Tear Stained Letter
Johnny Cash Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter,
I'm gonna mail it straight to you.
I'm gonna bring back to your mind,
What you said about always being true.
Bout our secret hiding places;
Being daily satisfied.
I can see you sitting and reading it,
While you hang you head and cry.
I just hope you're not so sad,
You're gonna go down suicide.

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter:
Put it special delivery.
'Cause it's gonna be full of stuff,
That's only known to you and me.
'Bout how every time I get turned on,
You turn me off and bring me down.
It'll be about the darkest news,
That ever did arrive in your hometown.
It'll be about the saddest thing,
Your mailman ever did bring around.

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter,
I'm gonna tell you one more time.
That you still could reconsider,
And come back to being mine.
An' if you think about what I'm saying,
It'd be hard to refuse.
Just be sure you think a long time,
On the answer that you choose.
It will be a most important piece,
Of personal, private news.

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter,
Mark it "Personal Private News."
An' I hope you'll keep it to yourself,
An' don't go 'round crying the blues.
Giving off a bad impression,
As to what went really wrong.
When what it was was that suddenly,
The music was all gone.
And this man and this woman got cut off,
In the middle of our song.

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter,
I'm gonna put it to a tune.
So I'll be sending with it,
A sweet melody for you.
And not some red-hot, upbeat zinger,
That'll set your body on fire.
But a hunk of love included,
Meant to take you a little higher.
And to settle on your sweet, sweet mind,
At night when you retire.

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter.

Overall Meaning

In Johnny Cash's "Tear Stained Letter," the singer is grappling with a relationship that has turned sour. They believe that their partner has strayed from their commitment to always be true, and they plan to write a tear-stained letter as a form of catharsis. They hope that the letter will remind their partner of their secret hiding places and daily satisfaction, but the underlying message is one of sadness and heartbreak.


The singer wants to make their partner aware of the darkest news that ever arrived in their hometown. They still harbor feelings for them and want them to reconsider coming back to being theirs. They hope their partner takes the time to think long and hard before deciding if they want to continue the relationship. The singer is sending the letter with a sweet melody included to take them a little higher and settle on their mind at night.


The lyrics of the song are emotive and convey strong feelings of loss and pain in a relationship. The singer touches on the memories they once held dear and how they have fallen apart. Ultimately, the message is one of longing and hope, but also one of warning that things might not end positively.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna write a tear stained letter,
I am going to write a letter that is stained with my tears.


I'm gonna mail it straight to you.
I will send this letter directly to your address.


I'm gonna bring back to your mind,
I intend to remind you of something,


What you said about always being true.
specifically that you promised to always be truthful.


Bout our secret hiding places;
I will mention our secret meeting places.


Being daily satisfied.
I will talk about how satisfied we were when we met.


I can see you sitting and reading it,
I imagine you sitting and reading the letter.


While you hang you head and cry.
I think you will be crying while reading the letter.


I just hope you're not so sad,
I wish that you are not too devastated,


You're gonna go down suicide.
to the point of feeling suicidal.


I'm gonna tell you one more time.
I am going to repeat myself once more.


That you still could reconsider,
maybe you can reconsider.


And come back to being mine.
And, let us restore our relationship.


An' I hope you'll keep it to yourself,
I expect you to keep the letter private.


An' don't go 'round crying the blues.
Please do not talk to others about it.


Giving off a bad impression,
It would create a negative reputation


As to what went really wrong.
and portray a wrong reason for what happened.


An' I hope you'll keep it to yourself,
I expect you to keep the letter private.


When what it was was that suddenly,
When, in reality, it was only that suddenly,


The music was all gone.
our love and happiness was all gone.


And this man and this woman got cut off,
Our romance was interrupted


In the middle of our song.
during the peak of our relationship.


I'm gonna put it to a tune.
I will compose a song for it.


So I'll be sending with it,
I will attach to it


A sweet melody for you.
A pleasant tune for you to enjoy.


And not some red-hot, upbeat zinger,
Not a lively and energetic song


That'll set your body on fire.
To avoid making you aroused.


But a hunk of love included,
just a part of my love,


Meant to take you a little higher.
intended to make you a bit happier.


And to settle on your sweet, sweet mind,
to have the melody linger in your head.


At night when you retire.
particularly when you go to bed.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY R. CASH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Anonymous


on Wayfaring Stranger

Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone

There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam

Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home

Musical Interlude

I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep

Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home

Musical Interlude

I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams

I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home

More Versions