Cupid
Ben E. King Lyrics

I read the news today oh boy,
The singer reads the news of a tragic event.

About a tragic comedy
The event is both tragic and ironic.

Newspaper hinted suicide,
The newspaper suggested the victim committed suicide.

The letterhead read Dear Johnny
The letter addressed to the victim was specifically directed at him.

A tainted truth was all it said,
The letter contained a distorted version of the truth.

Sleep tight now that
The singer mocks the victim with this sarcastic comment.

You've made your bed
The victim is responsible for their own fate.

An arrow that once pierced your heart
Love, which once caused the victim pain, is now ironic.

Points to the apple on your head
The victim is now vulnerable (like William Tell).

Three sides to every story
There are multiple perspectives to any given event.

Yours, mine
The singer and victim have different interpretations of the event.

And, Monday morning's
The media's version of the story may differ from both the artist and victim's version.

CUPID'S DEAD, HEADLINES READ,
The chorus repeats this phrase and laments Cupid's death.

Oh, Romeo, Oh, Romeo
The singer addresses a lover named Romeo.

Where did our love go, Romeo?
The love between the singer and Romeo has ended.

If you read between the headlines,
The truth is not always apparent from media coverage.

You wouldn't be the last to know
The artist implies that the victim was not aware of the full truth.

No mystery yet to unfold,
The story's ending is clear.

A paperboy left in the cold
The paperboy is ignored in the drama.

A love was said to never die,
Love was once considered eternal.

Withered away and just got old
Their love has ended and is now irrelevant.

is a crime of passion
The media labels the event as a heat-of-the-moment crime.

The victim, an unidentified man,
The victim is unnamed and anonymous.

is found in bed, wearing only a diaper,
The victim was in bed when they died and wearing unusual clothing.

holding a bow an arrow in one hand,
The victim clutched a signifier of their former love.

and clutching a letter in the other.
The letter was the victim's final statement.

The letter simply read ...
The letter was brief.

CUPID'S DEAD.'
The letter announces Cupid's death.

Extra, extra, extra,
The artist shouts the attention-grabbing exclamation of newsboys.

read all about it
The singer invites others to read the news.

Cupid is dead, deceased,
The death of love is symbolized by Cupid's demise.

I got peace of mind
The artist has found peace after their failed love.

Still it's hard to forget,
The artist admits that past emotions linger.

what it leaves behind
The memory of the past creates lasting impact.

A lot of love lost,
The love died.

your feelings are wasted,
The artist complains that their emotions were in vain.

tasted the sweetness,
The singer recalls the joy of previous love.

but now you're faced with,
The contrast between past and present is harsh.

the thought, of being alone
The singer is now alone.

Nor more companionship,
The artist's companionship has ended.

you can handle it,
The artist can surmount their loneliness.

just abandon it,
The singer leaves behind past love.

leave it behind,
The singer directs the listener to leave past love behind.

and look for the brighter day
The future is more optimistic.

Give it some time,
The artist encourages the listener to be patient.

cause it won't come right away
The artist warns the listener that change may be slow.

You gotta be standing strong,
The singer advocates for resilience.

hold on to your dignity
The artist says the listener should retain their self-respect.

Don't sit around,
The singer admonishes the listener to take action.

saying look what ya did to me
The singer discourages the listener from placing blame.

It's time to move on,
The singer recommends action in the present.

you gotta continue
The artist suggests moving forward.

to look for a love,
The artist advises the search for new love.

of a life that's within you
The singer urges the listener to find fulfillment from within.

Cupid is dead now,
The chorus repeats the first line and lamenting Cupid's death.

it's time to rely on,
The death of love means relying on oneself.

yourself to cope
The artist says the listener is capable of handling the situation.

You got no shoulder to cry on
The listener must rely on themselves instead of others.

DEAD
The song ends with this final statement.