Krieger has the distinction of being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song three times in the same year, when three of his compositions for the film version of Dreamgirls received nominations - "Listen", "Love You I Do", and "Patience".
Listen
Henry Krieger Lyrics
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To the song here in my heart
A melody I start
But can't complete
Listen
To the sound from deep within
It's only beginning
To find release
Oh, the time has come
For my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own
All cause you won't
Listen...
Listen
I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say what's on my mind
You should have known
Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I gotta find, my own...
You should have listened
There is someone here inside
Someone I thought had died
So long ago
Oh, I'm screaming out and my dreams'll be heard
They will not be pushed aside or worse
Into your own
All cause you won't
Listen...
Listen
I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say what's on my mind
You should have known
Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you gave to me
But now I gotta find, my own...
I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't...
If you won't...
Listen
To the song here in my heart
A melody I start
But I will complete
Oh, now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what you made of me
I followed the voice you think you gave to me
But now I've gotta find, my own...
My own...
The song listens by Henry Krieger is a powerful message to those who refuse to listen to the voices of others. The lyrics portray someone who has long been ignored and unheard, but is finally finding the courage to speak up for themselves. The song begins with a plea to listen to the melody that the singer has started but cannot complete. This symbolizes the singer's struggle to find their voice and have it heard by those around them. They are expressing their feelings, but they need someone to hear them out.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more assertive, saying that the time has come for their dreams to be heard. They are tired of being pushed aside and ignored, and they want to be taken seriously. The lyrics "All cause you won't listen" are a direct challenge to those who refuse to hear what they have to say. The singer is standing up for themselves and demanding to be recognized.
The chorus of the song speaks about the singer being alone at a crossroads and not feeling at home in their own home. They have tried to express what is on their mind, but no one has taken notice. They point out that, by refusing to listen to them, the other person has made assumptions about who they are and what they are capable of. It is a powerful message about the importance of listening to others and not making assumptions about them.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen
Pay attention to what I have to say
To the song here in my heart
To the feelings I have deep inside
A melody I start
But can't finish because of the obstacles in my way
But can't complete
Because I am not given the chance to express myself fully
Listen
Pay attention to the emotions that I am feeling
To the sound from deep within
The voice inside of me that I am trying to bring out
It's only beginning
To emerge and be heard
To find release
From the burden of being silenced
Oh, the time has come
For me to assert myself
For my dreams to be heard
And for my aspirations to be acknowledged
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into something else, because they are important to me
Into your own
Conformed to someone else's expectations
All cause you won't
Because you refuse to listen
Listen...
Pay attention to what I need
I am alone at a crossroads
Feeling lost and uncertain
I'm not at home in my own home
Because I am not understood or accepted by those around me
And I've tried and tried
To communicate what is on my mind
To say what's on my mind
But it falls on deaf ears
You should have known
That something was wrong but chose to ignore it
Oh, now I'm done believing you
I no longer trust the person who silenced me
You don't know what I'm feeling
Because you never gave me a chance to express myself
I'm more than what you made of me
I am a complex person with my own desires and feelings
I followed the voice you gave to me
But it was not truly mine
But now I gotta find, my own...
And discover who I truly am
There is someone here inside
A part of me that I thought I had lost
Someone I thought had died
But it is still present and needs to be heard
So long ago
But it is never too late to rediscover oneself
Oh, I'm screaming out and my dreams'll be heard
I am demanding to be heard and will not give up
They will not be pushed aside or worse
I will not let anyone silence me anymore
If you don't...
If you refuse to listen to me
If you won't...
If you continue to push me aside
But I will complete
Because I am determined to be heard and acknowledged
My own...
My own voice, my own dreams, my own identity
Contributed by Skyler E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.