On My Own
Les Misérables Motion Picture Cast Feat. Samantha Barks Lyrics
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Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me
In the rain the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever
And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say, there's a way for us
I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone
The river's just a river
Without him
The world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere
The streets are full of strangers
I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life
I've only been pretending
Without me
His world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never known
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own
The song On My Own from Les Miserables (2010 Cast) is sung by the character Eponine as she wanders the streets alone, pining for the love of Marius, who loves another woman, Cosette. Eponine's unrequited love for Marius consumes her, and despite his indifference towards her, she continues to hold onto the hope that they could be together. Through her lyrics, Eponine expresses the pain and longing she feels for Marius, imagining him by her side and feeling his arms around her, even when he is not actually there. The imagery of the rain, pavement, and trees emphasizes her solitude and emphasizes her desire to escape her own reality and be with Marius.
Despite her sadness and unrequited love, Eponine's determination and passion shine through. She acknowledges that her love for Marius is one-sided, and that he will never feel the same way about her. However, she still hopes for a miracle and believes that one day they may be together. She is aware that she is only talking to herself, but she holds onto the idea that there is a way for them to be together. Ultimately, Eponine becomes resigned to her fate, knowing that even though she loves Marius, she will always only love him on her own.
Line by Line Meaning
On my own
Being alone
Pretending he's beside me
Imagining being with him
All alone
Without anyone else
I walk with him till morning
Mentally walking with him till morning
Without him
When he is not present
I feel his arms around me
Feeling his embrace
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
When lost, closing eyes to find comfort in imagination
And he has found me
Imagining that he has come to comfort her
In the rain the pavement shines like silver
Observing the glistening pavement in the rain
All the lights are misty in the river
Lights are blurry in the river's reflection
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
Seeing stars in the trees in the dark
And all I see is him and me forever and forever
Thinking of being with him forever
And I know it's only in my mind
Acknowledging that it's only imagination
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
Realizing that she is not actually communicating with him
And although I know that he is blind
Recognizing his inability to see her
Still I say, there's a way for us
Believing they can find a way to be together
I love him
Feeling a deep affection for him
But when the night is over
Realizing that the momentary comfort is gone
He is gone
Feeling his absence
The river's just a river
Seeing the river for what it is without him
The world around me changes
Noticing how the world changes without him
The trees are bare and everywhere
Seeing bare trees and unfamiliar surroundings
The streets are full of strangers
Feeling alone and disconnected from the world
But every day I'm learning
Gaining insight with every passing day
All my life, I've only been pretending
Realizing she's been pretending about love her whole life
Without me, his world will go on turning
Knowing that he can continue without her
A world that's full of happiness. That I have never known
Not having experienced the joy that his world brings
I love him
Reiterating her love for him
I love him
Saying it again for emphasis
I love him
Loving him deeply even though they can't be together
But only on my own
Knowing that her love is only in her own world
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Herbert Kretzmer, Jean Marc Natel, Claude Michel Schonberg, Alain Albert Boublil, John Caird, Trevor Robert Nunn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind