Elegy
Jones Howard Lyrics

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Please don't look at me this way
I am from the same seed as you
Take me back to the womb
I am weary of this life

Don't believe in my eyes
Don't believe in my mind
Don't believe in right or wrong

Don't believe in cruel or kind

But all this talk is only poetry
Only as true as we would believe
We must live to fight the negative
Not to court the self in defeat oh oh oh oh
In defeat oh oh oh oh

Oh the pain of life is sweet
Is it wrong to long for death?
Must I cling to the thrills of life
Ash to ash and dust to dust

But all this talk is only poetry
Only as true as we would believe
We must live to fight the negative
Not court the self in defeat oh oh oh oh
In defeat oh oh oh oh

You have looked at me this way
We are all from the same seed

Take us forward through the tomb
There's no finish to a life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jones Howard’s song Elegy tell the story of a person who is tired of the struggles of life and is considering death. The first verse begins with a plea for the listener not to judge the singer for feeling this way. They want to be understood as someone who feels worn out by the challenges of life, just like everyone else. The second verse speaks of the struggle of believing in what we see and think. The singer is questioning the concept of right and wrong, and cruelty versus kindness. They are pondering for the listener to understand that these things, in the end, are mere abstractions. In the chorus, the singer states that all this talk is essentially poetry, only as true as we want to believe. They urge the listener to choose to live to fight the negative and not court themselves in defeat.

In the subsequent verses, the singer delves deeper into their angst with life. The pain of existence is sweet, and they ponder the prospect of longing for death. They question whether it is possible to cling to the pleasures of life, asking to be taken to the tomb to start a new life. The song's general message is that in the face of the inevitable struggles of life, the best way to move forward is to resist negativity, fight against anything that drags us down, and strive to improve our lives regardless of the struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

Please don't look at me this way
Please do not cast judgment upon me.

I am from the same seed as you
We are all essentially similar and share common ancestry.

Take me back to the womb
Allow me to return to a state of innocence and purity.

I am weary of this life
I am exhausted and disheartened by the difficulties of existence.

Don't believe in my eyes
Do not trust my physical senses entirely.

Don't believe in my mind
Do not take for granted that my thoughts and beliefs are completely accurate.

Don't believe in right or wrong
Do not subscribe to a narrow or rigid moral code.

Don't believe in cruel or kind
Do not make assumptions about the inherent goodness or evilness of human nature.

But all this talk is only poetry
The words I express may be metaphorical or symbolic in nature, and not entirely literal.

Only as true as we would believe
The meaning of my words is subjective and personal to each individual.

We must live to fight the negative
We must actively work against negativity and despair in life.

Not to court the self in defeat oh oh oh oh
We should not succumb to feelings of hopelessness or give up on ourselves.

Oh the pain of life is sweet
Although life can be difficult, it can also be pleasurable in a twisted way.

Is it wrong to long for death?
Is it morally incorrect to desire an escape from existence?

Must I cling to the thrills of life
Do I need to hold onto the fleeting moments of joy in life?

Ash to ash and dust to dust
Death is an inevitable and natural part of life.

You have looked at me this way
You have passed judgment upon me.

We are all from the same seed
We all originate from the same source.

Take us forward through the tomb
Lead us to a better existence beyond the grave.

There's no finish to a life
Life is an ongoing, never-ending process.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HOWARD JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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ROY McHugh

2y↑1

Please don't look at me this way
I am from the same seed as you
Take me back to the womb
I am weary of this life

Don't believe in my eyes
Don't believe in my mind
Don't believe in right or wrong
Don't believe in cruel or kind

But all this talk is only poetry
Only as true as we would believe
We must live to fight the negative
Not to court the self in defeat oh oh oh oh
In defeat oh oh oh oh

Oh the pain of life is sweet
Is it wrong to long for death?
Must I cling to the thrills of life
Ash to ash and dust to dust

But all this talk is only poetry
Only as true as we would believe
We must live to fight the negative
Not court the self in defeat oh oh oh oh
In defeat oh oh oh oh

You have looked at me this way
We are all from the same seed
Take us forward through the tomb
There's no finish to a life