Let the Heartaches Begin
John William Baldry, popularly known as Long John Baldry (January 12, 1941 … Read Full Bio ↴John William Baldry, popularly known as Long John Baldry (January 12, 1941 – July 21, 2005) was a pioneering blues singer from England. He sang with and influenced many notable British musicians with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry at various stages of the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where "Let The Heartaches Begin" reached #1 in 1967 and in Australia where his duet with Kathi McDonald "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" reached the top 5 of the charts in 1980. Baldry lived in Canada from the late 1970s until his death, where he continued to make records and do voiceover work. He is known and loved by a younger generation as the voice of Dr. Robotnik in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Let the Heartaches Begin
Long John Baldry Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can hear the guitars start to play
And very soon they say
I was a fool to turn my love away
And with each glass of wine I feel a glow
And very soon I know
I was a fool to let my baby go

So let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
Tears won't help anymore
Yes let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
Now she's gone
I can't hold back the tears anymore

I can see the couples dancin' through the night
They hold each other tight
As they dance of love till the morning light
The soft embraces that they seem to share
Just make me feel aware
Of the lonliness I find so hard to bear

So let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
My tears won't help anymore
Yes let the heartaches, heartaches begin
I just can't help it,you know that I just can't win
I've lost that girl for sure




And now that she's gone
I can't hold back the tears anymore

Overall Meaning

In "Let the Heartaches Begin," Long John Baldry sings about a man who regrets letting go of his love. He begins by hearing the guitars start to play and feeling a sense of regret wash over him. As he drinks more wine, he realizes that he was a fool to let his baby go. He knows that the heartaches will begin, but he can't help it. He has lost his girl for sure and his tears won't help anymore.


The second verse finds Baldry describing couples dancing through the night, holding each other tight. He feels aware of the loneliness he finds so hard to bear as he watches the soft embraces they share. He knows that he can't help the heartaches that will come, and that he's lost his girl for sure. He can't hold back the tears anymore.


"Let the Heartaches Begin" is a melancholy song, perfect for a heartbroken night or a dark, empty bar. Baldry's voice is deep and rich, full of the sadness and regret that the lyrics describe. The guitars and drums swell in the background, evoking the mood of the story. The song is a classic example of a ballad that tells a sad story, and it has stood the test of time as an iconic tune.


Line by Line Meaning

I can hear the guitars start to play
The singer is at a social event where a band is playing music.


And very soon they say I was a fool to turn my love away
The lyrics of the music suggest that the singer made a mistake by breaking up with their loved one.


And with each glass of wine I feel a glow
The singer is drinking alcohol and feeling intoxicated.


And very soon I know I was a fool to let my baby go
The artist realizes their mistake in breaking up with their loved one as they become more intoxicated.


So let the heartaches begin
The artist is resigning themselves to the emotional pain that comes with losing their loved one.


I can't help it, I can't win
The singer feels helpless in the situation and knows there is no going back.


I've lost that girl for sure
The singer accepts that their loved one is gone and they will not be getting back together.


Tears won't help anymore
The artist knows that crying won't change the situation.


Now she's gone
The artist's loved one has left and is no longer in the picture.


I can't hold back the tears anymore
The artist is overcome with emotion and begins to cry.


I can see the couples dancin' through the night
The singer observes other couples at the event dancing happily together.


They hold each other tight as they dance of love till the morning light
The couples seem deeply in love and are enjoying their time together.


The soft embraces that they seem to share just make me feel aware
The singer is reminded of the physical and emotional intimacy they used to share with their own loved one.


Of the lonliness I find so hard to bear
The singer feels a deep sense of loneliness and emotional pain.


Yes let the heartaches, heartaches begin
The singer is again resigning themselves to the emotional pain of the situation.


I just can't help it,you know that I just can't win
The artist is acknowledging their lack of control over the situation and acceptance that their loved one is gone for good.


And now that she's gone
The artist's loved one is not coming back and they must come to terms with this reality.


I can't hold back the tears anymore
The singer is overwhelmed with emotion and unable to control their tears.




Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

João Batista de Mello Ayres Neto

Let the Heartaches Begin (John Andrew Macleod / Anthony Gordon Instone)
com Long John Baldry
I can hear the guitars start to play
And very soon they say
I was a fool to turn my love away
And with each glass of wine I feel a glow
And very soon I know
I was a fool to let my baby go
So let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
And tears won't help anymore
So let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
Now she's gone
I can't hold back the tears
Anymore
I can see the couples dancin' through the night
They hold each other tight
As they dance of love 'till the morning light
The soft embraces that they seem to share
Just make me feel aware
Of the loneliness I find so hard to bear
So let the heartaches begin
I can't help it, I can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
And tears won't help anymore
Let the heartaches, the heartaches begin
I just can't help it, you know that I just can't win
I've lost that girl for sure
And now that she's gone
I can't hold back the tears
Anymore



All comments from YouTube:

LakiTom

It's genuinely hard to believe that this man was the voice of Dr Robotnik in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

MegaRazorback

Long John Baldry had quite the range when it came to his voice!

Phil Drury

He was that good at voices, what can we say? A shame he won't be home by Chrrrristmas.

futureandroid

And him created the PINGAS meme

Discontinued Channel

I know it's hard to believe this man a couple years later would voice the main villain in AoSTH
His voice is just way too amazing
No wonder why Robotnik sometimes hits a note whenever he talks

dynamo savage

The most memorable robotnik in my opinion
R.i p LJB

2 More Replies...

keith m

Not just a singer but he acts the song out too.....he creates an atmosphere.....spellbinding. 😮 What a guy.

Gerrygambone

What a wonderful voice.

Sandra Craig

Brilliant song, brings back memories.

Thomas Marthinussen

Syrupy MOR balladry from Long John Baldry but God, I simply LOVE this song and one of the finest songs of the entire 60s.

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