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Donna
The Lumineers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's not the words you say but how you say it
I saved the picture where your hair was braided
They found your wallet in the cemetery
You told your daughter she was ordinary

You hate the name Junior
Your husband loved his computers
Your mother never was one
The eldest of seven children

If you don't have it then you'll never give it
And I don't blame you for the way you livin'
The little boy was born in February
You couldn't sober up to hold a baby

You hate the name Donna
You love to judge strangers' karma
You drove from New Jersey
The trucks always made you worry

Hold my hand now, time to
Go to bed it's way too late

You hate the name Donna
You love to judge strangers' karma
You drove from New Jersey
The trucks always made you worry
You raised a saint, Donna
You love to judge strangers' karma
You're praying for a funeral
You're singing like Hallelujah

You're singing like Hallelujah
You're singing like Hallelujah
You're singing like Hallelujah
You're singing like Hallelujah

Overall Meaning

The Lumineers' song titled "Donna" is a powerful and poignant track with layered meanings. The lyrics encourage the listener to pay attention to the nuances of language and to understand that it is not just what is said, but how it is said that matters. The opening line of "It's not the words you say but how you say it" sets the tone for the rest of the song, which tells the story of a woman named Donna.


The verses paint a vivid picture of Donna's life, touching on various aspects of her personality and experiences. The lyrics mention the fact that Donna loves to judge strangers' karma and hates the name Junior, while her mother was never one to conform to societal norms. The second verse describes a deeply troubling moment in Donna's life, where she couldn't sober up to hold her newborn baby. Despite this, she has managed to raise a saint, which is a testament to her resilience and strength.


The chorus is where the song becomes especially powerful, as it repeats the lines "You hate the name Donna / You love to judge strangers' karma / You drove from New Jersey / The trucks always made you worry." This repetition reinforces the idea that there is more to Donna's story than just what is on the surface. The song ends on a hopeful note, with Donna singing "Hallelujah" as she prays for a funeral – a reminder that life is complicated and messy, but that there is always hope for redemption.


Line by Line Meaning

It's not the words you say but how you say it
The way you say something is more important than what is said.


I saved the picture where your hair was braided
I kept the photo of you with your hair styled in braids.


They found your wallet in the cemetery
Your wallet was discovered in the graveyard.


You told your daughter she was ordinary
You informed your daughter that she was just average.


You hate the name Junior
You despise the name Junior.


Your husband loved his computers
Your spouse had a passion for technology.


Your mother never was one
Your mom was never a parent figure.


The eldest of seven children
The oldest of seven kids.


If you don't have it then you'll never give it
You can't give something you don't have.


And I don't blame you for the way you livin'
I don't judge the way you're living.


The little boy was born in February
The baby was born in February.


You couldn't sober up to hold a baby
You were unable to stop drinking to hold the child.


You raised a saint, Donna
You raised a saintly person named Donna.


You love to judge strangers' karma
You enjoy assessing the karma of strangers.


You're praying for a funeral
You're hoping for a funeral to come soon.


You're singing like Hallelujah
You're singing 'Hallelujah.'




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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