctness of the father's actions
It's so wrong and you know it
Repeating the sense of wrongdoing despite defense
But you find yourself defending him
Continuing to defend the father despite knowing it's wrong
'Cause after all he's your papa too and you love him
Reaffirming love despite the father's imperfections
Papa, please stop liking purple and blue
Pleading with the father to stop causing harm
'Cause it's hurting me too
Expressing the personal hurt caused by the father's actions
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