Before The World Was Made
Carla Bruni Lyrics


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If I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet
Or ask if all be right

From mirror after mirror
No vanity is displayed
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made

What if I look upon a man
As though on my beloved
And my blood be cold the while
And my heart unmoved?

Why should he think me cruel
Or that he is betrayed?
I'd have him love the thing that was
Before the world was made




I'd have him love the thing that was
Before the world was made

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Carla Bruni's song "Before The World Was Made" portrays a search for a lost identity that existed before the creation of the world. Bruni, in her inimitable style, uses the metaphors of eye, lashes, lips, and mirror to give expression to a deep-seated desire to rediscover a long-lost identity. The lyrics suggest that the modern world, with its vanity, consumer culture, and false images of beauty, has alienated people from their true selves. Bruni, through her song, urges people to look beyond these superficialities, to find what they have lost, and love it unconditionally, in its original form, the way it was 'Before the world was made.'


The lyrics of the song are beautifully crafted, and Bruni shines as a talented lyricist. The first stanza of the song talks about how people try to enhance their physical beauty by making their lashes darker, eyes brighter, and lips more scarlet, but these outward appearances are mere illusions. In reality, they are all searching for the face they had before the world was made. The second stanza talks about how people perceive love in a conditional way, as something they deserve only if they meet specific external criteria. However, Bruni wants people to understand that true love is not conditional, and they should love the thing that was before the world was made, unconditionally.


Overall, "Before The World Was Made" is a beautiful and profound song that urges listeners to look beyond temporal things and search for something more mysterious and valuable: the essence of their being.


Line by Line Meaning

If I make the lashes dark
If I enhance my physical features with makeup


And the eyes more bright
And make my eyes appear brighter


And the lips more scarlet
And color my lips with a bright shade of red


Or ask if all be right
Or question my appearance


From mirror after mirror
As I look at myself repeatedly in mirrors


No vanity is displayed
I do not see any vanity in my actions


I'm looking for the face I had
I am searching for my previous self


Before the world was made
Before my existence in this world


What if I look upon a man
What if I view a man


As though on my beloved
As though I am looking at the one I love


And my blood be cold the while
Even if my emotions are not stirred


And my heart unmoved?
And my heart remains unchanged?


Why should he think me cruel
Why should he consider me to be cruel


Or that he is betrayed?
Or that I have betrayed him?


I'd have him love the thing that was
I would like him to love the version of me


Before the world was made
Before I existed in this world




Lyrics © Global Talent Publishing, DistroKid
Written by: CARLA BRUNI, WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS, BUTLER YEATS WILLIAM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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