Beth Ditto grew up in Arkansas in a trailer park with 6 siblings, right in the heart of the American Bible Belt. She came out as a lesbian when she was 18, and even though there was not much acceptance from the surrounding Christian community, her mother and siblings have always supported her and encouraged her to be herself. Beth Ditto met her girlfriend, Freddie Fagula, when she was 19, and they are still together.
Vocalist Beth Ditto explained “Heavy Cross” to the NME June 27, 2009: “I know so many amazing people who devote their lives to undoing things, and I feel that’s the essence of punk now because punk’s already been done, it’s old. It’s about recreation and my friends, who I feel like are the ultimate creative re-creators.” The “heavy cross” is a symbol of the pressure that society puts on people who find it hard to fit in, and is most probably also a reference to the conservative Christian community in which she grew up.
(excerpt from http://soundtales.wordpress.com)
Heavy Cross
Gossip Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A heavy cross to carry along
The lights are on but everyone's gone
And it's cruel
It's a funny way to make ends meet
When the lights are out on every street
It feels alright but never complete
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
On the rainy nights, even the coldest days
You're moments ago but seconds away
The principal of nature, it's true but
It's a cruel world
We can play it safe or play it cool
Follow the leader or make up all the rules
Whatever you want, the choice is yours
So choose
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I trust you
It's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I trust you
The lyrics of "Heavy Cross" by Gossip speak to the struggle of facing the world alone and carrying the weight of one's own burdens. The singer describes the world as "cruel" and the cross they carry as "heavy," emphasizing the difficulty of moving forward. Despite feeling alone and abandoned, the singer acknowledges that it is up to themselves and another person to undo what has already been done and prove themselves strong enough to face the challenges of life.
The singer goes on to describe the feeling of making ends meet in a world where the lights are out on every street. While things may feel alright, they are never complete without joy. The rain and cold only serve to emphasis the harsh reality of the world. The principal of nature may dictate the way things are, but that does not make it any less difficult.
The song concludes with an empowering message to the listener. The choice is theirs to make, whether to play it safe or make up their own rules. The singer trusts the other person and knows that with their help, they can face the world together and prove themselves capable of handling whatever may come their way.
Overall, "Heavy Cross" is an empowering anthem that speaks to the universal struggle of carrying one's own burdens while facing a harsh and unforgiving world. By emphasizing the importance of trust and teamwork, the song encourages listeners to take control of their own destiny and rise to the challenges they face.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a cruel, cruel world to face on your own
Facing the world alone is difficult and harsh
A heavy cross to carry along
The burden of living is heavy and challenging
The lights are on but everyone's gone
While things seem bright, everyone has left
And it's cruel
Life is cruel and unfair
It's a funny way to make ends meet
Making a living in strange ways can be humorous
When the lights are out on every street
In hard times, there is darkness all around
It feels alright but never complete
Despite feeling okay, life is still not fulfilling
Without joy
Joy is missing from life
I checked you
Examining your authenticity
If it's already been done, undo it
If something is not right, it must be fixed
It takes two
Two people are needed for things to work
It's up to me and you to prove it
Together, we must make things happen
On the rainy nights, even the coldest days
Even the worst moments can be endured
You're moments ago but seconds away
The past is not far behind and can catch up quickly
The principal of nature, it's true but
The natural order of things is cruel and unforgiving
It's a cruel world
The world we live in is unfair and harsh
We can play it safe or play it cool
We can take risks or be cautious in life
Follow the leader or make up all the rules
We can follow the crowd or create our path
Whatever you want, the choice is yours
You have the power to choose in life
So choose
Make a decision and take action
I trust you
I have faith in you
It's already been done, undo it
If something was done wrong in the past, it must be corrected
It takes two
Two people are necessary for things to work out
It's up to me and you to prove it
We must work together to show the truth
I checked you
I have examined you
If it's already been done, undo it
If something was done incorrectly, it must be fixed
It takes two
Teamwork is necessary for things to work
It's up to me and you to prove it
Together, we must take action to demonstrate the truth
I trust you
I have faith in you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANNAH BLILIE, MARY BETH PATTERSON, NATHAN HOWDESHELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@janette6283
It's a cruel, cruel world to face on your own
A heavy cross to carry along
The lights are on but everyone's gone
And it's cruel
It's a funny way to make ends meet
When the lights are out on every street
It feels alright but never complete
Without joy
I checked you, if it's already been done
Undo it
It takes two, it's up to me and you
To prove it
On the rainy nights even the coldest days
You're moments ago but seconds away
The principle of nature, it's true but
It's a cruel world
We can play it safe or play it cool
Follow the leader or make up all the rules
Whatever you want, the choice is yours
So choose
I checked you if it's already been done
Undo it
It takes two and it's up to me and you
To prove it
I trust you, it's already been done
Undo it
It takes two, it's up to me and you
To prove it
I checked you, if it's already been done
Undo it
It takes two and it's up to me and you
To prove it
I trust you
@blomarckh
Lyrics:
It's a cruel, cruel world to face on your own
A heavy cross to carry along
The lights are on but everyone's gone
And it's cruel
It's a funny way to make ends meet
When the lights are out on every street
It feels alright but never complete
Without joy
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
On the rainy nights, even the coldest days
You're moments ago but seconds away
The principal of nature, it's true but
It's a cruel world
We can play it safe or play it cool
Follow the leader or make up all the rules
Whatever you want, the choice is yours
So choose
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I trust you
It's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I checked you
If it's already been done, undo it
It takes two
It's up to me and you to prove it
I trust you
@regiscacheux1732
Anyone 2024
@ledahualpin
Yeah😂
@pierreblanchard8863
❤❤❤❤
@rokegabriel6831
"Goofy"... ❤😊😂❤
@shradhakarumbaiah463
In 2024 still rocking it ❤
@connyslayer4661
Same here and will be rocking it for several years coming forward. ❤
@user-lb4eh1jf7e
Its fourteen year old? No way😮
@hamburgcowboy
Always
@antonwiemers1793
@@user-lb4eh1jf7ealmost 15 😮
@gcgirl6330
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