Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter.

Her credits include being an original cast member of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1968), the female lead (Sheila) in the Los Angeles company of Hair (1968), a number 1 single "The Right Time of the Night" (1977) and 3 Oscars for Best Song - "It Goes Like it Goes," from Norma Rae (1980), "Up Where We Belong," (with Joe Cocker) from "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982), & "I've Had the Time of My Life," (with Bill Medley) from "Dirty Dancing" (1987). (Her duets with Cocker & Medley were also #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.)

She toured with Leonard Cohen in 1972 & 1979. In 1987, she recorded "Famous Blue Raincoat" - an album of Cohen's compositions.

And So It Goes
Jennifer Warnes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much

My silence is my self defense

And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

Overall Meaning

The song "And So It Goes" by Jennifer Warnes is a melancholic ballad that explores the vulnerability, self-defense mechanisms, and the uncertainty that come with new love, especially in the aftermath of heartbreak. The first verse speaks of a sanctuary that people create in their hearts to heal from previous heartaches, but it remains protected until a new romantic interest comes along. The second verse portrays a conversation between two people who have started getting to know each other cautiously but intimately. However, the singer fears that they may have revealed too much of themselves, and their subsequent silence is their way of protecting themselves from potential hurt.

The chorus speaks of the inevitability of heartbreak, regardless of how perfect the romance initially appears. The singer compares the experience of holding a rose with the excitement of new love, but the pain of the thorns represents the pain that follows heartbreak. The last verse expresses the singer's desire to be with their lover but acknowledges that they cannot choose for their lover. The final line implies that the person they are speaking to is the only one who truly understands the singer's vulnerability and may, therefore, be the only one who can break their heart.

Overall, the song is a poignant expression of the mixed emotions that come with new love, including vulnerability, hope, uncertainty, and the risk of heartbreak.

Line by Line Meaning

In every heart there is a room
Inside everyone is a private space

A sanctuary safe and strong
A secure and stable haven

To heal the wounds from lovers past
To recover from previous emotional trauma

Until a new one comes along
Until a new love enters the picture

I spoke to you in cautious tones
I communicated carefully with you

You answered me with no pretense
You responded truthfully and sincerely

And still I feel I said too much
I regret sharing too many details

My silence is my self defense
I'm reticent so as not to be hurt

And every time I've held a rose
Whenever I've experienced love

It seems I only felt the thorns
I mostly felt pain and disappointment

And so it goes, and so it goes
That's the way it always is