Don't Cry
Deerhunter Lyrics


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Come on, little boy, I am your friend
And I understand the pain you're in.

You've seen your mom come
Come home dreaming.
In the rain when you wash
You can't fade it.
Come on, little boy. You don't need to cry.
You don't need to cry your eyes out.
Cry your eyes out.
Come on, kid! Keep your head up and fight.
You don't need to understand the reasons why
Oh why oh why oh why oh
why oh why oh why oh why oh
why oh why oh why oh why oh





(Your mansions are fading still)
(Your mansions are fading still)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Deerhunter's song Don't Cry are a plea to a young boy who is evidently troubled and in pain. The singer, who seems to be speaking from a place of empathy, tries to console and encourage the boy to keep fighting and not to let his circumstances bring him down. The first two lines, "Come on, little boy, I am your friend/And I understand the pain you're in," immediately set the tone for the rest of the song. It's as if the singer is trying to establish a connection and a sense of trust with the boy.


The second verse describes a distressing situation involving the boy's mother, who comes home dreaming and seemingly struggling with something that the boy cannot understand or help with. The repetitive lines, "In the rain when you wash/You can't fade it" convey a sense of helplessness and frustration, emphasizing the boy's inability to make things better. The chorus follows, repeating the refrain "You don't need to cry your eyes out/Cry your eyes out" and urging the boy to keep his head up and fight.


The last two lines, "Your mansions are fading still," are somewhat cryptic and mysterious. They could be interpreted in different ways, but they seem to suggest that whatever privileges or comforts the boy might have had before are slipping away or losing their importance in the face of his current struggles. Overall, the song is a poignant reminder that pain and hardship are universal experiences, and that sometimes all one needs is a friend to offer support and hope.


Line by Line Meaning

Come on, little boy, I am your friend
I'm here for you and I care about you


And I understand the pain you're in.
I empathize with the hurt that you feel


You've seen your mom come
You've witnessed your mother return


Come home dreaming.
She's come back lost in her own world


In the rain when you wash
You're trying to cleanse yourself in the midst of the storm


You can't fade it.
You can't make the discomfort go away


Come on, little boy. You don't need to cry.
You don't have to express your emotions through tears


You don't need to cry your eyes out.
There are other ways to let it out


Come on, kid! Keep your head up and fight.
Stay strong and persevere


You don't need to understand the reasons why
It's okay if you don't comprehend everything that's happened


Oh why oh why oh why oh
An expression of exasperation and confusion


why oh why oh why oh why oh
Repeat of previous line


why oh why oh why oh why oh
Repeat of previous line


Your mansions are fading still
The things you've built up may not last


Your mansions are fading still
Repeat of previous line




Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC

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