Heartbreaking World
Jools Holland Lyrics


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The saddest thing
I've ever seen
Was a starving face
On my TV screen
The desperate faces
That I saw
Had my disbelief
Dropping from my jaw
The harvest could be
Shared around
Instead it's buried
In the ground

The saddest thing
I've ever seen
Was a football fan
Die for his team
The toughest thing
I've ever known
Was the soldier boy
Who never made it home
It's fiction live before our eyes
It leaves me cold
And my heart cries
It's a heartbreaking world
If you want it to be

You're the one
Who breaks it for me
You're the one
Who breaks it for me

The greatest thing
I've ever seen
Was a new born child
Looking up at me
The greatest thing
I've ever heard
Was that baby's cry
In this wicked world
The innocence of that cry
Leaves me cold
And my heart cries




It's a heartbreaking world
If you want it to be

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Heartbreaking World" by Jools Holland highlight the sadness and tragedy that one can witness in the world. The opening verse talks about watching starving individuals on the television screen and feeling helpless in the face of such suffering. The following verse talks about the death of a football fan and a soldier who never made it home, emphasizing the senselessness and waste of life in these situations.


Holland questions why resources cannot be shared more equitably amongst the world's population, making it a more just and compassionate place. The song ultimately concludes with a juxtaposition of the sadness and beauty in the world - the joy of a newborn child's first cry. While life can be heartbreaking, Holland suggests that one can choose how they perceive the world they live in.


The lyrics of "Heartbreaking World" encourage listeners to take a critical look at the world around them and to question why things are the way they are. Holland stresses the idea of personal agency and the power of individual perception in shaping one's understanding of the world. By recognizing both the difficult and the beautiful things in life, one can come to terms with the difficult realities of the world and find hope for a better future.


Line by Line Meaning

The saddest thing
The most tragic event


I've ever seen
That I have personally witnessed


Was a starving face
A face that showed extreme hunger


On my TV screen
Displayed on my television


The desperate faces
The faces of those in a state of despair


That I saw
That I witnessed firsthand


Had my disbelief
Caused me to be incredulous


Dropping from my jaw
Making my jaw drop in shock


The harvest could be
The crops could be


Shared around
Distributed to those who need it


Instead it's buried
But instead it is left unused


In the ground
In the soil, unharvested and wasted


Was a football fan
An individual who enjoyed soccer


Die for his team
Died supporting his favorite sports team


The toughest thing
The most difficult event


I've ever known
That I have personally experienced


Was the soldier boy
A young soldier


Who never made it home
Who tragically lost his life in combat


It's fiction live before our eyes
A work of imagination portrayed as real


It leaves me cold
It causes me to feel heartless and detached


And my heart cries
I am deeply upset and distressed


It's a heartbreaking world
The world is full of events that cause much sorrow


If you want it to be
If you look for it


You're the one
It's you


Who breaks it for me
Who causes me distress


The greatest thing
The most wonderful event


I've ever seen
That I have personally witnessed


Was a new born child
A baby who had just been born


Looking up at me
Making eye contact with me


I've ever heard
That I have personally heard


Was that baby's cry
The sound of the newborn baby crying


In this wicked world
In a world full of sin and evil


The innocence of that cry
The purity and lack of malice in the sound of the cry


Leaves me cold
Moves me to tears


And my heart cries
I am deeply moved emotionally


It's a heartbreaking world
The world is full of events that cause much sorrow


If you want it to be
If you look for it




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY, NETTWERK ONE MUSIC (CANADA)LTD
Written by: CHRIS DIFFORD, JOOLS HOLLAND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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