Tears to Shed
Danny Elfman Lyrics


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What does that wispy little brat have
That you don't have double?
She can't hold a candle
To the beauty of your smile

How about a pulse?

Overrated by a mile
Overvalued, overblown
If he only knew
The you that we do

And that silly little creature
Isn't wearing his ring
And she doesn't play piano
Or dance, or sing
No she doesn't compare

But she still breaths air

Who cares?
Unimportant, overrated
Overblown, if only he could see
How special you can be
If he only knew the you that we do

If I touch a burning candle
I can feel no pain
If you cut me with a knife
It's still the same

And I know her heart is beating
And I know that I am dead
Yet the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
And it seems I still have a tear to shed

The sole redeeming feature
From that little creature
Is that she's alive, overrated
Overblown, everybody knows
That's just a temporary state
Which is cured very quickly
When we meet our fate

Who cares?
Unimportant, overrated
Overblown, if only he could see
How special you can be
If he only knew the you that we do

If I touch a burning candle
I can feel no pain
In the ice or in the sun
It's all the same

Yet I feel my heart is aching
Thou it doesn't beat, it's breaking
And the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
I know that I am dead




Yet it seems I still have
Some tears to shed

Overall Meaning

The song “Tears to Shed” by Danny Elfman is a beautiful and haunting duet between two ghosts, Victoria and Emily, who are both vying for the affection of Victor, a living man. The song compares the qualities of the two women and asserts the superiority of the deceased Emily over Victoria. The first stanza reflects Victoria's jealousy towards Emily and her belief that Emily does not have any qualities that she lacks. However, Emily's lover, Victor, remarks that the qualities that she has are overrated and overvalued.


The second verse introduces the idea that Emily is dead and yet to feel pain. A burning candle cannot inflict pain on it, and thus, the lyrics convey that Emily is also hurt by Victor's rejection. What is even more poignant about this line is that Emily's heart aches even though it doesn't beat. Emily feels pain and continues to cry despite being dead. The characters' deepest emotions drive the song's action, and it becomes clear that the pain felt in death is genuine, and not something that can be shrugged off.


In conclusion, "Tears to Shed" is a song sung from the perspectives of two ghosts that love the same man. The lyrics' emotions are direct and drive the story. The song's protagonist, Emily, appears to be a superior match for Victor due to her having more personality and a stronger connection to both the dead and the living worlds.


Line by Line Meaning

What does that wispy little brat have That you don't have double?
What makes that slender, insignificant girl special or different from you?


She can't hold a candle To the beauty of your smile How about a pulse?
Her presence and beauty are highly overrated and superficial, what she lacks is a heartbeat.


Overrated by a mile Overvalued, overblown If he only knew The you that we do
The girl’s attributes and beauty are highly exaggerated since they don't know the real you.


And that silly little creature Isn't wearing his ring And she doesn't play piano Or dance, or sing No she doesn't compare But she still breaths air
The girl may lack the talents and qualities that you possess, but unlike you, she is still alive and breathing.


Who cares? Unimportant, overrated Overblown, if only he could see How special you can be If he only knew the you that we do
The girl's value is unimportant and insignificant compared to the real you who they see as special and invaluable.


If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain If you cut me with a knife It's still the same
The singer has already lost their sensitivity to physical pain and therefore could never feel the pain of losing a loved one.


And I know her heart is beating And I know that I am dead Yet the pain here that I feel Try and tell me it's not real And it seems I still have a tear to shed
The singer is in the afterlife and can feel his pain of losing a loved one, and his tears prove that this agony is still real as ever.


The sole redeeming feature From that little creature Is that she's alive, overrated Overblown, everybody knows That's just a temporary state Which is cured very quickly When we meet our fate
The only thing that's good about the girl is that she's still alive, which is a temporary state, because eventually, everyone has to meet their fate and depart.


If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain In the ice or in the sun It's all the same
The artist's loss of sensitivity due to death is impartial to varying degrees of pain like burning a candle or exposure to the extreme cold or sunshine.


Yet I feel my heart is aching Thou it doesn't beat, it's breaking And the pain here that I feel Try and tell me it's not real I know that I am dead Yet it seems I still have Some tears to shed
Although physically dead and devoid of a beating heart, the artist's emotional pain is still raw, evident by the tears in the afterlife.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN MEISE AUGUST, DANNY ELFMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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