Bittersweet
Graham Nash & David Crosby Lyrics
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On the other side, love dangles by a thread
And here is a climber who cannot find his eyes
And a falling woman wishing she was dead
Both sides, why is it always bittersweet?
and the broken cloudy days
when I need the sun's heat
I need the heat, oh both way
Why is it always bittersweet
And the broken cloudy days
When I need the sun's heat
Oh, I need the heat
Why, why is it bittersweet?
And the broken cloudy days
Is when I need the sun's heat
I need the heat
The lyrics of Bittersweet by Graham Nash and David Crosby speak to the conflict between truth and love, represented by a cliff and a thread respectively. The two sides are portrayed as opposing forces, with a climber struggling to find his way up the cliff while a falling woman wishes for death. The chorus repeats the question "why is it always bittersweet?" as if to say that life is always a balancing act between these two forces, with neither one being entirely satisfying or without consequence.
The melancholic tone of the song is accentuated by the repeated mention of "broken cloudy days" when the singer longs for the heat of the sun. This could represent the inclement weather of life's struggles and difficulties, with the heat of the sun representing joy and contentment. Despite the difficulties of life, though, the singer seems to be resolved to face them head-on, rather than succumbing to despair.
Line by Line Meaning
On the one side, truth towers like a cliff
Truth stands tall and firm like a towering cliff on one side, high and unmoving
On the other side, love dangles by a thread
Love sways and bounces on the opposite side, dangling uncertainly like it is about to snap
And here is a climber who cannot find his eyes
A person trying to climb to the top cannot see, as if blinded, perhaps by the enormity of the truth and love
And a falling woman wishing she was dead
A woman who has let go of the thread of love and is falling, regrets and wishes to end her life
Both sides, why is it always bittersweet?
Standing on both sides, it appears that truth and love are both intermingled, difficult, and ambivalent.
And the broken cloudy days, when I need the sun's heat
On days when it feels like everything is hopeless, dark, and oppressive, I long for the warm light of hope and optimism
I need the heat, oh both way
I need the light from both truth and love to help fortify, guide, and motivate me.
Why is it always bittersweet?
Why does this paradoxical combination of powerful emotions always seem to coexist?
And the broken cloudy days,
On the hardest of days when life feels shattered and foggy
Is when I need the sun's heat
Is the time that the warm, comforting light of hope is most needed
I need the heat
I need the strength that comes from the positive energy of truth and love.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrBobo-zk6iq
Thank you for saving my life. Rest in peace, David. ❤
@bl6904
Rest in peace David, you lived so beautifully
@KingsofCfan
One of David’s very best. So glad we have all these recorded memories.
@mannyruiz1954
The music these two produced is sublime.
@philliphiller9534
Love them so much,from an old cowboy in arizona,
@bubblegum1948
This is derived straight from the Soul. there's no other way music like this could ever be made, if not for this.
Utter beauty
@ericmattson1420
The man has spiritual guitar mastery. The human race needs this SO SO MUCH.
@lexp48
Indelible stuff, resonates in the soul and never really leaves you, like an old friend, always there when you need them.
@sentimentaljourneyproductions
chills the bones and warms the heart and always brought tears to my eyes...
@IndieHaj
Rest in Peace David. ❤