Don't Pity Me
Bert Jansch & Jacqui Mcshee Lyrics
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And sorrow hides the longing to be free
When things go wrong each day
You fix your mind to 'scape your misery
Your troubled young life
Had made you turn
To a needle of death
How strange, your happy words
Have ceased to bring a smile from everyone
How tears have filled the eyes
Of friends that you once had walked among
Your troubled young life
Had made you turn
To a needle of death
One grain of pure white snow
Dissolved in blood spread quickly to your brain
In peace your mind withdraws
Your death so near your soul can't feel no pain
Your troubled young life
Had made you turn
To a needle of death
Your mother stands a'cryin'
While to the earth your body's slowly cast
Your father stands in silence
Caressing every young dream of the past
Your troubled young life
Had made you turn
To a needle of death
Through ages, man's desires
To free his mind, to release his very soul
Has proved to all who live
That death itself is freedom for evermore
And your troubled young life
Will make you turn
To a needle of death
The song "Needle of Death" by Bert Jansch is a powerful track that talks about the dangers of drug use and how it can lead to a tragic end. The lyrics speak to the feeling of sadness and sorrow that can take over someone's life when they feel trapped by their circumstances. The line "When things go wrong each day, you fix your mind to 'scape your misery" captures the state of mind of someone who turns to drugs as a means of escape.
The lyrics also talk about the toll that drug use can take on relationships. The lines "How strange, your happy words have ceased to bring a smile from everyone, how tears have filled the eyes of friends that you once had walked among" show how drug use can isolate people and lead them to push away the people who care about them.
The final part of the song talks about the inevitability of death and how it can seem like a release from the pain of living. The lines "Through ages, man's desires to free his mind, to release his very soul, has proved to all who live that death itself is freedom for evermore" speak to the idea that death can be seen as a way to transcend earthly problems and find eternal peace.
Overall, "Needle of Death" is a hauntingly beautiful song that delivers a powerful message about the dangers of drug use and the toll that it can take on both individuals and their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
When sadness fills your heart
Your heart is filled with sadness
And sorrow hides the longing to be free
You are hiding your desire to be free with sorrow
When things go wrong each day
Things go wrong for you every day
You fix your mind to 'scape your misery
You focus your mind on escaping your misery
Your troubled young life
Your life has had many difficult experiences
Had made you turn
Has caused you to turn
To a needle of death
To heroin, which ultimately led to your death
How strange, your happy words
It is odd that your happy words
Have ceased to bring a smile from everyone
No one is smiling anymore when you say your happy words
How tears have filled the eyes
Tears now fill the eyes of those around you
Of friends that you once had walked among
Your friends from the past can no longer bear to see your suffering
One grain of pure white snow
A small amount of heroin
Dissolved in blood spread quickly to your brain
When injected, it spreads quickly through the bloodstream to your brain
In peace your mind withdraws
Your mind becomes peaceful
Your death so near your soul can't feel no pain
You are so close to death that you no longer feel any pain
Your mother stands a'cryin'
Your mother is crying
While to the earth your body's slowly cast
Your body is being buried in the ground
Your father stands in silence
Your father is standing silently
Caressing every young dream of the past
Thinking back on the dreams and aspirations of your youth
Through ages, man's desires
Throughout history, people have desired
To free his mind, to release his very soul
To free their thoughts and release their spirit
Has proved to all who live
Has shown everyone
That death itself is freedom for evermore
That death is the only true freedom
And your troubled young life
Your life has been filled with difficulties
Will make you turn
Will eventually cause you to turn
To a needle of death
To heroin and eventual death
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERT JANSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind