Diamonds On The Inside
Ben Harper / Jack Johnson Lyrics
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Her name was truth
She was a horrible liar.
She couldn't spend one day alone
But she couldn't be satisfied.
When you have everything,
She made herself
A bed of nails
And she's plannin' on puttin' it to use.
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
A candle throws its light into the darkness
In a nasty world,so shines the good deed
Make sure the fortune, that you seek
Is the fortune you need.
So tell me why, the first to ask, is the last to give, every time
What you say and do not mean
Follow too close behind
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
Diamonds
Like a soldier standing long under fire
Any change comes as a relief.
Let the giver's name remain unspoken
For she is just a generous thief.
But she had diamonds on the inside
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
She wore diamonds
Oh diamonds
She had diamonds
She wore diamonds
Diamonds
This song, "Diamonds On The Inside" by Ben Harper and Jack Johnson, seems to be a commentary on materialism and the nature of happiness. The lyrics introduce us to a girl named Truth, who is a "horrible liar." This could be seen as an allegory for society, which often insists on projecting an image of perfection and success even when it is not true. Truth cannot be satisfied, even with everything because she is constantly seeking more, and is never content with what she has. She makes herself a bed of nails, planning on putting it to use in self-destruction, which may represent the pursuit of materialism at the expense of true happiness.
The lyrics then shift to a more universal message, calling attention to the importance of doing good deeds in a world full of nastiness. The words warn against seeking fortunes of the wrong kind, and encourage us to be genuine in both our words and actions as we navigate through life. The repeating chorus about diamonds on the inside could be interpreted to mean that true value lies within each person, an idea more valuable than material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a girl
There was a girl whom I knew
Her name was truth
She was called 'truth'
She was a horrible liar
Ironically, she was terrible at telling the truth
She couldn't spend one day alone
She had a fear of being alone and couldn't handle it
But she couldn't be satisfied
Nothing could make her content
When you have everything,
If you possess all that you desire,
You have everything to lose
You have everything that is susceptible to being lost
She made herself
She created for herself
A bed of nails
An unpleasant situation with many difficulties
And she's plannin' on puttin' it to use
She intends to utilize this situation
'Cause she had diamonds on the inside
She possessed valuable qualities on the inside
She wore diamonds on the inside
She displayed these valuable qualities
A candle throws its light into the darkness
Amidst darkness, a single light can shine brightly
In a nasty world, so shines the good deed
In a cruel world, a good action stands out
Make sure the fortune, that you seek
Ensure the goal you aim for,
Is the fortune you need
Is what you truly require
So tell me why, the first to ask, is the last to give, every time
Questioning why the first person to ask for aid, is the last to give it
What you say and do not mean
Words that are insincere and not put into action
Follow too close behind
Will catch up with you eventually
Like a soldier standing long under fire
Similar to a soldier taking constant heavy fire
Any change comes as a relief
Any alteration is seen as a positive
Let the giver's name remain unspoken
The benefactor should remain anonymous
For she is just a generous thief
She steals the opportunity to give freely
She wore diamonds on the inside
She exhibited valuable qualities
She had diamonds
She possessed priceless inner traits
She wore diamonds
She displayed valuable internal characteristics
Diamonds
The precious inner qualities she held
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BEN C HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@quadman2005
21 years later and still one of the best songs
@CornfedKillerDude1
"When you have everything...you have everything to lose." No truer words have ever been written. And Ben is just awesome!
@anthonydanaher2146
man is most dangerous when he has nothing to lose also
@AlexKeith7
This song seems easy to play, but the groove and the expression that Ben puts on his guitar are simply unique. Amazing groove.
@SquiggyWigginz
I played the djembe to him playing this on the party patio after party at 97x WOXY radio back in the 90s. We passed around a big joint and a few bowls and life was good. We had no worries that night. Just a great time. I wish you all could have been there. It was about 5 of us.
@jimnelson5842
This song like many other he has written is gold. This man is what song writing should be.
@leduc7912
This track feels so much like the 2000s, looking backwards it was a good time
@MegaDiva1999
I don't think I could like Ben Harper more.So versatile, raw and accomplished. Always hits me
@massrunner
"make sure that the fortune that you seek is the fortune that you need"....... OMG too beuatiful and insightful. Thank you, Ben,
@kelley.
Nostalgia da adolescência. Ben Harper e Jack Johnson são os que mais ouço do Surf Music desde 2007. 🙌