Pitney, a pop rock pioneer, had his greatest success overall in Britain, first travelling there after his first self penned hit in 1961. "I Wanna Love My Life Away" hit #26 on the UK singles chart & just broke into the top 40 in the US.
His early music recorded for the "musicor" label was romantic, lonely and dramatic, fitting in alongside contemporaries like Buddy Holly, Neil Sedaka, Roy Orbison & serves as an audio time capsule of a more innocent time.
Gene Pitney - Yesterday's Hero...
Gene was a Brill Building songwriter who even before his singing career took off, had written one of Ricky Nelson's biggest hits "Hello Mary Lou". He had been helped out initially in his career by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, and later recorded some of their songs which became big hits like "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and the classic "Only Love Can Break A Heart". At the time his "Only Love..." recording was a #2 chart hit, he had written the number 1 song that week; "He's A Rebel" (A Phil Spector production recorded by The Crystals). All in all Pitney himself recorded 16 top 40 songs in the US from 1961 to 1968.
Gene's biggest popularity was in England, where he used the Rolling Stones publicist Andrew Loog Oldham to get his fame established, which lasted there to the day of his death. In the UK, Gene had 40 top-40 charting hits through 1974. He finally hit #1 in the UK in 1990, performing a duet with Marc Almond of Soft Cell. Pitney died April 5 on tour in 2006. He was found by his tour manager fully clothed on his bed at a Hilton Hotel in Cardiff , shortly after performing a concert.
I'm Sorry
Gene Pitney Lyrics
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I know that I'm the foolish one
Now that I see who's to blame
I'm so ashamed, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for the things I've said
Just like a child, I lost my head
I should have known from the start
Please be kind and I know you'll find
It's so easy to forgive.
Darling wait for it's not too late
Give our love a chance to live.
I know the heartaches you've been through
I know for I've had heartaches too
There's nothing more I can do
But say to you "I'm sorry".
Please be kind and I know you'll find
It's so easy to forgive.
Darling wait for it's not too late
Give our love a chance to live.
I know the heartaches you've been through
I know for I've had heartaches too
There's nothing more I can do
But say to you "I'm sorry".
The lyrics of Gene Pitney's song "I'm Sorry" express the remorse and regret of a person who has hurt someone they love. The singer is acknowledging their own foolishness and immaturity, apologizing for their actions and words, and expressing a desire to make things right. They recognize that their behavior has caused their loved one pain and heartache, and express a willingness to do whatever it takes to be forgiven and rebuild their relationship. The repeated refrain of "Please be kind and I know you'll find, It's so easy to forgive" suggests that the singer is pleading for mercy and benevolence from their loved one, while also acknowledging that forgiveness can be a straightforward and uncomplicated process, if one is willing to let go of resentments and hurts.
The lyrics of "I'm Sorry" reflect the themes of love, regret, and reconciliation that pervade many popular songs from the early 1960s. It is a poignant and heartfelt plea for forgiveness, delivered with Gene Pitney's emotive voice and backed by a lush orchestral arrangement. The song has become a classic of its era and remains a touchstone for anyone who has ever needed to say sorry to someone they've hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sorry for the things I've done
I regret my past actions and behavior
I know that I'm the foolish one
I am aware that my behavior was irrational and unwise
Now that I see who's to blame
I realize that my behavior was responsible for the issues in our relationship
I'm so ashamed, I'm sorry.
I feel embarrassed and guilty and apologize for what I've done
I'm sorry for the things I've said
I apologize for my hurtful words
Just like a child, I lost my head
My actions were impulsive and immature
I should have known from the start
I realize now that I should have been more aware of my actions
I'd break your heart, I'm sorry.
I know that my behavior hurt you and I am apologizing for it
Please be kind and I know you'll find
I am asking for your forgiveness and understanding
It's so easy to forgive.
I believe that forgiveness can be simple and bring us closer together
Darling wait for it's not too late
I am asking you to not give up on us and our relationship
Give our love a chance to live.
I want us to work through our issues and keep our love alive
I know the heartaches you've been through
I understand the pain and difficulties you have experienced
I know for I've had heartaches too
I have also experienced pain and difficulties, so I can empathize with you
There's nothing more I can do
I am unable to change the past or undo what I have done
But say to you "I'm sorry".
All I can do now is apologize and hope that you can forgive me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: BUCK RAM, PETER TINTURIN, BILLY WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind