Producer Salaam Remi explained to Complex in November 2011 why they chose to revamp the song to the version heard on "Back to Black", saying:
I listened to the song and loved it, but at the same time we had so many down-tempo songs — such as “Love is a Losing Game,” Wake Up Alone,“ there were so many things in that mood, "Just Friends’” before we put the reggae to it. […] So I was like, ‘You know what? We need some more up-tempos.“ And I proposed the idea of taking the song and adjusting it to fit to the Marvin Gaye Tammi Terrell, Ashford and Simpson "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” track. So Amy danced with it for a few days and then figured out what I was hearing, to now make that song be the version that many people have grown to love.
Tears Dry
Amy Winehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the darkness we once knew
And this deep regret I had to get accustomed to
Once it felt so right
Anticipation at its height
Lived and waited in hotel rooms late at night
I knew I hadn't met my match
I don't know why I let myself get so attached
It's my responsibility
And you don't owe nothing to me
But to cut myself off I had no capacity
He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day but I'm grown
And in your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
I don't understand
Why do I stress a man
When there's so many better things than him at hand
We could have never had it all
We had to hit a wall
And this is inevitable withdrawal
Even if I stop wanting you
A perspective pushes through
I'll be some next man's other woman soon
I cannot play myself again
I should just be my own best friend
Not fuck myself in the head with stupid men
He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
Wish I could say no regrets
And no emotional debt
And as we kiss goodbye
The sun behind you sets
So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above
A blaze that only lovers see
He walks away
The sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
And in your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
He walks away
The whole sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown
Baby, in your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
Yeah, leave your grey to shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
In your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
In your grey
In this cool shade
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
The lyrics of "Tears Dry" by Amy Winehouse tell a story of a past relationship that has come to an end, but the singer is still struggling to move on. Winehouse uses the metaphor of tears drying on their own to suggest that time has passed, and she has begun to heal from the pain of the breakup.
The lyrics begin by describing the relationship as something that was once exciting and full of anticipation, but has now faded into darkness and regret. Winehouse describes waiting in hotel rooms late at night, suggesting a sense of loneliness and longing for the other person.
As the song continues, Winehouse reflects on the fact that the relationship was ultimately doomed, and that she was probably better off without the other person. She muses on the idea that there are "so many better things than him at hand" and that she should focus on being her own best friend, rather than obsessing over men who don't treat her well.
The chorus of the song is the most memorable part, with Winehouse repeating the line "he walks away, the sun goes down, he takes the day but I'm grown" over and over again. This repetition adds to the sense of sadness and resignation that permeates the song, but also suggests that Winehouse is ready to move on and grow from the experience.
Overall, "Tears Dry" is a poignant and emotional song that explores the pain of a past relationship, but also suggests that healing and growth are possible.
Line by Line Meaning
All I can ever be to you
I have come to terms with the fact that our relationship cannot be more than what it was
Is the darkness we once knew
All that remains between us is the memory of the past and the regrets that still linger
And this deep regret I had to get accustomed to
I have learned to live with the pain and the sorrow that comes with losing you
Once it felt so right
In the beginning of our relationship, everything felt perfect and promising
Anticipation at its height
The excitement and thrill of being with you was at its peak
Lived and waited in hotel rooms late at night
I have spent countless nights waiting for you to show up and make things right between us
I knew I hadn't met my match
I realized that you were not the one for me and we were not meant to be together
With every moment we could snatch
We tried to make the most of our time together, even though we both knew it was limited
I don't know why I let myself get so attached
I cannot explain why I fell so deeply in love with you, despite all the warning signs
It's my responsibility
I take full responsibility for my actions and the consequences that followed
And you don't owe nothing to me
I understand that you are not obligated to love me or stay by my side
But to cut myself off I had no capacity
I found it hard to let go of you and move on with my life
He walks away
You have decided to leave and walk away from our relationship
The sun goes down
The end of our relationship marks the end of a chapter in my life
He takes the day but I'm grown
I have grown and become stronger through this experience
And in your grey
I am reminded of you every time I see the color grey or something that reminds me of you
In this cool shade
