Kevin Neil Hearn (born 3 July 1969, in Grimsby, Ontario) plays keyboards an… Read Full Bio ↴Kevin Neil Hearn (born 3 July 1969, in Grimsby, Ontario) plays keyboards and other instruments for Barenaked Ladies and also has his own band, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle. Hearn is (somewhat ironically now) referred to as the "new guy" in Barenaked Ladies. He joined in 1995 to replace departed keyboardist Andy Creeggan, who decided to leave the band to pursue his study music. He didn't own any of the band's albums and had to learn all of the band's songs in a matter of weeks.

Tell Me Tell Me
Kevin Hearn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell me tell me love, tell me how it feels
How does it look? Tell me that it’s real.
Do you feel alone, or out of place,
or right at home way out in space?

Tell me tell me love.

When you write again, tell me everything

Are there rainforests or birds that sing?
Is it cold at night? Do you still get a chill?
Are there winding rivers or rolling hills?

Tell me tell me love.

If you don’t pay your gravity bill,
Will you float away, against your will.
Tell me tell me love, tell me how it feels.
How does it look?
tell me that it’s real.

Tell me tell me love.

Overall Meaning

The song "Tell Me Tell Me" by Kevin Hearn is a beautiful and introspective ballad that reflects upon love, loneliness, and the vastness of space. The lyrics unravel a conversation between the singer and a loved one who is far away in space. The song seems to be about longing and wanting to connect with someone who is not physically present. As the singer asks questions, the listener can sense the yearning in his voice. He wants to know every detail about his love's surroundings, to understand how they experience the world without him, and to feel closer to them.

The opening lines of the song, "Tell me tell me love, tell me how it feels, how does it look? Tell me that it’s real," emphasizes the need for assurance of the love's existence. The singer wants to know that the experience is not just a figment of his imagination. The lyrics also explore the theme of loneliness. He asks his love if they feel "alone, or out of place, or right at home way out in space?" This line is poignant as it contradicts the conventional notion that space is a place where one finds absolute isolation. The line suggests that one could feel lonely amidst the vastness of space, and that human connection transcends physical boundaries.

The song's title, "Tell Me Tell Me," creates a cyclical structure that emphasizes the yearning in the song. The phrase is repeated multiple times, creating a sense of building tension and wanting. The song ends abruptly, leaving the listener with an unresolved feeling of longing, much like the singer's own feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me tell me love, tell me how it feels
Please describe your emotions to me in great detail, my beloved.

How does it look? Tell me that it’s real.
Can you confirm the authenticity of your experiences with concrete evidence?

Do you feel alone, or out of place, or right at home way out in space?
Do you feel a sense of belonging in the vast emptiness of space, or do you feel isolated and lonely? Alternatively, do you feel like you fit in where you are?

When you write again, tell me everything
The next time you communicate with me, please relay every detail of your current environment and experiences.

Are there rainforests or birds that sing?
Does the natural world surrounding you possess lush vegetation and the sounds of avian creatures?

Is it cold at night? Do you still get a chill?
What is the temperature like in your current location after nightfall? Are you feeling any residual chills from being exposed to the cold?

Are there winding rivers or rolling hills?
Does your surroundings contain curving waterways or tumbled terrain?

If you don’t pay your gravity bill, will you float away, against your will?
In the scenario where you fail to remit payment for your gravity account, would you succumb to the laws of physics and drift away helplessly?

Tell me tell me love, tell me how it feels. How does it look? tell me that it’s real.
Again, I implore you to expound upon your feelings in excruciating detail. Additionally, can you provide proof of the authenticity of your experiences?

Tell me tell me love.
Please, continue sharing your emotional states with me, my beloved.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KEVIN HEARN, KEVIN NEIL HEARN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS