The Promise
Duran Duran Lyrics


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Those tears on a gaping voice
Who's stretching arms match the hunger of mine
These lips will they never join
But always draw me closer and further entwined

With a promise dealer, understand all freedoms fade away
To a point of view where many different pathways meet
And we're standing on this precipice with nothing much to save
But the deep blue screams of falling dreams with our next move

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)
Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

The shades of a thousand steel
Come flashing by my face in the fury of war
In desolation and abandoned fields
The hungry make their stand when they'll stand for no more

Hear the passion in their voices, see the heaven in their eyes
(Heaven in their eyes)
Their hopes and schemes are waiting dreams of less than paradise
(Less than paradise)
And sometimes we make promises we never mean to keep
(Never mean to keep)
And blackmail is the only deal a promise dealer sees

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)
Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)
Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)
Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)
Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

Heaven hide your eyes
(Heaven hide your eyes)




Heaven's eyes will never dry
(They will never dry)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Duran Duran's song The Promise are packed with vivid imagery and emotional depth. The song itself is about promises, freedom and sacrifice. The opening lines of “Those tears on a gaping voice, who's stretching arms match the hunger of mine” conjure up vivid images of two individuals who are yearning for each other yet are unable to come together. The tears on the "gaping voice" perhaps indicate a deep desire that cannot be fulfilled, while the "stretching arms" suggest that the person is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.


The lyrics then shift to a more political and societal context, with the reference to "shades of a thousand steel" and "the fury of war". The lines "the hungry make their stand when they'll stand for no more" suggest that people will rise up and fight against oppression when pushed to their limits. This then leads to the powerful chorus, with the repetition of "Heaven hide your eyes, Heaven's eyes will never dry". This can be interpreted as a plea for divine intervention in a world that is filled with suffering and strife.


The song then ends with the line "And blackmail is the only deal a promise dealer sees", a damning indictment of those who make empty promises in order to gain power and control over others. Overall, Duran Duran's The Promise serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of keeping one's promises, fighting for freedom and never losing hope in even the darkest of times.


Line by Line Meaning

Those tears on a gaping voice
The sound of inconsolable crying


Who's stretching arms match the hunger of mine
Wanting and longing for something or someone that can't be reached


These lips will they never join
Physical separation from a desired person


But always draw me closer and further entwined
The emotional pull of desire that keeps one bound and yet, unfulfilled


With a promise dealer, understand all freedoms fade away
The realization that making a deal or a promise means sacrificing some level of freedom or control


To a point of view where many different pathways meet
The moment when choices and courses of action converge, offering multiple options leading to different outcomes


And we're standing on this precipice with nothing much to save
Being at a critical moment in life, where decisions have to be made, and there is little to no room for error


But the deep blue screams of falling dreams with our next move
The fear of the unknown future, and the consequences that come with a choice


Heaven hide your eyes
A plea for divine intervention and guidance


Heaven's eyes will never dry
Seeing that suffering and pain are eternal and never-ending


The shades of a thousand steel
The representation of war and its destructive power


Come flashing by my face in the fury of war
The violence and chaos of war, an up-close and personal experience


In desolation and abandoned fields
The aftermath of a battle, where everything and everyone is left behind, destroyed and discarded


The hungry make their stand when they'll stand for no more
The desperate struggle for survival and justice, where people fight back against oppression


Hear the passion in their voices, see the heaven in their eyes
The hope and determination that come with fighting for a just cause


Their hopes and schemes are waiting dreams of less than paradise
The harsh reality that the future may not be what was hoped for or dreamed of


And sometimes we make promises we never mean to keep
Acknowledging the possibility of dishonesty and deception in making deals or promises


And blackmail is the only deal a promise dealer sees
The idea that manipulation and coercion are often part of promising or bargaining




Contributed by Aaliyah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@zoso73

Sting on backing vocals; Dave Gilmour on lead guitar; Mark Egan on fretless bass; Carlos Alomar on rhythm guitar. Insane line-up. One of Duran Duran's best songs (top 10 for me) from their massive catalog.

@weets69

Wow, after 37 plus years of listening to this song I had no idea of the talent on this song. I so hear Sting and Gilmour now. 😎

@BingoBet-It-AllBeaver

Don't forget Masami Tsuchiya and Andy Mackay also on the album

@heatherjones2701

Arcadia's So Red The Rose was a MASTERPIECE! So UNDERRATED!

@JohnFoley7727gmail

Hello Heather where are you from?

@monicamusso1659

You're right

@Star_Fury

I've been listening to this album since it came out, and i couldn't agree with you more. A true masterpiece.

@astronaut2005drummer

So Red The Rose album is a masterpiece!!!!

@davidxrod

You know music. People nowadays don't possess the same high level of taste in music like you and I do

@crucifiedthief

could easily be “Duran’s” best album.

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