Secret Garden
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics


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She'll let you in her house
If you come knockin' late at night
She'll let you in her mouth
If the words you say are right

If you pay the price
She'll let you deep inside
But there's a secret garden she hides

She'll let you in her car
To go drivin' round
She'll let you into the parts of herself
That'll bring you down

She'll let you in herheart
If you got a hammer and a vise
But into her secret garden, don't think twice

You've gone a million miles
How far'd you get
To that place where You can't remember
And you can't forget

She'll lead you down a path
There'll be tenderness in the air
She'll let you come just far enough
So you know she's really there
She'll look at you and smile
And her eyes will say
She's got a secret garden
Where everything you want
Where everything you need




Will always stay
A million miles away

Overall Meaning

Bruce Springsteen's Secret Garden is a song that speaks on the complexity of a woman who is both easy to open up and hard to truly understand. Springsteen paints a picture of a woman who is willing to give bits and pieces of herself away, but there is a part of her that remains mysterious and ultimately off-limits, her secret garden. The lyrics suggest that this woman is someone you could be attracted to on many levels, emotionally, physically, and mentally. She is someone who wants to believe in love, but she can also be guarded and cautious. The lyrics suggest that the only way to get to this elusive secret garden is to pay a price, but what that is remains unclear. It could refer to the effort and patience required to truly understand someone, or it could mean something more tangible.


Springsteen also emphasizes the idea that this journey is one that has been taken many times before. The phrase "you've gone a million miles, how far'd you get?" implies that many people, including the singer, have tried and failed to reach the woman's secret garden. It suggests that something so precious and hidden will always be just out of reach, that there is an insurmountable distance to be crossed.


Overall, the lyrics of Secret Garden paint a picture of a woman who is tantalizingly close, but ultimately out of reach. The song explores the possibility of love, the fear of vulnerability, and the idea that no matter how much we try to connect with someone, there is always something just beyond our grasp.


Line by Line Meaning

She'll let you in her house
She's willing to open up and let you into her personal space.


If you come knockin' late at night
It doesn't matter when you show up, she'll be there for you.


She'll let you in her mouth
If you say the right things, she'll be willing to show affection.


If the words you say are right
Your words and actions must be genuine and sincere to win her over.


If you pay the price
You have to earn her trust and affection by putting in the work.


She'll let you deep inside
She'll allow you to see the parts of her that most people don't get to see.


But there's a secret garden she hides
There's a part of herself that she doesn't show to anyone.


She'll let you in her car
She's willing to take you on a journey with her.


To go drivin' round
She wants to share experiences and make memories together.


She'll let you into the parts of herself
There are aspects of her that few people get to explore.


That'll bring you down
There are unpredictable parts of her that may cause pain or heartache.


She'll let you in her heart
She's willing to give you her love and affection.


If you got a hammer and a vise
She wants to know that you can handle tough situations and provide stability.


But into her secret garden, don't think twice
Don't hesitate to explore the parts of her that she keeps hidden.


You've gone a million miles
You've been on a journey to find yourself and your place in the world.


How far'd you get
But have you really found what you're looking for?


To that place where You can't remember
To the place where your memories fade and you're left with uncertainty.


And you can't forget
To the place where the past haunts you and you can't move on.


She'll lead you down a path
She'll guide you through the unknown and uncertain parts of life.


There'll be tenderness in the air
She'll provide a comforting and caring atmosphere.


She'll let you come just far enough
She'll allow you to get close but not too close.


So you know she's really there
To let you know that she's here for you and you're not alone.


She'll look at you and smile
She'll show you her genuine emotions and intentions.


And her eyes will say
You'll see in her eyes that she has something special to share with you.


She's got a secret garden
She has a mysterious and intriguing side to her personality and life.


Where everything you want
In this garden, you can find everything you've been searching for.


Where everything you need
It's a place where you can find what truly fulfills your life and desires.


Will always stay
This place will always be there for you, a constant in a changing world.


A million miles away
But to get there, it's a journey that takes time and distance to travel.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@AbdelhakAllal

Song,,;
She'll let you in her house
If you come knocking late at night
She'll let you in her mouth
If the words you say are right
If you pay the price
She'll let you deep inside
But there's a secret garden she hides

She'll let you in her car
To go drivin' 'round
She'll let you into the parts of herself
That'll bring you down
She'll let you in her heart
If you got a hammer and a vise
But into the secret garden, don't think twice

You've gone a million miles
How far'd you get?
That place where you can't remember
And you can't forget

She'll lead you down the path
There'll be tenderness in the air
She'll let you come just far enough
So you know she's really there
And she'll look at you and smile
And her eyes will say
She's got a secret garden

Where everything you want
Where everything you need
Will always stay
A million miles away



All comments from YouTube:

@bipinbimali

Believe it or not!!!
This song just takes you on a first second.

@jesuslovesgrits

When people ask what song best describes you as a person, this is it for me.

@omanmc

One of his best, somehow unforgotten treasure

@edlonge

I feel at peace closing my eyes and layering to this song, even if it’s only temporary. Thank you for posting it!

@heroicmedicine1

Reading these comments I feel like this is another slightly misunderstood Springsteen song. It’s about how even if you love someone and know them better than anyone, there’s always a part of them they will keep hidden from you. You’ll never know them completely, no matter how much you want to and how much you try. It’s beautiful and sad and true. But it’s not some purely joyful love song.

@DG-ee9hi

Maybe. Depends on how you interpret and handle the last million miles away.

@jahaziellanceramos3194

This is for the love of our lives..to all woman out there❤

@dale7933

This song takes me away from this place,to somewhere I can't explain,however it's euphoric and I like it

@raiders45coll69

The movie Jerry Maguire used this song brilliantly.

@MariaCarter-jf2qc

A woman's heart is a secret garden, it's full of secrets from the past and only those who truly love her will ever see it!

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