The Ballad Of Roy G. Biv

by Greg Crowther

"ROY G. BIV" is an acronym for the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This song tells the tale of a man named Roy G. Biv who, over the course of his rather bizarre life, experiences the full spectrum of what the world has to offer.

Mister Roy G. Biv was a colorful dude
Who was famous for his radical changes of mood.
He was called "The Chameleon" because of a malady
Commonly known as a split personality.

Now, ever since Roy was a green, green lad,
He envied others for the things they had.
But he never said much; he was a timid fellow --
Such a cowardly boy that some called him yellow.

Roy G. Biv. He's got two lives down and five to give.
Roy G. Biv. He's just a bright white light filtered through a sieve.

Young Roy found work at a radio factory,
But as a clerk, he was rather refractory.
He seemed low on energy with very high frequency
Until a superior mocked his delinquency.

At this, Roy rose from the trough where he fed,
And he burned his boss across the crest of his head.
The violet rage of this odd organism
Didn't fly with the judge, who said, "Go to prism!"

Roy G. Biv. He's got three lives down and four to give.
Roy G. Biv. He's just a bright white light filtered through a sieve.

Roy became well-read while doing his time,
And he'd blush whenever he'd reflect on his crime.
But when his time was up, and the warden said, "Shoo!",
Old Roy radiated a different hue.

As a free man again, Roy soon came to know
A cute electrician who made his filament glow.
He had an orange crush on this indigo girl,
And, to her delight, he bought her diamonds and pearls.

Roy G. Biv. He's got six lives down and one to give.
Roy G. Biv. He's just a bright white light filtered through a sieve.

Soon Roy and his woman were joined as one,
And they even had plans to adopt a son.
But the fate of Roy's bride was truly revolting:
A lightning bolt struck, and she died from the jolting.

As his wife was reduced to a fiery orb,
Roy found the pain too profound to absorb;
He turned blue with despair, and then white as a ghost,
And that is the way he's remembered by most.

Roy G. Biv. He's dead and gone, but his spirit lives.
Roy G. Biv. He was a bright white light filtered through a sieve.

• sheet music