I have seen
Too many sad eyes look at me
The eyes that set me free,
All the places that I've been.

So thank you for the letters that
You thought you wrote in vain
And for the times you chose
To stand out in the rain
And wait for me
For me

Your words, your words help me to see
A little honesty, in a world that doesn't share.
And your eyes tell the story of your pain
Severity of your disdain, in a world that doesn't care.

You, you understand my pain,
From this I gather strength
In that we are the same.

So thank you for the letters that
You thought you wrote in vain
And for the times you chose
To stand out in the rain
And wait for me
For me.
The life I live would never be the same without you here

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics, Staind is expressing gratitude to someone who has been a support throughout their life journey, and who has had a significant impact on their well-being. The song is called “Reply” because it’s a direct response to this individual, who has sent letters and waited outside in the rain for Staind. The singer has seen many “sad eyes” in their life but this person’s eyes “set me free,” implying that the support they provided helped them to transcend their own pain and move forward with greater clarity and purpose.

The lyrics also speak to the isolating effect of living in a world that is often lacking in empathy and honesty. Staind sings that the letters they received helped them to see “a little honesty in a world that doesn’t share.” Similarly, the person’s eyes reveal “the story of your pain/ Severity of your disdain, in a world that doesn’t care.” The song suggests that finding this connection with someone who understands their pain has been a source of strength for Staind.

Line by Line Meaning

I have seen
I have witnessed

Too many sad eyes look at me
I have seen a lot of people who are sad and unhappy when they look at me

The eyes that set me free,
But there have been some who have looked at me with understanding and empathy, which frees me from my own pain

All the places that I've been.
I have traveled to many different locations throughout my life

So thank you for the letters that You thought you wrote in vain
Thank you for writing to me, even if you believed it was pointless

And for the times you chose To stand out in the rain And wait for me For me
Thank you for waiting for me and being there for me, even in difficult and uncomfortable circumstances

Your words, your words help me to see A little honesty, in a world that doesn't share.
Your words allow me to see a little bit of truth in a world that often lacks transparency and honesty

And your eyes tell the story of your pain Severity of your disdain, in a world that doesn't care.
I can tell by looking in your eyes that you have experienced pain and disappointment with the world, which doesn't seem to care

You, you understand my pain, From this I gather strength In that we are the same.
I draw strength from the fact that you understand the pain and struggles that I have experienced, because we are similar in that way

The life I live would never be the same without you here
My life would be drastically different if you were not a part of it

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AARON LEWIS, JOHN APRIL, JOHN F. APRIL, JONATHAN WYSOCKI, MICHAEL MUSHOK, MICHAEL J. MUSHOK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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