Broken
Elvis Costello Lyrics


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Every night you`ll find me in the only world I own.
It`s a crowded place that`s filled with people all alone.
It`s a place that I could write a book about.
When they let you in, you`ll find there`s no way out.
There you don`t get in, `cause there`s no way out
There`s just no way out.
No way out when your in a world of broken hearts,
In a world of broken hearts,
Of broken hearts,
Of broken hearts.

Those who enter here are told to leave their dreams behind.
You may never get to sleep again, but you don`t mind.
It`s a place that I could write a book about.
When they let you in, you`ll find there`s no way out.
There you don`t get in, `cause there`s no way out
There`s just no way out.
No way out when your in a world of broken hearts,
In a world of broken hearts,
Of broken hearts,
Of broken hearts.

In a world of broken hearts,
In a world of broken hearts,
In a world of broken hearts,
Of broken hearts,




Of broken hearts.
(Repeat and fade)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elvis Costello's "Broken" describe a world of isolation and pain where each person is alone and unable to escape. The singer of the song is trapped in this world, where the only people he interacts with are also broken in some way. He describes the world as a place where he could write a book because it's so full of stories of heartaches and disappointments. The lyrics suggest that once you enter this world, there's no way out, and you're doomed to suffer the same fate as everyone else.


The song's lyrics are a metaphor for the emotional turmoil that comes with a broken heart. Whether it's the result of a failed relationship, the loss of a loved one, or any other kind of heartbreak, the feelings of profound sadness and loneliness can be overwhelming. The singer of the song has retreated into his own world to cope with his pain, but he's unable to escape it.


The final repetition of the phrase "In a world of broken hearts" underscores the theme of the song, which is that heartbreak is a universal experience that affects everyone. The repetition also gives the lyrics a circular quality that reinforces the idea that once you enter this world, there's no way out.


Line by Line Meaning

Every night you'll find me in the only world I own.
I spend my nights in a world where I'm the only one alive.


It's a crowded place that's filled with people all alone.
People are present, but they are lonely and isolated in that world.


It's a place that I could write a book about.
The world has a complex story that I can document in a book.


When they let you in, you'll find there's no way out.
Once you are part of this world, there is no means of leaving it.


There you don't get in, 'cause there's no way out / There's just no way out.
It is impossible to enter this realm, mainly because it is impossible to exit.


No way out when you're in a world of broken hearts, / In a world of broken hearts, / Of broken hearts, / Of broken hearts.
When you're in this world, escape is impossible; it is a world filled with shattered hearts.


Those who enter here are told to leave their dreams behind.
People who enter this realm are required to abandon their aspirations.


You may never get to sleep again, but you don't mind.
Sleep is not guaranteed in this world, but its inhabitants are content with sleeplessness if it means they can stay.


In a world of broken hearts, / In a world of broken hearts, / In a world of broken hearts, / Of broken hearts, / Of broken hearts. (Repeat and fade)
The chorus repeats the song's central thesis in the alternative words to emphasize the grim situation of the world.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOC POMUS, MORT SHUMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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