Diamonds
Ben Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So garishly clean
White as the horses, that carry me away
And all my demons, you said, come and go with a haze
I might as well took a plane
I grow old in my way
Oh, just like you do
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
Oh, there ain't no darkness that I fear
Oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more, no
So be clear, just to be clear
So be clear, be clear
All I am is the bones you made for me
Just driftwood for the sea
Oh, heavy as the horses, that carry me away
That carry me away
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
No, there ain't no darkness that I fear
Oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more, no
So be clear, be clear
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom (oh, oh, oh)
No darkness that I fear (oh, oh, oh)
No way to say I love you more, woman
So be clear, just to be clear
So be clear, be clear
(Oh, oh, oh, darlin')
(Oh, oh, oh, darlin')
(Oh, oh, oh, darlin')
(Oh, oh, oh)
(Oh, oh, oh, darlin')
(Oh, oh, oh, darlin')
(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
No, there ain't no darkness that I fear
Oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more
So be clear, be clear
The lyrics to Ben Howard's song "Diamonds" are a reflection on the nature of relationships and the clarity that is often needed to navigate them. The opening line "All I am is the bones you made for me" can be interpreted as the idea that one's sense of self is often molded by the people they are closest to. This is followed by the line "So garishly clean, white as the horses that carry me away" which suggests a certain superficiality in this molding process.
The next few lines introduce the theme of demons and haze which seem to be a metaphor for the various emotional highs and lows that come with any relationship. The line "I might have well took a plane, I grow old in my way, oh, just like you do" seems to suggest that this process of emotional highs and lows are inevitable and both parties are subject to them.
The chorus of the song "oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom, no, there ain't no darkness that I fear, oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more, so be clear, be clear" is a reminder that in the simplicity of everyday life, there is no great love or prolonged darkness that needs to be overcome, but rather that clear communication is what makes a healthy relationship.
The final verse reiterates the theme of being molded by relationships, but this time with a more tangible metaphor of being driftwood for the sea. The line "heavy as the horses, that carry me away" could also suggest that despite feeling molded and shaped by others, one's sense of self can still be weighed down by the emotional baggage of past relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
All I am is the bones you made for me
My identity has been shaped by you and your influence
So garishly clean
Unnaturally pristine
White as the horses, that carry me away
As pure as the horses that take me towards my future
And all my demons, you said, come and go with a haze
You spoke of my inner struggles but brushed them off as insignificant
I might as well took a plane
Could have easily traveled far away to face my problems
I grow old in my way
I am aging in my own peculiar manner
Oh, just like you do
You too are growing old but in your unique way
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
There is no beauty to be found in a stagnant and uneventful life
Oh, there ain't no darkness that I fear
I am not afraid of the unknown or mysterious
Oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more, no
There is no greater way to express my affection for you
So be clear, just to be clear
Communicate with clarity and without ambiguity
All I am is the bones you made for me
My identity has been shaped by you and your influence
Just driftwood for the sea
I am a passive and helpless piece floating in the ocean of life
Oh, heavy as the horses, that carry me away
I carry the burden of my own existence like a heavy load
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
There is no beauty to be found in a stagnant and uneventful life
No, there ain't no darkness that I fear
I am not afraid of the unknown or mysterious
Oh, there ain't no way to say I love you more, no
There is no greater way to express my affection for you
So be clear, be clear
Communicate with clarity and without ambiguity
Oh, there ain't no diamonds in the boredom
There is no beauty to be found in a stagnant and uneventful life
No darkness that I fear
I am not afraid of the unknown or mysterious
No way to say I love you more, woman
I cannot express my affection for you any more strongly
So be clear, just to be clear
Communicate with clarity and without ambiguity
So be clear, be clear
Communicate with clarity and without ambiguity
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin John Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind