Burning Up
Eagle‐Eye Cherry Lyrics
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If I said I'd never lie
Though it ain't easy
I can tell you I have tried
But I got to say
That it comes those days
That I told something untrue
Would you forgive me
This is my fear
To tell you what I've done
As things come clear
I'm afraid that you'll be gone
But all I know
Is if you go
At least I've told what's true
Hope you'll forgive me
When I say I've lied to you
I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
Yes I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
How will you kill me
For what I'm about to tell
Please do it gently
'Cause you know I'm bound for hell
All I know is
I've lost my soul
I'm burning inside
Hope you'll forgive me
Yes I have lied
Oh yes I've lied
I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
Yes I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
Now you know that I've gone
And I've been untrue to you
And once it's told
Well you know there's nothing we can do
I regret that I let this get so out of hand
I pray, please stay, that you'll understand
I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
Yes I'm burning up
I'm burning for you
When the truth has been spoken
There's nothing I can do
I'm burning up...
I'm burning up...
In Eagle-Eye Cherry’s “Burning Up,” the singer is confessing to his partner that he has lied to them, which fills him with anxiety and regret. He opens the song by asking if they would believe him if he said he’d never lie, even though he’s tried his best to tell the truth. He then admits that he has, indeed, lied before, and he fears the consequences of telling his partner the truth. He begs for forgiveness, anticipating that once he comes clean, his partner may leave him.
The singer is consumed by guilt, feeling as if he has lost his soul because of the lies he’s told. He compares his internal turmoil to burning up and acknowledges that no matter how much he wishes he could change the past, he can’t undo the truth. The final lines of the song express his hope that his partner will forgive him, even though he can’t make any promises to change what he’s done.
In summary, “Burning Up” is a song about the inner anguish and guilt that arise from not telling the truth to someone you care about. The singer is afraid of losing his partner’s trust and affection, but he knows he needs to come clean to ease his conscience.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you believe me
Do you trust me enough to be truthful?
If I said I'd never lie
If I promised you that I'm always honest.
Though it ain't easy
Admitting my mistakes and shortcomings is difficult.
I can tell you I have tried
I have made an effort to be sincere with you.
But I got to say
I need to confess something.
That it comes those days
Occasionally there are moments when I'm not truthful.
That I told something untrue
I have shared misinformation with you.
Would you forgive me
Are you willing to excuse my dishonesty?
If I said I'd lied to you
If I admitted that I wasn't truthful.
This is my fear
I'm afraid to admit what I have done.
To tell you what I've done
To reveal my mistake to you.
As things come clear
As the truth is revealed.
I'm afraid that you'll be gone
I'm scared that you'll leave me because of my dishonesty.
But all I know
The only thing I am sure of.
Is if you go
If you leave me.
At least I've told what's true
I have been truthful with you.
Hope you'll forgive me
I wish you'll pardon me for my mistake.
When I say I've lied to you
When I confess that I wasn't truthful to you.
I'm burning up
I'm feeling intense emotions.
I'm burning for you
I'm in love with you.
When the truth has been spoken
When I finally confessed.
There's nothing I can do
I can't change the fact that I made the mistake.
How will you kill me
What would be your reaction to hearing the truth?
For what I'm about to tell
For the mistake that I'm going to reveal.
Please do it gently
Please respond to me with kindness.
'Cause you know I'm bound for hell
Because I feel guilty for my mistake and want to make amends.
All I know is
The only thing I'm certain of.
I've lost my soul
My mistake has caused me to feel regretful.
I'm burning inside
I feel guilty and ashamed about my mistake.
Yes I have lied
Yes, I have not been truthful to you.
Now you know that I've gone
Now you're aware of my mistake.
And I've been untrue to you
And I haven't been honest with you.
And once it's told
Now that the truth is out in the open.
Well you know there's nothing we can do
We can't change the fact that I made a mistake.
I regret that I let this get so out of hand
I wish I had been honest from the start to avoid this situation.
I pray, please stay, that you'll understand
I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EAGLE-EYE CHERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind