Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946) is an American si… Read Full Bio ↴Daryl Hall (born Daryl Franklin Hohl on October 11, 1946) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his collaboration with John Oates in the duo Hall & Oates. He has released five albums as a solo artist: "Sacred Songs" (1980), "Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine" (1986), "Soul Alone" (1993), "Can't Stop Dreaming" (1996) and "Laughing Down Crying" (2011). He has been the host of the web music series "Live from Daryl's House" since 2007.

His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became a fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not like them. He would skip the lessons and ride his bicycle across the bridge from his grandfather's farm over to the heart of the black "Chicken Hill" ghetto, where he could just listen and absorb the music.

In the 1960s, Hall attended Temple University, but did not graduate, preferring instead to spend his time singing on the street corners and play with various musicians and groups. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands. He eventually changed his last name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work as a singer. He first met John Oates at a band competition.

After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which released one eponymous album in 1969 before being dropped from their label.

Daryl is the host of the wildly popular online show entitled "Live From Daryl's House", where Daryl and the band collaborate with artists from various musical genres on the 15th of each month. The first episode aired in 2007, and it's still going strong. Best of all, it's free to watch.

I'M SORRY
Daryl Hall Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why don't you write me
Call me on the phone
Send Western Union
You can find me home

I say I'm sorry
I said I'm sorry

You know I bled you
Led you on a lie
You say I fooled you
Who's the fool tonight

I say I'm sorry
I said I'm sorry
High

Love in motion
Walking on the ocean of your sorrow
Round turned the tables

Lost

I am a man with no tomorrow
Lopsided lovin' got me in the end
Looks like I'm done in
Now there's no pretending

Ooh I'm sorry
I said I'm sorry

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm Sorry" by Daryl Hall is a breakup song that expresses remorse and guilt for leading someone on and ultimately hurting them. In the first verse, the singer suggests ways the person they hurt can communicate with them to resolve the situation, but the singer also admits that their actions may have made the person reluctant to reach out. The chorus repeats the phrase "I say I'm sorry" as the singer takes responsibility for their actions and tries to make amends.

The second verse uses metaphors to describe the situation, saying that the singer "bled" the other person and led them on a "lie." The other person accuses the singer of fooling them, but the singer turns the tables by suggesting that both parties may be fools. The high note on the word "fool" emphasizes the intensity of the emotion involved. The third verse describes the aftermath of the breakup, using the metaphor of walking on the ocean of the other person's sorrow. The singer describes feeling trapped and defeated by the situation, acknowledging that their own flaws led to this outcome.

Overall, the lyrics show a complex mixture of regret, self-blame, and empathy for the other person. The repeated phrase "I say I'm sorry" highlights the importance of communication in repairing the damage done by a breakup, although it's unclear whether the other person is willing to forgive.

Line by Line Meaning

Why don't you write me
Why don't you correspond with me?

Call me on the phone
Communicate with me via telephone

Send Western Union
Use the Western Union service to send me a message

You can find me home
I'll be at home, reachable through these means

I say I'm sorry
I am apologizing

I said I'm sorry
I apologized before

You know I bled you
I took advantage of you

Led you on a lie
I deceived you knowingly

You say I fooled you
You're pointing out how I tricked you

Who's the fool tonight
Who's the one being foolish now

I say I'm sorry
Once again, I'm apologizing

I said I'm sorry
I already apologized

Love in motion
Love is happening and evolving

Walking on the ocean of your sorrow
Navigating the emotionally turbulent waves of your despair

Round turned the tables
The situation has reversed

Lost
Confused and unsure

I am a man with no tomorrow
I have no future prospects, no hope

Lopsided lovin' got me in the end
My unequal affection or romantic approach led to my downfall

Looks like I'm done in
Seems like I'm finished

Now there's no pretending
I can't fake or ignore it anymore

Ooh I'm sorry
Expressing sorrow and remorse once more

I said I'm sorry
I apologized again

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, SONGBOOK MUSIC LLC D/B/A QUAZICAL MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN FREED, ELLAS MCDANIEL, HARVEY FUQUA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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