Collaboration between Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello resulting in the 19… Read Full Bio ↴Collaboration between Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello resulting in the 1998 album 'Painted from Memory'. Costello and Bacharach performed several concerts with a full orchestral backing, and also recorded an updated version of Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" for the soundtrack to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, with both appearing in the film to perform the song.

God Give Me Strength
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Words sung by the character in the movie given in brackets)
Now I have nothing, so God give me strength
'Cause I'm weak in her [his] wake
And if I'm strong I might still break
And I don't have anything to share
That I won't throw away into the air

That song is sung out

This bell is rung out [This belle is wrung out]
[He] She was the light that I'd bless
[He] She took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength, God give me strength

I can't hold onto [him] her, God give me strength
When the phone doesn't ring
And I'm lost in imagining
Everything that kind of love is worth
As I tumble back down to the earth

That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
[He] She was the light that I'd bless
[He] She took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength,

God if [he'd] she'd grant me [his] her indulgence and decline
I might as well wipe [him] her from my memory
Fracture the spell as [he] she becomes my enemy
Maybe I was washed out like a lip-print on his shirt
See, I'm only human, I want him to hurt
I want him
I want him to hurt

[instrumental]
Since I lost the power to pretend
That there could ever be a happy ending

That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
[He] She was the light that I'd bless

[He] She took my last chance at happiness
So God give me strength, God give me strength

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "God Give Me Strength" by Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach are a heart-wrenching portrait of a man who has lost the love of his life and is struggling to come to terms with his emotions. The character feels weak and vulnerable in the wake of the woman who has left him, and he fears that if he tries to be strong, he will only break. He acknowledges that he has nothing left to offer her, and that he is willing to throw away whatever he has left rather than share it with anyone else.

The character's pain is palpable as he describes his longing for the woman who has left him. He imagines what it would be like to hold onto her again, but he knows that it is not possible. He is lost in his imagination, dreaming of a love that was worth everything to him. Despite his despair, however, he still feels a glimmer of hope that God will give him strength to carry on.

The lyrics of "God Give Me Strength" tap into the universal experience of heartbreak and loss. Costello and Bacharach's collaboration on this song is a testament to their ability to create emotionally charged music that resonates with listeners. Through their poignant lyrics and haunting melody, they capture the raw emotions of a person grappling with the pain of lost love.

Line by Line Meaning

Now I have nothing, so God give me strength
I'm feeling hopeless after losing everything, and I need the strength to go on.

'Cause I'm weak in her [his] wake
I'm vulnerable after [her] his departure.

And if I'm strong I might still break
Even if I try to be strong, I might still fall apart.

And I don't have anything to share
I'm left with nothing to offer.

That I won't throw away into the air
I have nothing left worth holding onto.

This bell is rung out
My hope for a future with [her] him is gone.

[He] She was the light that I'd bless
[He] She brought happiness into my life.

[He] She took my last chance at happiness
But [he] she also took away my last hope for happiness.

So God give me strength
I'm asking for divine strength to endure this heartbreak.

I can't hold onto [him] her, God give me strength
I can't bring [him] her back into my life, and I need strength to accept that.

When the phone doesn't ring
When [he] she doesn't call me back.

And I'm lost in imagining
I start to daydream and imagine a future that will never happen.

Everything that kind of love is worth
I'm left struggling to understand what the value of love really is.

As I tumble back down to the earth
As my hopes and dreams come crashing down around me.

God if [he'd] she'd grant me [his] her indulgence and decline
If [he] she would just give me closure and say definitively that it's over.

I might as well wipe [him] her from my memory
I need to forget about [him] her and move on.

Fracture the spell as [he] she becomes my enemy
I need to accept that [he] she is no longer my ally or friend.

Maybe I was washed out like a lip-print on his shirt
Maybe I was nothing more than a fleeting moment in [his] her life.

See, I'm only human, I want him to hurt
I'm feeling angry and hurt, and part of me wants [him] her to feel the same.

Since I lost the power to pretend
Since I can no longer pretend that things will work out between us.

That there could ever be a happy ending
That there could ever be a fairytale ending to our story.

Contributed by Penelope H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@robertnguyen1041

31w↑3

Now I have nothing
So God give me strength
'Cos I'm weak anyway
And if I'm strong i might still break
And I don't have anything to share
That I won't throw away into the air

That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So god give me strength
God give me strength

I can't hold on to her
God give me strength
When the phone doesn't ring
And I'm lost in imagining
Everything that kind of love is worth
As I tumble back down to the Earth

That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength

God if she'd grant me her indulgence and decline
I might as well
Wipe her from my memory
Fracture the spell
As she becomes my enemy

Maybe I was washed out
Like a lip-print on his shirt
See, I'm only human
I want him to hurt
I want him
I want him to hurt

Since I lost the power to pretend
That there could ever be a happy ending

That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength
God give me strength

@Oliviacaptain

44w↑1

Now i have nothing, so god give me strength

'cause i'm weak in her wake

And if i'm strong i might still brea

And i don't have anything to share

That i won't throw away into the air

That song is sung out

This bell is rung out

She was the light that i'd bless

She took my last chance at happiness

So god give me strength, god give me strength

I can't hold onto her, god give me strength

When the phone doesn't ring

And i'm lost in imagining

Everything that kind of love is worth

As i tumble back down to the earth

That song is sung out

This bell is rung out

She was the light that i'd bless

She took my last chance at happiness

So god give me strength

(bridge)

God if she'd grant me her indulgence and decline

I might as well, wipe her from my memory

Fracture the spell, as she becomes my enemy

Maybe i was washed out like a lip-print on my shirt

See, i'm only human, i want her to hurt

I want her

I want her to hurt

[instrumental]

Since i lost the power to pretend

That there could ever be a happy ending

That song is sung out

This bell is rung out

She was the light that i'd bless

She took my last chance at happiness

So god give me strength, god give me strength

@slee520

26w

Now I have nothing
So God give me strength
'Cos I'm weak anyway
And if I'm strong i might still break
And I don't have anything to share
That I won't throw away into the air
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So god give me strength
God give me strength
I can't hold on to her
God give me strength
When the phone doesn't ring
And I'm lost in imagining
Everything that kind of love is worth
As I tumble back down to the Earth
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength
God if she'd grant me her indulgence and decline
I might as well
Wipe her from my memory
Fracture the spell
As she becomes my enemy
Maybe I was washed out
Like a lip-print on his shirt
See, I'm only human
I want him to hurt
I want him
I want him to hurt
Since I lost the power to pretend
That there could ever be a happy ending
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength
God give me strength

All comments from YouTube:

@seekthetruth1485

32w↑10

Elvis at his best...a soul ripped apart musically. RIP Burt my idol and my mentor.....My Daddy got me this CD...it is ALL pure magic.

@nickrider5220

1y↑12

Possibly my wife's favourite E.C. song, excellently performed, full of emotion...

@gigicalcio

1y↑9

Burt Bacharach was magical❤

@matteoromenghi

17w↑3

Gorgeous song!
The magic touch of Burt Bacharach...

@deanallen927

1y↑8

Burt's chords are unmistakable, they speak like lyrics. Beautiful song.

@andrewdavies1879

1y↑1

Truly music is a language

@Chairmaniac

36w↑6

You see, I'm only human... I want him to hurt...

I'm an emotional wreck every time.

@recipehacker9752

22w↑3

Arguably his best song of all time. I partial to Burt ‘s sound, though. Powerful performance

@mizconti

52w↑15

I cry every time I play/ I hear this 😢RIP Burt Bacharach and goddamn Elvis Costello. What a voice. Could listen to this album on repeat for eternity. So underrated. ❤

@tonyajohnson2191

47w↑1

J cry too. I cry every time

@kasabwatsevilla

44w↑2

I do love this song and yes GODDAMN ELVIS COSTELLO brilliant voice. I wish I am too I'm a singer too bu5 far from being elvis C.

@kasabwatsevilla

44w

I saw the movie also great movie.....

@Rob954ever

1y↑4

This entire album holds a very special place in my heart....and it always will.❤🙏🏼

@jackieblue2341

1y↑7

Whole cd is great. This one is my favorite

@ruthdixon7807

42w↑2

costello has experimented with collaborators of all walks; his time with burt bacharach produced this gorgeous ballad, which features a dramatic vocal performance you may not have known he had in him.

@wilsonribeirodealmeida1293

48w↑2

Simplesmente maravilhoso dois espetaculares artistas há única coisa que nos sobra é aplaudir 👏👏👏 ! ...

@FloatingOurBoat

34w↑1

Such class.

@robertnguyen1041

31w↑3

@patmos789

Es parte del cancionero clásico mundial. Saludos desde Chile, Elvis.🇨🇱😉

@pokemepokeme2831

1y↑2

💓

@nursebridgie

1y↑1

😭😭😭😭

@timberframingbear

1y↑2

Costello's voice and cadence is perfect for Bacharach. Was this his wife's idea?

@user-ye1sn2ce7t

1y↑2

何でこんなに、コステロさん良いのに、人気ないのかなあ。
日本では木村拓哉も好きなのに。
バートバカラックのコラボ良いのに、木村拓哉兄さん、何かしら日本で使えないかな？
コステロは、私は小さいときから大好きです。
パンクもバラードも大好きです。
日本で流行って欲しいなあ。

@Chrisamusic1

1y↑1

Hmmm. I was pointed towards this song as it's pertinent to my life. Burt's chords and arrangements are beautiful and unmistakable, but what ruins it for me is Costello's vocal. He's never had a good sounding vibrato at all, and it's overused in this song. As for the part when he starts trying to power up the emotional resonance to the level of almost screaming it out? Calm down man!! Also, that lyric; "She took my last chance for happiness". What a heavy-handed, awful line. It's accepting no blame for the split and it's a selfish sentiment that for me, tempers the whole vibe of the song. So, as I kind of expected really, Burt's contributions are wonderful and Costello's are overwrought and off the mark. If you want to hear a truly brilliant breakup song, go find White and Torch's 'Parade'. listen, and feel the utter desolation.

@Tedmeatwell

1y↑4

Jesus bud, it's a decent song. Burt Bacharach wrote some of the corniest lyrics ever, I honestly thought he wrote these lyrics.
Personally I prefer a good Phil Collins torch song, he's got the right amount of bitterness. He had some shitty relationships. Anyway, good luck with whatever is going on.

@ThomasYoung-my4qi

38w↑1

Ya I have to agree that the lyrics are a bit shit.
But these chord changes and that cadence in the chorus. I'm an instrumentalist and don't really listen to lyrics.
'Wipe her from my memory'
I mean kamman.
But I love the arranging in this, the strings,. the flugel horn. Great stuff.

@Chrisamusic1

38w↑1

@@ThomasYoung-my4qi basically, what I said. Burt's trademarks are all over this track. Unfortunately (for me) so are Costello's. 🫤

@joelessard6850

37w↑2

Wow. Just goes to show how different peoples’ opinion can be. I have always found Elvis’s vibrato to be incredibly expressive and entertaining. I think he sings the shit out of this song!

@Chrisamusic1

37w

@@joelessard6850 well, we agree on the words 'sings' and 'shit', but we both have them in a different context. 😅

3 More Replies...

@Oliviacaptain

44w↑1

@slee520

26w

Now I have nothing
So God give me strength
'Cos I'm weak anyway
And if I'm strong i might still break
And I don't have anything to share
That I won't throw away into the air
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So god give me strength
God give me strength
I can't hold on to her
God give me strength
When the phone doesn't ring
And I'm lost in imagining
Everything that kind of love is worth
As I tumble back down to the Earth
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength
God if she'd grant me her indulgence and decline
I might as well
Wipe her from my memory
Fracture the spell
As she becomes my enemy
Maybe I was washed out
Like a lip-print on his shirt
See, I'm only human
I want him to hurt
I want him
I want him to hurt
Since I lost the power to pretend
That there could ever be a happy ending
That song is sung out
This bell is rung out
She was the light that I'd bless
She took my last chance of happiness
So God give me strength
God give me strength