I find solace in the cool shade, away from the heat of our relationship and the pain it brought
My tears dry on their own (tears dry on their own)
I have cried many tears over our failed relationship, but with time, they will dry up and I will move on
I don't understand
I cannot comprehend why I continue to put so much stress on a man who does not love me
Why do I stress a man
I am putting too much pressure on you to love me when it is clear that we are not meant to be together
When there's so many better things than him at hand
There are many other things in life that are more important than our failed relationship
We could have never had it all
Our relationship was doomed from the start and it was inevitable that it would end in failure
We had to hit a wall
Our relationship came to a sudden stop and there was nothing we could do to save it
And this is inevitable withdrawal
It is hard to let go of someone you love, but it is necessary for both of us to move on with our lives
Even if I stop wanting you
Even if I no longer love you, the memory of our relationship will always be with me
A perspective pushes through
I will eventually gain a new perspective on our relationship and be able to move on
I'll be some next man's other woman soon
I recognize that I need to move on from our relationship and find someone who truly loves and respects me
I cannot play myself again
I cannot continue to deceive myself and fall for men who I know will only hurt me
I should just be my own best friend
I should prioritize my own well-being and happiness, and not rely on others for validation and love
Not fuck myself in the head with stupid men
I should not let myself be manipulated or hurt by men who are not worth my time
Wish I could say no regrets
I wish that I did not have any regrets about our failed relationship, but unfortunately, I do
And no emotional debt
I wish that I did not feel emotionally burdened by our failed relationship, but unfortunately, I do
And as we kiss goodbye
As we part ways and say our final goodbyes to each other
The sun behind you sets
The sun setting behind you represents the end of our relationship and the beginning of a new chapter in my life
So we are history
Our relationship is now a thing of the past and it is time for us to move on
Your shadow covers me
Even though you are gone, your memory still haunts me and affects me in many ways
The sky above
The sky represents a new beginning and a fresh start
A blaze that only lovers see
The passion and intensity of our relationship was something that only we could understand and appreciate
Yeah, leave your grey to shade
I do not want to be reminded of you every time I see the color grey or something that reminds me of you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Amy Winehouse, Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kaila1163
[Produced by Salaam Remi]
[Verse 1]
All I can ever be to you is the darkness that we knew
And this regret I've got accustomed to
Once it was so right, when we were at our height
Waiting for you 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
And you don't owe nothing to me
But to walk away, I have no capacity
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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 myself again
I should just be my own best friend
Not fuck myself in the head with stupid men
[Bridge]
So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
I wish I could say no regrets
And no emotional debts
'Cause as we kiss goodbye, the sun sets
So we are history, the shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze that only lovers see
[Chorus]
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
Woah, 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
[Outro]
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
@unicornvggghhu4285
i hate it when people say she was just irresponsible and stupid. she purposefully took too much alcohol, she knew that her heart couldn't take any more, she was told by doctors. It was her last resort because she didn't know how else to escape, so don't just say she was wreckless with drugs. she had a very hard life, she struggled with bulimia and depression since 15. Even when she needed a break, no one told her to stop. Her OWN dad told her to carry on with touring only so more money would come in. No one understood her struggle. when she took to drugs in the form of escape, the media only crushed her more. someone can only take so much.
@twinzRus2ooo
+Abigail Thomson Amy Winehouse <3
@janelleetsitty36
+Abigail Thomson ...well said...you nailed girl!
Years of bulimia was the trigger, affects the ticker and the addictions were too much; heart failure.
@EyefyourGf
+Abigail Thomson I agree with you 100% i watched the movie,and i couldn't believe how her dad acted with her,it made me sad,she just needed some help,and break from all this shit she was going trough,i'm really pissed she died so young,even if she didn't created single album she had so much life ahead,R.I.P Amy
@Indo_Lee_1992
+Abigail Thomson Niice said sweetheart you know how the pieces fall in there place :)
@pantamal9
+Abigail Thomson Well said, in such cases people always know and in the end might choose their way to die, surrendering to their greatest passions, those bad habits. I believe this attitude is truly unperceivable for people who have never been involved in such stuff.
@DucMeLana
amy's eyeliner will always be iconic.
@alinanistor1429
I tried to do the same eyeliner but it doesn t fit me well 😅😅
@GrayRabbit
Umm havent you seen her hair?
@DucMeLana
Nicoly Gregorio we always talk about her hair. period. Dont we?