Porter has been singing and performing since the young age of 3, and at the… Read Full Bio ↴Porter has been singing and performing since the young age of 3, and at the age of 5, she became the youngest participant ever to win the Star Search show. As an actress, she is best known for her role as Curly Sue in the movie Curly Sue. Porter continued with acting in high school in Westport, Connecticut, where she joined a theatre group and participated in various shows. When she was 18, she moved to New York to audition for Broadway shows. She was cast as Urleen in the show Footloose.

Porter currently lives in Los Angeles where she pursues a career in music.

Desperado
Alisan Porter Lyrics

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Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Yeah, you're a hard one
I know you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy

She'll beat you if she's able
You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet
And it seems to me some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, no, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger're drivin' you home
Freedom, oh, freedom
That's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime?
The sky don't snow and the sun don't shine
And it's hard to tell the night-time from the day
And you're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences
And open the gates
It may be rainin'
But there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you
(Let somebody love you)

You better let somebody love you
Before it's too late

Overall Meaning

Alisan Porter's song Desperado is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that speaks to the struggles of a troubled soul who is trying to come to terms with their inner demons. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man, referred to as 'desperado', who has been living a life of loneliness and isolation for far too long. The singer implores him to come to his senses and see that his actions are hurting him more than helping.

The song's intro line, 'Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?' sets the tone of the song, with the singer trying to bring the desperado back to reality. The reference to 'riding fences' suggests that he has been on the run, perhaps from his past or from the people he cares about. The singer acknowledges that he is a hard person who has his reasons for being the way he is, but warns him that some things that may seem good can hurt in the end.

The desperado's obsession with things he cannot have is a recurring theme in the song, with the singer pointing out the irony in the fact that he only wants what is out of his reach. The song goes on to describe the desperate and lonely existence of the character, and encourages him to let someone in before it is too late.

Line by Line Meaning

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You're lost and hurt and have been for a while now. It's time to take a step back and evaluate things.

You been out ridin' fences for so long now
You've been trying to escape your problems for a while now, but it's time to face them head-on.

Yeah, you're a hard one
You've built up walls to protect yourself from getting hurt, but they're keeping you from finding true happiness.

I know you got your reasons
I understand that you've been through some tough times and that's why you're acting the way you are, but you can't keep running.

These things that are pleasin' you / Can hurt you somehow
You're chasing after things that you think will bring you happiness, but they're only hurting you in the end.

Don't you draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy / She'll beat you if she's able / You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet
You're taking risks that could end up hurting you, but if you choose love instead of material things, you'll be much happier in the long run.

And it seems to me some fine things / Have been laid upon your table / But you only want the ones that you can't get
You have plenty of good things in your life that you're ignoring in search of something that's not attainable.

Desperado, no, you ain't gettin' no younger / Your pain and your hunger're drivin' you home
You're not getting any younger, and it's time to deal with the emotional pain and discontent in your life that's pushing you towards finding a sense of home.

Freedom, oh, freedom / That's just some people talkin' / Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone
You think you're free because you're pushing away those who care about you, but the truth is you're just a prisoner of your own loneliness.

Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime? / The sky don't snow and the sun don't shine / And it's hard to tell the night-time from the day / And you're losin' all your highs and lows / Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?
You're feeling numb to the world and can't find joy in anything because you're so locked up emotionally.

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? / Come down from your fences / And open the gates
It's time to stop hiding behind your walls and start opening up to others so that you can find the happiness you deserve.

It may be rainin' / But there's a rainbow above you / You better let somebody love you / (Let somebody love you) / You better let somebody love you / Before it's too late
Even though things may seem bad now, there's still hope for the future if you're willing to let someone else in and let yourself find love and happiness.

Contributed by Gabriella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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