A Little Better
Gnarls Barkley Lyrics
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And if you like my story fine
But ain't none of the glory mine
See my life was a lonely one
And I was still Momma's only son
With no idea what I'm gon' become
And I didn't have long to know
That you don't have to be grown to go
I could have died so long befo'
Then I finally saw the sign
And I made it on down the line
One step at a time
I feel better!
I can smile at it now, I feel better
Oh, better!
And even a little is still better
Oh, have mercy on me
Oh it's probably plain to see
That I got a whole lot of pain in me
And it will always remain in me
So cold, it's a cryin' shame
Yet here I am, tryin' again
Cause I refuse to die in vain
The circumstances put soul in me
And there ain't no holdin' me
I've got a heart made of gold in me
Ha, can you believe this is where I've been?
And when adversity comes again
I'll deal with it then
I feel better! I can laugh at it now, I feel better, heh heh
Oh, better!
And even a little is still better
Oh, have mercy on me-he
Ah-ah-hah-ah yeah
Mmm, oh-oh-oh!
I said everything's fine, you can take your time
What would be on your mind, if you knew you was dyin'
I would wanna just feel this ah-one more time
I said everything's fine, take yo' time
What would be on your mind, if you knew you was dyin'
I would wanna just feel this ah-one more time
I wanna thank you morning sun
I wanna thank you lowly dirt
Now I know I'm not the only one
I, I wanna thank you friendly ghost
When all the calls were close
It seems like you cared the most
I, I wanna thank you Mom and Dad
For hurtin' me so bad
But you're the best I ever had
I, I wanna thank you
The lyrics in Gnarls Barkley's "A Little Better" tell the story of someone who has had a difficult life, but has found hope and resilience even in the midst of pain. The song opens with the singer describing his childhood, marked by loneliness and uncertainty about his future. He reflects that he could have died before he ever had a chance to discover who he was meant to be.
But then he "finally saw the sign" and started moving forward "one step at a time." He acknowledges that he still carries pain within him, but he refuses to let that pain define him. Instead, he sees it as a source of strength and a reminder of how far he has come. Even as he faces more challenges in the future, he is confident he can handle them because he has already endured so much.
The chorus of the song revolves around the power of feeling "better." The singer notes that even a little improvement is still progress, and that he is grateful for every small victory. He thanks those who have helped him along his journey, from the natural world to the people in his life who have hurt him as well as helped him.
Overall, "A Little Better" is a powerful testament to the human capacity for resilience, hope, and growth even in the face of difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I can sing you the storyline
I'm ready to share my story with you
And if you like my story fine
If you appreciate my story, that's great
But ain't none of the glory mine
I don't take credit for any of the good
See my life was a lonely one
I felt lonely throughout my life
And I was still Momma's only son
I was my mother's only child
With no idea what I'm gon' become
I didn't know what I would do with my life
And I didn't have long to know
I had a limited time to figure it out
That you don't have to be grown to go
You don't have to be an adult to move forward
I could have died so long befo'
I could have died earlier
Then I finally saw the sign
I had a realization
And I made it on down the line
I moved forward with my life
One step at a time
I took things gradually
I feel better!
I now feel better
I can smile at it now, I feel better
I can now smile looking back at things
Oh, better!
Things have improved
And even a little is still better
Even small improvements are significant
Oh, have mercy on me
I ask for kindness
Oh it's probably plain to see
It's likely easy to see
That I got a whole lot of pain in me
I carry a lot of emotional pain
And it will always remain in me
It will be with me forever
So cold, it's a cryin' shame
It's sad how emotionally numb I am
Yet here I am, tryin' again
Despite everything, I continue to try
Cause I refuse to die in vain
I won't let hardship defeat me
The circumstances put soul in me
Difficulties have made me stronger
And there ain't no holdin' me
Nothing can hold me back now
I've got a heart made of gold in me
I have a kind heart
Ha, can you believe this is where I've been?
It's hard to believe how far I've come
And when adversity comes again
When I face difficulties again
I'll deal with it then
I'll handle it at that time
I can laugh at it now, I feel better, heh heh
I can now laugh at things
Ah-ah-hah-ah yeah
Vocalization
Mmm, oh-oh-oh!
Vocalization
I said everything's fine, you can take your time
I tell others it's okay to take their time
What would be on your mind, if you knew you was dyin'
What would you think if you were dying?
I would wanna just feel this ah-one more time
I would want to have one more positive experience
I wanna thank you morning sun
I'm grateful for the sun
I wanna thank you lowly dirt
I'm grateful for the dirt
Now I know I'm not the only one
I know I'm not alone
I, I wanna thank you friendly ghost
I'm grateful for the comfort I felt
When all the calls were close
When things were uncertain
It seems like you cared the most
It felt like the ghost cared the most
I, I wanna thank you Mom and Dad
I'm grateful for my parents
For hurtin' me so bad
Even though they caused me pain
But you're the best I ever had
They're still the best parents I could have had
I, I wanna thank you
Overall, I'm thankful
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS CALLAWAY, MICHEL GOUTY, PIERRE NACABAL, BRIAN JOSEPH BURTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind