Beth
Kiss - Double Platinum Lyrics
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But I can't come home right now
Me and the boys are playing
And we just can't find the sound
Just a few more hours
And I'll be right home to you
I think I hear them calling
Beth what can I do
You say you feel so empty
That our house just ain't our home
I'm always somewhere else
And you're always there alone
Just a few more hours
And I'll be right home to you
I think I hear them calling
Oh Beth what can I do
Beth what can I do
Beth I know you're lonely
And I hope you'll be alright
'Cause me and the boys will be playing all night
Kiss's "Beth" is a powerful ballad about the conflicts that lovers face when one partner is preoccupied with other things, in this case, playing in a band. In the song, the singer puts off returning home to his wife, Beth, because he is caught up in rehearsals with his bandmates. Beth becomes lonely and restless, admitting that their house doesn't even feel like a home without her husband's presence. The singer pleads with Beth to wait just a few more hours before he comes home to her, yet Beth's despair is palpable.
The song is heartbreaking in its honesty, acknowledging how challenging long-distance relationships can be. The chorus repeats the line "Beth, what can I do?" as if at a loss to understand how to bridge that emotional distance. Kiss's raw, emotive performance captures the pain and longing of these two characters, and the song endures as a classic rock staple.
Line by Line Meaning
Beth I hear you calling
The singer hears Beth trying to contact him.
But I can't come home right now
The singer is unable to go home at the moment.
Me and the boys are playing
He is currently playing music with his band.
And we just can't find the sound
The band is struggling to produce a desired musical outcome.
Just a few more hours
The artist will be available to go home soon.
And I'll be right home to you
The singer will be returning home to Beth.
I think I hear them calling
The band is attempting to contact the singer.
Oh Beth what can I do
The artist is expressing helplessness to do anything for Beth at the moment.
Beth what can I do
The artist reiterates his feeling that he can't do anything for Beth.
You say you feel so empty
Beth expressed feeling unfulfilled because of the artist's absence.
That our house just ain't our home
Beth considers the home incomplete without the singer.
I'm always somewhere else
The artist acknowledges that he is frequently away from home.
And you're always there alone
Beth is often alone at home without the singer's presence.
Beth I know you're lonely
The singer recognizes Beth's loneliness.
And I hope you'll be alright
The singer expresses hope that Beth can manage on her own.
'Cause me and the boys will be playing all night
The artist likely won't be able to return home soon because he'll be playing music all night.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STAN PENRIDGE, PETER CRISS, BOB EZRIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steven Novakovich
A superior version of 'Beth' as compared to the 1976 version on 'Destroyer'!!
What 2 complete and utter imbecilic nit-wits gave this a thumb's down?!