Born James Alan Hull in Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne on 20th February1945, he became a member of the band The Chosen Few alongside keyboard player Mick Gallagher in 1962. He supported himself one year by working as a nurse at a mental hospital while appearing as a folk singer and guitarist in local clubs before helping to form Brethren and Downtown Faction, which evolved into Lindisfarne in 1970. He also released a one-off solo single, "We Can Swing Together", which was re-recorded with the group on their first album, Nicely Out of Tune, and became a regular favourite in their stage performances.
As the group's most prolific songwriter and joint lead vocalist, Hull came to be regarded as its leader. In 1972, dissatisfied with the sound and critical reception of their third album Dingly Dell, he considered leaving the group, but instead he and joint lead vocalist Ray "Jacka" Jackson formed a new six-piece Lindisfarne the following year, leaving the three other original members to form Jack the Lad. He also released a first solo album, Pipedream, in the same year, and published a book of poems, Mocking Horse.
Lindisfarne disbanded in 1975, and Hull released a second solo album, Squire, then formed the short-lived Radiator, which also included drummer Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne and Jack the Lad. At the end of 1977 the original line-up of Lindisfarne reformed after a well-received Christmas show at the Newcastle City Hall which was broadcast on local radio. Thereafter he combined his musical career as front man of the group with a solo career. He was also a staunch Labour Party activist.
In 1994, he recorded Back to Basics, a live all-acoustic survey of the best of his songwriting from 1970 onwards. On 17th November 1995 whilst working on a new album, Statues & Liberties, Hull died suddenly of a heart thrombosis, at the age of fifty.
I Hate to See You Cry
Alan Hull Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes my dreams all run dry, can't tell you why.
Lying still and white, your face illuminates the night
Your tears are crying out for light
Everything will be, everything will be alright.
I swear by the sun above, I'll give you every bit of my love
'Cause I hate to see you cry, makes the sun desert the sky
Makes my dreams all run dry, can't tell you why.
I hate to see you cry, makes the sun desert the sky
Makes my dreams all run dry, makes the sun desert the sky
Makes my dreams all run dry, and I cannot tell you why
I cannot, cannot, cannot tell you why.
The lyrics of Alan Hull's song "I Hate to See You Cry" seem to be an expression of love and concern for someone else's emotional well-being. The opening lines suggest that the sight of the person crying is so powerful that it can affect the very sky and make the singer's dreams "run dry." The repetition of the line "can't tell you why" suggests a sense of helplessness in being unable to fix whatever is causing the tears. However, the following lines offer some hope - the person's face is described as "illuminating" the night, and the tears are seen as a way of "crying out for light." The repeated reassurance that "everything will be alright" offers further comfort.
The second verse introduces a vow of love - the singer swears by the sun above that they will give their love to the person. However, this pledge seems to be conditional on the person smiling "once in a while." This raises some questions about the nature of the relationship - is it a healthy one, with mutual support and care, or is there a sense of the singer needing to "fix" the other person's emotions in order to feel validated? The final repetition of "cannot tell you why" leaves the listener with a sense of ongoing mystery and uncertainty.
Overall, the song offers a heartfelt expression of empathy and the desire to bring comfort to someone else. However, it also raises questions about the limits of that comfort and the need for healthy communication and mutual support in any relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see you cry, makes the sun desert the sky
Seeing you cry is so painful that it feels like the sun, which represents happiness and warmth, disappears from the sky.
Makes my dreams all run dry, can't tell you why.
Your tears affect me so much that my aspirations and hopes cease to inspire me, and I can't explain the reason for this feeling.
Lying still and white, your face illuminates the night
Even though you are calm and motionless, your face radiates with emotion and stands out in the dark.
Your tears are crying out for light
Your tears are expressing the need for comfort and happiness.
Everything will be, everything will be alright.
It may not seem like it now, but eventually, everything will be okay and return to normal.
I swear by the sun above, I'll give you every bit of my love
I promise to give you all of my love, as significant as the power of the sun.
If you'll just let me see you smile, once in a while.
Your happiness makes me happy, so please smile sometimes and let me witness your contentment.
Makes the sun desert the sky, makes the sun desert the sky
Seeing you cry has such an intense impact on me that it feels like the sun disappears from the sky multiple times.
Makes my dreams all run dry, and I cannot tell you why
When you cry, my goals and aspirations lose their inspiration, and I can't come up with a reason why it happens.
I cannot, cannot, cannot tell you why.
The reason why your tears affect me so much is unknown to me, and I cannot find an explanation for it.
Contributed by Hudson I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@raymondmcmenemy303
Pipedream was a brilliant album. Should have been a massive hit. Wonderful artist , Sadly missed.
@williamstafford8412
One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Alan was a superb songwriter and musician, as well as being a really canny fella. It is criminal that this song does not get airplay and that Alan is not more widely known. What a loss to music when he died.
@emmettmckenna4565
One of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard!
@user-ej5ye9cf7m
This song is a little masterpiece from Alan Hull.
@kevingill648
I introduced the album Pipedream to many people over the years, and we all agree, it's a classic! Alan Hull at his best.
@thetid8852
Lindisfarne's Fog On The Tyne is a very good album indeed - but did it deserve so much success compared to Pipedream which had virtually none? A gross injustice as Pipedream is a better album IMO.
@nowayimalex
I am really touched by this song. These simple, but meaningful words. I just feel not alone when listening to his voice.
@moiraveitch4010
Always makes me cry
@jokepy4230
Crikey! This is nearly 50 years old. Where has the time gone? I still have my vinyl copy and managed to find it on cd a while ago.
@306bad
Alan Hull was the poet, singer song writer that most people never saw unless you were a fan of Lindisfarne. I true great and his songs are from the heart, and very real with the observational eye of this remarkable man, highly recommended to all who enjoy real music,