Tracks Of My Tears
Aretha Franklin Lyrics
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Beause I tell a joke or two
Well although I may be laughin' loud and hearty
Deep inside I'm blue
So take a good look at my face
You see that my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
I need you, need you
Since you left, if you see me with someone else
Actin' like I'm havin' big fun
Well although he may look fine
He's not really mine
You're the only one
So take a good look at my face
You see that my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears
I'm masquerading
My heart is fading
Since you put me down
My smile is my makeup
I wear since my breakup with you
Baby, take just a one good look at my face
And see that my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer it's so easy to trace
The tracks of my tears
Oh, baby, take just one look at my face
You see that my smile is out of place
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
The tracks of most tears
Oh oh, one look at my face
You see that my smile seems out of place
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
Aretha Franklin's soulful version of Tracks Of My Tears is a poignant tale of loneliness and heartbreak. The lyrics reflect a person who seems happy and carefree on the surface but is struggling with deep emotions inside. The singer describes how others think she is the "life of the party" because of her jokes and laughter. However, they hide the sorrow and misery that continues to haunt her. The lyrics reveal her constant feeling of pain and the traces it leaves on her.
The chorus starts by diving deeper into the singer's emotional turmoil. The lines "So take a good look at my face / You see that my smile seems out of place / And if you look closer, it's easy to trace / The tracks of my tears" emphasize the contrast between her external façade and internal reality. The singer pleads for attention from the person she loves, letting them know how much they mean to her. The verses following the chorus describe her heartbreaking struggle to move on from the person she loves. She tries to pretend that she's having fun with other people, but it's all a masquerade. The song ends with the same lyrics as the chorus, highlighting the ongoing internal struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
People say I'm the life of the party
People think I'm happy and having fun when I am around them
Because I tell a joke or two
I use humor as a way to hide my true feelings from others
Well although I may be laughin' loud and hearty
Even though I am laughing loudly and appearing to have fun, there is sadness within me
Deep inside I'm blue
I am deeply sad inside
So take a good look at my face
If you observe me closely
You see that my smile seems out of place
You will notice that my smile does not match my true emotions
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
If you pay closer attention, you can see the evidence of my sadness
The tracks of my tears
The evidence of my emotional pain and sadness
Since you left, if you see me with someone else
After you left me, if you witness me with another person
Actin' like I'm havin' big fun
Appearing to be having a great time
Well although he may look fine
Even though the other person looks good and attractive
He's not really mine
The other person is not truly mine; you are the only one I want
I'm masquerading
I am pretending to be happy and unaffected
My heart is fading
I am losing hope and feeling helpless
Since you put me down
Since you broke up with me and left me alone
My smile is my makeup
My facade of happiness and humor is my only protection
I wear since my breakup with you
This is the only way I can cope with the pain of losing you
Baby, take just a one good look at my face
Please look at me closely
And see that my smile seems out of place
You will notice that my smile is not genuine
And if you look closer it's so easy to trace
It is very obvious, even with just a little observation
The tracks of my tears
The evidence of my pain and sadness
Oh, baby, take just one look at my face
Please just take one moment to truly see me
You see that my smile is out of place
You can see that my smile is not authentic
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
If you pay attention, you can see the evidence of my sorrow
The tracks of most tears
The unmistakable sign of my deep pain and grief
Oh oh, one look at my face
Please, just look at me
You see that my smile seems out of place
You will see that something is not right
And if you look closer it's easy to trace
If you pay attention, you will see the evidence of my heartache
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marvin Tarplin, Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marlon Berend
There's only one Queen of soul....all others cannot stand in the shadow of this iconic woman....
Ms. Capone
Her emotional delivery is so powerful. You can feel the agony.
jjaniero
gorgeous arrangement by the great arif mardin
donald frierson
Smokey was her best friend in life. She pays tribute here with his song "Tracks of My Tears" from her best album (in my opinion). Great musicans on this led by the great King Curtis.
The Godblogger
Producer Jerry Wexler assembled what were mostly jazz sidemen to record for this. There were no A-side singles released from Soul '69 but "Tracks of My Tears" and "Gentle On My Mind" were used as B-sides for a couple of singles released in 1969. Curiously enough both Tracks and Gentle charted on the lower half of the Hot 100 that year. Aretha's momentum had slowed a bit from 1967-1968 but she was still a BEAST. Still my all-time favorite vocalist.
AdrinaJohnson
She tore this up!
AdrinaJohnson
Michael Walters you’re mad!
Brenda Logan
I know Smokey was good but there's never been anyone like Aretha!
Mohammed GUEDOUAR
la chanson est tellement belle qu' elle pourrait se passer de tout commentaire. Pardon pour tous les commentateurs. Personnellement je ne trouve pas les mots. La beauté de la chanson est au- dessus d' eux!
Rich One
SELAH… Pause and enjoy the nostalgic soul. Good Lord.