Such A Small Love
Scott Walker Lyrics
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Flowers and my body feels like lead
Someone should have stopped the birds from singing today
Hammers from striking nails into clay
Her face penetrates the blue gray morning
Her eyes pregnant pools produce a tear
Someone should have shouted you had gone in her ear
That summer was stolen away
Such a small love
Such a little tear
You would laugh so loud
If you could see us here
With my one suit
Badly pressed and worn
Like a child left
In the world alone
He speaks I don't hear a word he's saying
Hang on to the pine trees and the snow
Reach out grab the memories that are left for your hand
They'll help you get by for a while
Such a small love
Such a little tear
Is this all that's left
On your cheek so pale
His shallow half lit eyes
His rotted teeth grown on
A drunken madman nights
Ending up in hjail
With night fallings
Drenched in day-glo red
Words collided
Things we left unsaid
Perfumed pillows
Girls that clung so near
Such a small love
Such a little tear
The song Such A Small Love by Scott Walker is a mournful reflection on lost love, regret and the inevitability of time. The opening lines set a melancholic tone as the singer describes the mist falling and his voice cracking as he speaks, suggesting a sense of emotional fragility. The mention of flowers and the singer's body feeling like lead further heighten the sense of melancholy, whilst the line "someone should have stopped the birds from singing today" hints at a desire to shut out the world and its reminders of lost love. The image of hammers striking nails into clay perhaps suggests a sense of finality or closure.
The singer then describes the appearance of a woman whose face "penetrates the blue gray morning." Her eyes produce a tear, suggesting that she is also affected by the sense of loss. The line "someone should have shouted you had gone in her ear" suggests that the singer would rather not have had to face this woman at all, as it reminds him of the past which he finds painful. The mention of a stolen summer only adds to the sense of regret, implying that the singer wishes he could turn back time to a happier period in the past.
The chorus "Such a small love, such a little tear" reinforces the idea that the relationship was insignificant, but that its end still causes great pain. The final lines of the song describe the singer's sense of isolation and loneliness, with only memories "left for your hand" to hold onto. The vivid imagery of "night falling drenched in day-glo red" and "perfumed pillows" only serves to heighten the sense of sadness and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Mist falls and his voice cracks from the morning
The morning mist blurred his vision and his emotional outburst makes it worse
Flowers and my body feels like lead
The blooming flowers signify happiness but the heaviness in one's heart makes everything feel heavy
Someone should have stopped the birds from singing today
The cheerful chirping of the birds is out of place for the melancholic mood of the day
Hammers from striking nails into clay
The sound of building and progress contrasts the emotional turmoil, making it worse
Her face penetrates the blue gray morning
The image of her face lingers on while everything else is faded in the morning light
Her eyes pregnant pools produce a tear
Her teary eyes are reflective of the emotional upheaval that's taken place
Someone should have shouted you had gone in her ear
Someone should have notified her or stopped her from leaving
That summer was stolen away
The summer could have been joyful, but it was stolen away by unfortunate events
Such a small love
The love felt wasn't grand, but it was still significant
Such a little tear
The tears shed weren't immense, but they were still indicative of sorrow
You would laugh so loud
If only you could see the irony and the tragedy of the situation, you'd laugh uncontrollably
If you could see us here
If you only knew the current state of affairs, you'd have found it amusing
With my one suit
With only one suit, the wearer seems ill-prepared for any occasion
Badly pressed and worn
The suit is ill-maintained and damaged
Like a child left
The suit and the person wearing it exude a sense of abandonment
In the world alone
The person is isolated in the world, without any support
He speaks I don't hear a word he's saying
The artist is deaf to the words being spoken by the other person
Hang on to the pine trees and the snow
Hang on to the natural beauty and tranquility to weather through turbulent times
Reach out grab the memories that are left for your hand
Hold on to memories of happier times for reassurance and strength
They'll help you get by for a while
The memories will provide temporary comfort until the situation improves
Is this all that's left
The love and tears might be all that's left
On your cheek so pale
The tears seen on the pale cheek symbolize despair
His shallow half lit eyes
The person's eyes are half-closed and not seeing clearly
His rotted teeth grown on
The state of the person's decaying teeth is indicative of neglect or poor health
A drunken madman nights
The person behaves recklessly while under the influence of alcohol
Ending up in hjail
The person's actions lead them to jail
With night falling
The night is closing in, indicative of darkness and uncertainty
Drenched in day-glo red
The day-glo red is symbolic of violence and stirs emotions
Words collided
Their words and feelings clashed, leading to conflict
Things we left unsaid
Important words that should have been expressed are left unspoken; causing regret
Perfumed pillows
The pillows smell nice; providing temporary solace
Girls that clung so near
The person remembers the physical closeness of past relationships
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SCOTT ENGEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertmontgomery1317
"Someone should have stopped the birds from singing today", the line that wouldn't leave my head the day Scott died.
@joshuakatzman4560
Scott Walker was an absolutely singular talent. Of all his songs, this one resonates with me the most, an exquisite blend of his poetic lyrics and haunting melody, led by his incomparable and unique voice. Viva La Scott!
@ruperteachells2355
What a beautiful voice 😢!
One of the greatest singers 👌
@rammiederby
No-one compares with Scott on any level, but this song is simply unbelievably heart rending. You feel every single word he sings. He doesn't just sing - he emotes and performs. Simply love this man.
@sourceify
“Someone should have shouted you had gone”... The ultimate song about loss and love.
@jackgeitz1548
one of the greatest songs Scott ever sang & wrote...it towers over the 1960,s and beyond and beyond.....even into my 70 year-old heart. I will always miss him.
@jimrichardson5849
And written by a twenty three year old . …a big part of my youth
@virginiapullen8329
Lovely song brill lyrics by one of the best voices in music.
@cachili9
"Midnight mornings drenched in Dago red" is such a descriptive line that best describes carousing in the morning hours. Pure genius, and no it is not dayglo red as many have misquoted.
@alancharnley6261
Truly is a music epic. Masterful vocal from Scott superb orchestration. Timeless. Never tire of hearing it.