Pinnochio Story

Album: 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track, where West vents that all his fame and money isn't making him happy as he's broken up with his girl, was originally a live freestyle that West performed at a concert in Singapore. It inspired Beyoncé so much that she told Kanye to put it on his album.
  • West explained in the book Chicken Soup For The Soul: The Story Behind The Song that this song concerns his desire to live a normal life despite his celebrity status. He said: "I don't have to be what a celebrity is supposed to be. I don't want to be a superstar shell of myself. I need to know "Who's the real person?" I don't want to simply be a caricature of myself. 'Real life, what does it feel like? I ask you tonight, I ask you tonight. What does it feel like, I ask you tonight. To live a real life. I just want to be a real boy.'"

Comments: 1

  • Nicole from Grosse Pointe, MiI always thought that the girl in this song was his mom but IDK when he made it soo...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Daryl Hall

Daryl HallSongwriter Interviews

Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.