Nights In White Satin 1
Eric Burdon Lyrics


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Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send

Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you

Gazing at people,
Some hand in hand,
Just what I'm going thru'
They can understand

Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend,
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end,

And I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you

Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send

Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,




Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Nights in White Satin by Eric Burdon and The Animals speak of unrequited love and the pain of not being able to express it. The singer talks about writing letters to their love interest but never sending them because they fear rejection. They also mention how they had missed out on seeing true beauty before and how they cannot comprehend the truth anymore. Throughout the song, they express their love for their partner and how they feel that no one can understand their current state of mind except the person they love. The song ends with the repetition of the words “I love you” - a testament to the depth of emotion the singer feels for their partner.


The song is also about the complexity of human emotions and relationships. The singer talks about how even though some people may seem to understand what they are going through, they cannot fully comprehend their thoughts and feelings. This highlights the uniqueness of every human emotion and how it can be difficult to communicate with others about what one is going through.


Nights in White Satin was a commercial success, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was originally recorded by The Moody Blues, and Eric Burdon and The Animals released it as a cover version. The song has since become a classic rock standard and has been covered by numerous artists over the years.


Line by Line Meaning

Nights in white satin,
Eric Burdon and The Animals spent many nights in a luxurious and pure white fabric which symbolized the endlessness of their emotions.


Never reaching the end,
Their journey of love was never-ending and does not seem to have any closure.


Letters I've written,
Burdon had written many letters expressing his emotions.


Never meaning to send
However, he never intended to send these letters to the receiver, possibly because he was unsure about the other person’s feelings.


Beauty I'd always missed
Burdon never realized the beauty of life and his surroundings until he experienced it through this journey of love.


With these eyes before,
He had seen the exterior beauty of life but now it's more profound and with deeper meaning.


Just what the truth is
Burdon is unsure about what reality holds and what he perceives as truth may not be so.


I can't say anymore
He can no longer confidently answer this question.


'Cause I love you,
The reason for all of these emotions is that Burdon truly loves the other person.


Yes, I love you,
There is no hesitation in the confession of his love.


Oh, how, I love you
The deepness of his love is so profound, it cannot be described or measured.


Gazing at people,
Burdon is looking at other people who may also be in love.


Some hand in hand,
Some of them are holding hands, which is seen as a symbol of love and affection.


Just what I'm going thru'
Burdon is going through a range of emotions related to love which cannot be expressed in words.


They can understand
Others who are also in love can empathize with his feelings and understand his current state of mind.


Some try to tell me
Some people try to advise him.


Thoughts they cannot defend,
Their advice cannot be justified or put into words.


Just what you want to be
Burdon is unsure about his future and what he wants to achieve in life.


You will be in the end,
Whatever decision he makes, it will ultimately shape his life and future.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Justin Hayward

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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