This Bitter Earth
Deborah Cox Lyrics


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This bitter earth
Well, what fruit it bears
What good is love
That no one shares

And if my life is like the dust
Mmm, that hides the glow of a rose
What good am I
Heaven only knows

Lord, this bitter earth
Yes, can be so cold
Today you're young
Too soon you're old

But while a voice within me cries
I know heaven will answer my call
And this bitter earth
Ooh, may not be so bitter after all

But while a voice within me cries
I know heaven will answer my call
And this bitter earth




Ooh, it may not be so
bitter after all, ooh

Overall Meaning

The song "This Bitter Earth" by Deborah Cox speaks about the harsh realities of life, particularly about love and time. The opening lines, "This bitter earth, well, what fruit it bears. What good is love that no one shares," suggest that love can be futile if it is not reciprocated. The bitterness of the earth, symbolic of life's struggles, can devalue the love that is not shared with another. The following lines, "And if my life is like the dust, mmm, that hides the glow of a rose, What good am I, Heaven only knows," imply that our individual existence can be insignificant like dust that easily covers something as beautiful as the glow of a rose. The two lines depict the idea that our lives could be meaningless, and we may ask ourselves what good we are to society or to ourselves.


The chorus of the song talks about how life can be cold and how time flies. The lyrics, "Today you're young, too soon you're old," highlight the fleeting nature of our lives. It suggests that time passes by quickly, and before we know it, we are already old. However, the following lines of the chorus, "But while a voice within me cries, I know heaven will answer my call, and this bitter earth ooh, may not be so bitter after all ooh," infer that despite the harsh realities of life, there is still hope for a better tomorrow. The voice within the singer suggests an inner strength, a belief in something greater than herself, and a willingness to rise above the bitter earth.


Line by Line Meaning

This bitter earth
The world can be a painful place to be in, making life feel like a burden.


Well, what fruit it bears
The challenges we face may not bear any valuable fruit or reward for our efforts.


What good is love
Love is only truly good when it's shared with someone else, otherwise it doesn't fulfill its purpose.


That no one shares
When love is not reciprocated or returned, it can make the pain of the world even more unbearable.


And if my life is like the dust
If our lives are short and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, like dust that can be blown away easily.


Mmm, that hides the glow of a rose
Our struggles can overshadow the beauty and hope of life, like a rose that is hidden in the shadows.


What good am I
Our worth and significance in life can come into question when we face struggles that seem to outweigh our successes.


Heaven only knows
Only God knows our true worth and purpose.


Lord, this bitter earth
Addressing God, the pain of the world can be overwhelming and cause us to question our faith.


Yes, can be so cold
The harsh realities of life can be emotionally draining and cold.


Today you're young
Youth is temporary and life can slip away quickly.


Too soon you're old
Life can be fleeting, and before we know it, we may find ourselves old and with regrets.


But while a voice within me cries
Even when everything seems hopeless, there's a voice within us that cries out and keeps us holding on.


I know heaven will answer my call
Faith assures us that there's a God who hears our cries and can answer our prayers.


Ooh, may not be so bitter after all
Even though the world can be painful, there's hope that things may not be as bad or bitter as they seem.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVIE SALAS, STEPHEN L. ALLEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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