Say You Will
Ben Harper Innocent Criminals Lyrics
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If it takes all night
We won't have to be alone
If you say you will
Like Marie Antoinette
Said to Louis XVI
Man I think we're going down
And I'm afraid slim just left town
Now you've had me hanging
All on your line
But I know all too well
Love ain't nothin' but
A worried mind
I love you like
A candle loves a flame
Like a crying man
That has no shame
When you hit me I feel no pain
Like the last days that remain
Say you will
In "Say You Will," Ben Harper is singing about the desperation that comes with wanting someone to stay with you despite the circumstances. The song’s opening lyrics, “Baby say it’s all right, If it takes all night, We won’t have to be alone, If you say you will,” sets the tone of longing and determination for the listener. He’s appealing to his lover to stay with him through the night and assuring her that they don’t have to be alone if only she’ll agree to it.
The lyrics, “Like Marie Antoinette, Said to Louis XVI, Man I think we’re going down, Our chances are slim and none, And I’m afraid slim just left town,” are a fitting analogy of their situation. Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were the ill-fated couple who lost their lives during the French Revolution, and in this song, Harper seems to suggest that there’s a sense of defeatism related to their relationship. He seems to believe that their chances of success were slim from the very beginning, and that the odds are now fully against them.
Harper’s lyrics also address the power dynamic between the two. His lover keeps him hanging on a string, but he knows that love is nothing but a worried mind. Despite this knowledge, he’s still determined to hold on to the relationship, as evidenced by the lyric, “I love you like, A candle loves a flame, Like a crying man, That has no shame, When you hit me, I feel no pain, Like the last days that remain, Say you will.”
Line by Line Meaning
Baby say it's all right
The singer wants reassurance from their partner.
If it takes all night
The singer is willing to wait until their partner is ready.
We won't have to be alone
Being together is important to the singer.
If you say you will
The artist is depending on their partner to make a commitment.
Like Marie Antoinette
The artist is comparing their situation with an historical figure who faced a dire outcome.
Said to Louis XVI
Marie Antoinette spoke to her husband, the King of France, about their dire situation.
Man I think we're going down
The singer is worried about the future of their relationship.
Our chances are slim and none
The artist believes that their chances of success are very low.
And I'm afraid slim just left town
The artist is emphasizing how little hope they have.
Now you've had me hanging
The artist has been left in a state of uncertainty.
All on your line
Their partner has been in control of the relationship.
But I know all too well
The artist is familiar with how love can make one worry.
Love ain't nothin' but
The singer is making a statement about the nature of love.
A worried mind
Love can cause a lot of stress and anxiety.
I love you like
The singer is expressing their deep feelings for their partner.
A candle loves a flame
The love between the artist and their partner is intense and passionate.
Like a crying man
The artist is comparing their emotional state to that of someone who is crying.
That has no shame
The singer is ok with expressing their emotions openly.
When you hit me I feel no pain
The singer would do anything for their partner and is willing to endure hardship for their love.
Like the last days that remain
The artist is emphasizing the intensity of their love and the importance of being together.
Say you will
The artist is asking their partner to commit to the relationship.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: LEON LEWIS MOBLEY, BEN C HARPER, OLIVER FRANCIS CHARLES, MICHAEL B. WARD, JUAN DWAYNE NELSON, JASON CONRAD YATES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind