Emily Lyn Brodsky, known as Emilyn Brodsky, is a musician from the New York… Read Full Bio ↴Emily Lyn Brodsky, known as Emilyn Brodsky, is a musician from the New York City area. She was a member of The Best Thing Ever before beginning to work solo. After opening for the Magnetic Fields, she has been performing her own work, singing and accompanying herself on the ukelele. Brodsky is associated with such bands as Sticks and Stones, Mischief Brew and the World/Inferno Friendship Society and contributed to The Hold Steady's 2008 album, Stay Positive. She has recently released her first real cd, Emilyn Brodsky's Greatest Tits.

what's left
Emilyn Brodsky Lyrics

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This song will stop at the end of
The end of the end of the start of
The last true beat of your heart

We are what's left of what's right

Stuck in the valves of the heart
And cut in the lines of the brain

Drawn on the pores of the skin
You've got no right to complain
Do you have anyone to blame?

We are what's left of what's right

And i stomp my feet
And i look at the creases in their faces
And i cry because it leaves a hole that nothing replaces
And there always will be more to say

We are what's left of what's right

This song begins at the end of

The end of the start of
The first real beat of your heart

Overall Meaning

The Emilyn Brodsky's song "What's Left" is a powerful track with introspective lyrics that speaks to the human experience of loss and grief. The song opens with the lines "This song will stop at the end of the end of the start of / The last true beat of your heart." The lyrics suggest a sense of urgency to the song, as if it is an attempt at capturing something intangible and fleeting. The imagery of the heart beating its last true beat is a reference to mortality and the inevitable end of life.

In the chorus, Brodsky sings "We are what's left of what's right," offering a commentary on the human condition. The line seems to suggest that, even in the face of chaos and destruction, there is still a remaining rightness or goodness that persists. The verse continues with the lines "Stuck in the valves of the heart / And cut in the lines of the brain / Drawn on the pores of the skin / You've got no right to complain / Do you have anyone to blame?" The imagery is visceral and evocative, suggesting that the remnants of what is right are woven into the very fabric of our being. The rhetorical question "Do you have anyone to blame?" suggests a subtle critique of human nature and our tendency to shift blame rather than take responsibility.

The second verse repeats the first, with some slight variation. Brodsky sings "And I stomp my feet / And I look at the creases in their faces / And I cry because it leaves a hole that nothing replaces / And there always will be more to say." The phrase "creases in their faces" is an emotive visual that speaks to the weight of experience and the passing of time. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the theme of the song, emphasizing the idea that we are what is left of what was once right.

Line by Line Meaning

This song will stop at the end of
The song will come to an end at the precise moment when everything concludes

The end of the end of the start of
The very end of the beginning is imminent, the point where things will never be the same again

The last true beat of your heart
The point where your heart will no longer beat, the finality of life

We are what's left of what's right
We are the remainder of what was once right, what was once good and moral is now faded away

Stuck in the valves of the heart
Imprisoned in the heart's valves, beyond repair and unable to be freed

And cut in the lines of the brain
Etched into the intricate workings of the brain, impossible to erase

Drawn on the pores of the skin
Carved onto the skin in such a way that it will never wash away or fade

You've got no right to complain
You have no justifiable reason to protest about what is happening

Do you have anyone to blame?
Is there someone or something that you can hold accountable for the situation

And i stomp my feet
I express my fury and frustration by thumping my feet on the ground

And i look at the creases in their faces
I examine the wrinkles and lines on their faces, wondering about their life experiences and what led them to this current moment

And i cry because it leaves a hole that nothing replaces
The pain and void that is left behind by this loss cannot be filled or repaired with anything else

And there always will be more to say
There will always be more to be expressed, more to be discussed or contemplated

This song begins at the end of
The music piece starts at the culmination of an event

The end of the start of
The conclusion of the commencement

The first real beat of your heart
The very first palpitation of the heart, the indication that life has begun

Contributed by Joseph D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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