The Road Swallowed Her Name
Golden Earring Lyrics


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From the Album:
* Seven tears

I'm sitting down here and I'm feeling annoyed
All those months and fun and joy
But all there's left is sorrow and pain
Where have you gone I'm going insane
Refrein:
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains
Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains
Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing
It's the heartaches baby hitting again
I ain't wearing no mask to prove I'm a man
Blind folded morning day begins
Still thinking about you baby and your brown velvet skin.
Refrein:
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains
Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains
Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing
I'm sitting down here and I'm feeling annoyed
All those months and fun and joy
But all there's left is sorrow and pain
Where have you gone I'm going insane
Refrein:
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains
Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing
And the road swallows her name
And the memory still remains




Saying love is a wonderful thing
It can't fly on a broken wing

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Golden Earring's song "The Road Swallowed Her Name" convey a sense of loss and heartbreak. The singer is reminiscing about a past relationship filled with happiness and joy, but which has now come to a sad end. Despite the pain and sorrow that the singer is feeling, he still holds onto the hope that love is a "wonderful thing," even if it cannot "fly on a broken wing." The repetition of the line "And the road swallows her name" throughout the song serves to reinforce this sense of loss and finality.


In the first verse, the singer sits in a state of annoyance, likely as a result of the breakup. He reflects on the happiness and good times that he shared with his partner, but laments that all that is left now is "sorrow and pain." The refrain of the song presents the idea that even when someone is gone, memories of them continue to linger. The singer acknowledges that love is a powerful force, but knows that it cannot survive in a situation that is broken.


In the second verse, the singer continues to reflect on his feelings of heartbreak. He refuses to hide behind a mask to prove his masculinity and is overwhelmed with thoughts of his lost love, especially her "brown velvet skin." The repetition of the refrain helps to emphasize the central theme of the song: the importance of love, but its inability to sustain itself in the face of heartbreak and brokenness.


Overall, "The Road Swallowed Her Name" is a lamentation of love that has been lost. It explores the painful process of moving on from a relationship that has come to a sad and final end. Despite the heartbreak, the song acknowledges the beauty and power of love, and the hope that it can bring to those who have tasted it.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm sitting down here and I'm feeling annoyed
The singer is currently feeling angry and frustrated.


All those months and fun and joy
There was a time in the past when everything was happy and enjoyable.


But all there's left is sorrow and pain
Now, the singer is left only with sadness and hurt.


Where have you gone I'm going insane
The person the artist cares for has disappeared and the artist feels like they are losing their mind.


And the road swallows her name
The person the artist cares for seems to have vanished and the road doesn't provide any clues about where they may be.


And the memory still remains
Even though the person may be gone, the singer still holds onto their memory and the emotions that come with it.


Saying love is a wonderful thing
Love can be an amazing experience and feeling.


It can't fly on a broken wing
However, that love cannot thrive or succeed if something crucial is missing or broken.


It's the heartaches baby hitting again
The artist is experiencing the painful feelings associated with heartbreak once more.


I ain't wearing no mask to prove I'm a man
The artist wants to be genuine and true to their emotions, rather than put on a front to prove their masculinity.


Blind folded morning day begins
The singer is starting their day without being able to clearly see what's ahead due to their emotional turmoil.


Still thinking about you baby and your brown velvet skin.
The artist is still consumed by vivid memories of their missing loved one.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE KOOYMANS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Eddy Nasral

I'd been waiting so long for this GE great song...thanks for posting

geert96

Great song, way ahead of its time (1971) Beasty Boys, eat your heart out! George Kooijmans is a GENIUS!!

Wouter Veldboer

Listening to it on vinyl, I always need to turn down the volume when this came on, cause it was stuck in between two easy goning ballads. Not the best of choices. One of their best songs though. Love the sound of the early 70's!

Fidelis94

I can hear a lot of Black Sabbath here, in fact i believe Tony Iommi has admitted he's been inspired by this album.

Mike G

Fidelis94 they both borrowed from each other. They played gigs together in the very early seventies. Iommi legend has it was very inspired by the Moontan album. He had writers block before Sabbath bloody sabbath riff just came out of him it was inspired by candy’s gone bad.