Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is an American music group, ori… Read Full Bio ↴Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is an American music group, originally formed in 1967 in New York City. Since its beginnings in 1967, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles. What the band is most known for, from its start, is the fusing of rock, blues, pop music, horn arrangements and jazz improvisation into a hybrid that came to be known as "jazz-rock". Unlike "jazz fusion" bands, which tend toward virtuostic displays of instrumental facility and some experimentation with electric instruments, the songs of Blood, Sweat & Tears merged the stylings of rock, pop and R&B/soul music with big band, while also adding elements of 20th Century Classical and small combo jazz traditions.

My Days Are Numbered
Blood Sweat & Tears Lyrics

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I woke up and found
No one beside me
No hand to hold onto
And no lips to guide me
What a hard world to face
In the light of an angry sun
Ain't it hard to get on,
If you ain't got that someone

And it seems that my days are numbered
Down to a precious few
People I know that
My days are numbered
'cause I can't get it back together
Without you
I see the heaven moonlight
See it drippin' down my window
Flowing like a river
Through the tears that I have cried
I gotta find myself, hey
A reason to go on living
But you can't breathe life into somethin'
That's already died

Hey Hey

I got ta tell you right now
Every morning (fades)

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Blood Sweat & Tears's song My Days Are Numbered, "I woke up and found/No one beside me/No hand to hold onto/And no lips to guide me," paint a picture of a person waking up alone, without anyone to offer them comfort or guidance. The harsh reality of this realization is reflected in the next lines, "What a hard world to face/In the light of an angry sun/Ain't it hard to get on/If you ain't got that someone." The singer is commenting on how difficult it is to face the world without someone to rely on, and how the day feels like it's already off to a rough start before it's even properly begun.

The next verse, "And it seems that my days are numbered/Down to a precious few/People I know that/My days are numbered/'cause I can't get it back together/Without you," reveals that the singer believes their life is in danger, or that they are on the verge of giving up. They feel that their days are numbered, and that they can't get their life back in order without the person they are missing. The idea that life is short and precious is emphasized by the phrase "down to a precious few."

The final verse, "I see the heaven moonlight/See it drippin' down my window/Flowing like a river/Through the tears that I have cried/I gotta find myself, hey/A reason to go on living/But you can't breathe life into somethin'/That's already died," is a poetic reflection on the singer's state of mind. They see the moonlight as a symbol of hope, but it's mixed with tears, which implies that their search for meaning in life is paired with sadness. The final line is a poignant commentary on the idea that some things can't be fixed once they're broken.

Line by Line Meaning

I woke up and found
Upon awakening, there was no one beside me, to hold me or guide me. It's a daunting world to face without the comfort of a significant other.

What a hard world to face
This world is challenging, especially when faced alone.

In the light of an angry sun
The sun shines down, hot and angry, adding to the difficulty of coping with life's challenges.

Ain't it hard to get on,
It is tough to move forward,

If you ain't got that someone
Without the support of a loved one or companion.

And it seems that my days are numbered
It appears that life may be coming to a close soon.

Down to a precious few
Time on this earth may be coming to an end shortly.

People I know that
I am aware that

My days are numbered
My time on this earth is limited

'cause I can't get it back together
Because I can't seem to pull myself together.

Without you
Without the support of a loved one or companion.

I see the heaven moonlight
I see the soft glow of the moonlight above.

See it drippin' down my window
The moonlight seeps through my window, casting a soft glow on my surroundings.