Waits' bio reads like a Hollywood film, and by that I mean the drama came h… Read Full Bio ↴Waits' bio reads like a Hollywood film, and by that I mean the drama came hard and fast for this woman. We're talking alcoholic father, a mother who squelched her daughter's early singing attempts out of jealousy before being murdered, and growing up in poverty in Louisiana.

But while Waits' early life was tumultuous to say the least, that voice managed to prevail, and on her self-titled debut for the Radarproof label, we are shown why we are all the better for it. Just as capable of singing a torch song as getting down and dirty with the blues, Waits tackles a combination of covers and originals on her CD with passion that really should be displayed more in the music business.

Her choices for covers are as curious when one sees them listed on the CD cover as they are ultimately appropriate, once they have been heard. Tom Waits' "Get Behind the Mule," sizzles with mischief when the female Waits works her magic on it. Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells," a criminally overlooked track from his excellent "Oh Mercy" CD, is given beautifully reverent treatment by Waits, as is the Billie Holiday standard, "Yesterdays."

Just wait until you hear the longing in Waits' voice when she tackles Ray Charles' "Drown in My Own Tears." Among the originals, the song "The Ballad of Judith Anne" is the most intriguing.

Also good is "Ignatius," which closes out the CD.

Drownin My Own Tears
Hope Waits Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It brings a tear into my eyes
When I begin to realize,
That I've cried so much,
Since you've been gone,
I guess I'll drown in my own tears

I sit and cry just like a child
My pouring tears are runnin' wild

If you don't think you'll be home soon
I guess I'll drown in my own tears

I know it's true that into each life
some rain, rain must pour
I'm so blue here without you
It keeps raining more and more

Why can't you just come on home
Oh yes so I won't be all alone
if you don't think you'll be home soon
I guess I'll drown in my own tears

Drown in my own tears
Don't make me
Drown in my own tears
I'm in trouble, baby
Help me now, help me now

Oh, don't make me drown
I'm beggin' you baby

Overall Meaning

In the opening verses of "Drownin My Own Tears" by Hope Waits, the singer expresses deep emotional pain and sorrow at the absence of a loved one. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and heartache, as the singer reflects on the intense sadness they have experienced since the departure of this person. The imagery of tears symbolizes the overwhelming grief and sense of loss that the singer is grappling with. The repeated phrase "I guess I'll drown in my own tears" emphasizes the suffocating nature of the emotions consuming the singer in the absence of their loved one.

The singer compares their emotional state to that of a child, highlighting the vulnerability and helplessness they feel in the face of this separation. The pouring tears running wild suggest a lack of control over their emotions, with the pain of missing the person becoming increasingly unbearable. The plea for the loved one to return home soon underscores the desperation and longing for their presence to alleviate the singer's suffering. The repetition of the idea of drowning in tears serves as a powerful metaphor for the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of their grief.

The acknowledgment that "some rain, rain must pour" in each life reflects an acceptance of hardship and challenges as a natural part of existence. The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and emptiness without the loved one, with the absence magnifying the singer's feelings of sadness and longing. The increasing intensity of the rain symbolizes the escalating emotional turmoil and anguish that the singer experiences in their solitude. The longing for the loved one to come home serves as a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of their despair.

The final plea for the loved one to come home and the repeated cries for help reveal the singer's desperation and longing for comfort and reassurance. The repeated refrain "Drown in my own tears" conveys the overwhelming weight of the singer's emotions and the depth of their suffering. The vulnerability and raw emotion in the lyrics underscore the intensity of the singer's pain and the cathartic release sought through expressing their anguish. Ultimately, the song captures the profound sense of loss, longing, and emotional turmoil that comes with being separated from a loved one, with the singer's pleas for help and yearning for solace resonating deeply with the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

It brings a tear into my eyes
The pain is so deep that it brings tears to my eyes

When I begin to realize,
As I start to understand

That I've cried so much,
That I have shed so many tears

Since you've been gone,
Since you left

I guess I'll drown in my own tears
I am overwhelmed by sorrow and feel like I am drowning in tears

I sit and cry just like a child
I am reduced to crying like a helpless child

My pouring tears are runnin' wild
My tears are flowing uncontrollably

If you don't think you'll be home soon
If you do not plan on returning quickly

I guess I'll drown in my own tears
I feel like I have no choice but to succumb to my own sadness

I know it's true that into each life
I understand that everyone experiences difficulties

some rain, rain must pour
There will be times of sadness and hardship