I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
Elvis Costello & The Attractions Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm the living result
I'm a man who's been hurt a little too much
And I've tasted the bitterness of my own tears
Sadness is all my lonely heart can feel

I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down
Simple though love is
Still it confused me
Why I'm not loved the way I should be
Now I've lived with heartaches
And I've roomed with fear
I've dealt with despair
And I've wrestled with tears

I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down

The vow that we made
You broke it in two
But that don't stop me from loving you





I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down" reveal a sense of weariness and vulnerability in the singer. Elvis Costello sings, "I'm the living result / I'm a man who's been hurt a little too much / And I've tasted the bitterness of my own tears / Sadness is all my lonely heart can feel." The repetition of the word "I" and the first-person point of view signal that the song is a personal account of emotional struggle. The lyrics portray the singer as someone who has been hurt before, perhaps in love or relationships, and has become somewhat jaded as a result.


The chorus, "I can't stand up for falling down," suggests an ongoing sense of instability and weakness. The phrase "stand up for falling down" is a paradoxical expression that captures the feeling of being unable to escape a cycle of pain and disappointment. The second verse introduces the theme of confusion and disorientation in the singer's romantic life. The lyrics state, "Simple though love is / Still it confused me / Why I'm not loved the way I should be." The use of the word "still" implies that the singer is grappling with an issue that has persisted for some time.


The final verse reveals that the singer is still in love with someone who has broken their vow. The lines "The vow that we made / You broke it in two / But that don't stop me from loving you" suggest that the singer is trapped in an emotional attachment that they cannot seem to escape. The repetition of the chorus at the end reinforces the sense of being stuck in a cycle of falling down and being unable to stand up.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm the living result
I am a person who is the product of my experiences and past hurt


I'm a man who's been hurt a little too much
I am a man who has been emotionally injured excessively


And I've tasted the bitterness of my own tears
I have experienced the acrid flavor of my own tears due to my sorrow


Sadness is all my lonely heart can feel
My heart aches with melancholy and that's all I can sense due to my loneliness


I can't stand up for falling down
I am incapable of handling another emotional setback


I can't stand up for falling down
I am powerless to prevent another emotional letdown


Simple though love is
Although love is straightforward


Still it confused me
It still perplexes me


Why I'm not loved the way I should be
I wonder why I am not loved as much as I deserve


Now I've lived with heartaches
I have endured emotional pain before


And I've roomed with fear
I have lived alongside fear


I've dealt with despair
I have coped with hopelessness


And I've wrestled with tears
I have struggled with weeping


The vow that we made
The pledge that we took


You broke it in two
You broke it into pieces


But that don't stop me from loving you
Nonetheless, I still love you


I can't stand up for falling down
I can't deal with being disheartened again


I can't stand up for falling down
I can't keep failing to bounce back from emotional setbacks




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOMER BANKS, ALLEN ALVOID JONES, JR.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Stardust.Wonder

LYRICS:

I'm the living result
I'm a man who's been hurt a little too much
And I've tasted the bitterness of my own tears
Sadness is all my lonely heart can feel
I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down
Simple though love is
Still it confused me
Why I'm not loved the way I should be
Now I've lived with heartaches
And I've roomed with fear
I've dealt with despair
And I've wrestled with tears
I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down
The vow that we made
You broke it in two
But that don't stop me from loving you
I can't stand up for falling down
I can't stand up for falling down



All comments from YouTube:

@drewcampbell8555

Featuring choreography that knocks 'Thriller' into a cocked hat.

@johnhopkinson9172

Iamadouble amputee

@avidnongetit8710

Elvis Hated doing this Video...but I freaking LOVE love LOVED it
A teenager Knows these Lyrics!!

@user-zz9xg2ps4t

That dog on a leash had the best moves!

@darrenrees6790

😂

@duffbaker9554

@@avidnongetit8710 Didn't know that he hated doing this video. Looks like he and the band are having a good time doing it.

1 More Replies...

@jamesmegill

My Sister Sara, RIP loved this man's music. It's strange to hear a song and be transported in time. My sis sitting on her bed, looking at magazines, listening to Elvis Costello. Not usual I suppose? But. It's certainly sucks losing family

@JHollowayNetwork

This was originally a Sam & Dave song, but Costello had enough intensity to make it his own.

@georgewaters456

man, this whole record astounds me more now than it did when it first came out.... that's when you know you've really achieved something special because it becomes timeless.
Thank you Elvis and Steve, Bruce, Peter... you've succeeded in bringing me up from a youth right into being a senior !! cheers.....

@SundaeExpress

Yeah, it's a great cover, isn't it.

More Comments

More Versions