Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for … Read Full Bio ↴Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, reggae and jazz.

A member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra during her youth, Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002 and soon recorded a number of songs before signing a publishing deal with EMI. She also formed a working relationship with producer Salaam Remi through these record publishers. Winehouse's debut album, Frank, was released in 2003. Many of the album's songs were influenced by jazz and, apart from two covers, were co-written by Winehouse. Frank was a critical success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The song "Stronger Than Me" won her the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

Winehouse released her follow-up album, Back to Black, in 2006, which went on to become an international success and one of the best-selling albums in UK history. At the 2007 Brit Awards it was nominated for British Album of the Year, and she received the award for British Female Solo Artist. The song "Rehab" won her a second Ivor Novello Award. At the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, she won five awards, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night and becoming the first British woman to win five Grammys, including three of the General Field "Big Four" Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Rehab"), as well as Best Pop Vocal Album.

Winehouse was plagued by drug and alcohol addiction. She died of alcohol poisoning on 23 July 2011, at the age of 27. After her death, Back to Black temporarily became the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century. VH1 ranked Winehouse 26th on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.

Karaoke: Tears Dry On Their Own
Amy Winehouse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All I can ever be to you is a darkness that we knew
And this regret I got accustomed to
Once it was so right
When we were at our height
Waiting for ya in the hotel at night
I knew I hadn't met my match
But every moment we could snatch
I don't know why I got so attached

It's my responsibility
You don't owe nothing to me
But to walk away, I have no capacity

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

I don't understand
Why do I stress the man
When there's so many bigger things at hand?
We could've never had it all
We had to hit a wall
So this is inevitable withdrawal
Even if I stop wanting you
And perspective pushes through
I'll be some next man's other woman soon
I cannot play my self again
I should just be my own best friend
Not fuck my self in the head with stupid men

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way
In this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

I wish I could sing no regrets
And no emotional debt
'Cause as we kissed goodbye, the sun sets
So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze
That only lovers see

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)
And in your way
My blue shade
My tears dry on their own

Whoa, he walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I am grown
And in your way
My deep shade
My tears dry on their own, whoa

He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your way

My deep shade
My tears dry

Overall Meaning

In "Tears Dry on Their Own," Amy Winehouse addresses the aftermath of a toxic relationship. She recognizes her attachment to a man who will never be able to fully reciprocate her feelings and how that attachment has become a part of her identity. She resigns herself to the fact that she cannot control his actions, and it is her responsibility to let him go. She acknowledges that moving on will not be easy, but it is necessary. The chorus describes her eventual acceptance of the situation - she may still feel sad, but her tears will eventually dry on their own.

The second verse demonstrates her attempt to regain perspective. She questions why she is investing so much in one person when there are larger issues at hand. She acknowledges that their relationship was doomed to fail and that it was necessary for them to hit a wall. She also chooses to focus on self-improvement instead of continuing to involve herself with emotionally unhealthy men.

Throughout the song, she repeats the phrase "he walks away, the sun goes down," hammering home the idea that life goes on despite heartbreak. The final lines address how she wishes she could move on without any emotional baggage or regrets. She recognizes the beauty of the world around her, even in the midst of emotional turmoil.

Line by Line Meaning

All I can ever be to you is a darkness that we knew
The singer can never mean as much to the person she is addressing as the memories they shared of a dark time.

And this regret I got accustomed to
The singer has learned to become used to the feeling of regret that comes after the end of a relationship.

Once it was so right
At one time, the relationship was perfect.

When we were at our height
The relationship was at its best when the couple were on top of the world.

Waiting for ya in the hotel at night
The singer was waiting for her partner in a hotel at night, showing that their relationship was once passionate.

I knew I hadn't met my match
The singer felt like the person she was with wasn't her equal.

But every moment we could snatch
Despite this, the couple made the most of the time they had together.

I don't know why I got so attached
The singer is questioning why she became so emotionally invested in the relationship.

It's my responsibility
The singer acknowledges that her actions are her own responsibility.

You don't owe nothing to me
The singer understands that her partner doesn't owe her anything.

But to walk away, I have no capacity
Despite this understanding, the singer is having trouble walking away from the relationship.

He walks away
The singer's partner has left her.

The sun goes down
The world keeps turning and time keeps moving forward.

He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)
Even though her partner has left, the singer is mature enough to handle the situation on her own.

And in your way
The singer's partner's absence is still affecting her in some way.

In this blue shade
The singer is feeling melancholy and downhearted.

My tears dry on their own
Despite her sadness, the singer is healing and coming to terms with what has happened on her own.

I don't understand
The singer is confused about her own behavior.

Why do I stress the man
The singer doesn't understand why she is upset with her partner.

When there's so many bigger things at hand?
There are more important things for the singer to focus on than just this one relationship.

We could've never had it all
The relationship was doomed from the beginning, and the singer is just now realizing it.

We had to hit a wall
The relationship ended badly, and the singer had to face this reality.

So this is inevitable withdrawal
The end of the relationship was always going to happen, and the singer is now going through the stages of withdrawal.

Even if I stop wanting you
The singer knows that even if she stops wanting her partner, she will still be affected by the end of the relationship.

And perspective pushes through
As time passes, the singer gains perspective and can start to see the situation more clearly.

I'll be some next man's other woman soon
The singer recognizes that she will move on and be with someone else, but she also has regrets about how she acted in the past relationship.

I cannot play my self again
The singer recognizes that she can't make the same mistakes in future relationships.

I should just be my own best friend
The singer realizes that she needs to focus on herself and her own well-being rather than relying on others for happiness.

Not fuck my self in the head with stupid men
The singer doesn't want to make the same mistakes again and get involved with the wrong people.

So we are history
The relationship is now over and in the past.

Your shadow covers me
The singer is still haunted by memories of the relationship and her ex-partner.

The sky above ablaze
Despite the pain of the breakup, the world and life still go on, as symbolized by the beautiful sky above.

That only lovers see
The beauty of the world is often most apparent to lovers, but now the singer sees it alone.

I wish I could sing no regrets
The singer wishes she could move on from the relationship and have no regrets about how it ended.

And no emotional debt
The singer wishes she didn't have to carry the emotional weight of the failed relationship with her.

'Cause as we kissed goodbye, the sun sets
The end of the relationship was like the end of a day, and now the singer is looking towards a future without her partner.

So we are history
The relationship is now over for good and will become a part of personal history.

Your shadow covers me
Despite trying to move on, the memories of the relationship still loom large for the singer.

The sky above ablaze
Despite the pain of the breakup, there is still beauty in the world.

That only lovers see
The beauty of the world is often most apparent to lovers, but now the singer sees it alone.

He walks away
The singer is left alone by her partner.

The sun goes down
The day comes to an end, as does the relationship.

He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)
Even after the end of the relationship, the singer is mature and independent enough to handle it on her own.

And in your way
The singer's partner still affects her in some ways.

My deep shade
Despite the pain of the breakup, the singer has reached a point of acceptance and healing.

My tears dry on their own, whoa
The singer has come a long way from the sadness and heartbreak of the previous lines.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Amy Winehouse, Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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