Misery
Billie Holiday Lyrics


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You know, lady
If you could sing this damn song
You′d flip over this tune
I'll play it for you

Do you know "Tony and Tanya Are Still in Misery"?
And my life′s made of misery (No)
Could I dare, I could teach it to you
I promised him I was gon' record it, so

Misery's a part of me
I gave up my soul
And my heart grew cold
Now I cry myself, ′cause I′m despair

I ain't got no damn sheet
Every time we get ready to record




I ain′t got nothing
Promise that boy now for years

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billie Holiday's song Misery are a representation of the pain and suffering that she went through in her personal life. The opening lines express the sentiment that the person listening to the song could potentially connect with the music, despite their differences. The singer then goes on to ask if the listener knows the song "Tony and Tanya Are Still in Misery," which may be a reference to a real-life couple that struggled with their relationship. The singer then states that their life is also full of misery, emphasizing the idea that struggle and hardship are universal experiences.


The singer then speaks to a promise that she made to someone to record a certain song. Perhaps this person was the source of her own misery, or perhaps they were the one who showed her a way out of it. Regardless, the singer states that misery is a part of her, and she has given up her soul to it. Her heart has grown cold as a result, and she finds herself crying in despair.


Overall, the lyrics paint a bleak picture of the singer's inner world, and a sense of resignation and sorrow pervades throughout the song. The use of repetition in emphasizing the idea of misery is especially effective in conveying the deep emotional pain that the singer is experiencing.


Line by Line Meaning

You know, lady
Starting off the conversation


If you could sing this damn song
The singer thinks the song is amazing and wants the person to sing it.


You′d flip over this tune
The person would fall in love with the song after singing it.


I'll play it for you
The artist will play the song for the person.


Do you know "Tony and Tanya Are Still in Misery"?
The artist asks if the person has heard of the song named Tony and Tanya Are Still in Misery.


And my life′s made of misery (No)
The singer's life is miserable and filled with sadness.


Could I dare, I could teach it to you
The singer offers to teach the person the song that they mentioned earlier.


I promised him I was gon' record it, so
The artist made a promise to someone to record the song.


Misery's a part of me
The artist has accepted that misery is a part of their life.


I gave up my soul
The artist has lost their spirit and has no hope.


And my heart grew cold
The singer has become emotionally numb.


Now I cry myself, ′cause I′m despair
The artist cries alone because of the overwhelming sadness they feel.


I ain't got no damn sheet
The singer has no written music for the song.


Every time we get ready to record
Recording the song has been attempted multiple times.


I ain′t got nothing
The singer has no progress of the song despite all their efforts.


Promise that boy now for years
The artist has made a commitment to someone for years and hasn't documented the song yet.




Writer(s): Tony Scott

Contributed by Tristan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Anonymous


on As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By - Anna Nalick - Lyrics

You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by

And when two lovers woo
They still say, "I love you"
On that, you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by

Moonlight and love songs, never out of date
Hearts full of passion, jealousy, and hate
Woman needs man, and man must have his mate
That no one can deny

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

Musical Interlude

Moonlight and love songs, never out of date
Hearts full of passion, jealousy, and hate
Woman needs man, and man must have mate
That no one can deny

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

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