Falling Slowly
Louise Dearman & Shayne Ward Lyrics


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I don′t know you, but I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me and always fool me
And I can't react

And games that never amount
To more than they′re meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can′t go back
The moods that take me and erase me
And I′m painted black

Well, you have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We′ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
You've made it now





Falling slowly sing your melody
I′ll sing it along

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Louise Dearman and Shayne Ward's "Falling Slowly" are poetic in their simplicity, but also carry a depth of emotion that becomes apparent on closer examination. The song ultimately speaks to the power of connection and love in overcoming personal struggles and turmoil.


The opening lines, "I don't know you, but I want you / All the more for that," hint at an intense and immediate attraction between two people who may be strangers. This attraction only becomes more compelling for the singer as they admit that "words fall through me and always fool me / And I can't react." This line suggests a deep emotional vulnerability and possibly a fear of opening up to others, fueling the desire to connect with this person.


The second verse speaks of the pain and uncertainty that come from engaging in meaningless "games" that don't lead to real connection or fulfillment. The phrase "Take this sinking boat and point it home" suggests a desire to find one's way back to what's truly important, while "raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice / You've made it now" speaks to the power of determination and personal agency to overcome obstacles.


The chorus repeats these lines and adds the memorable phrase "falling slowly," which could refer to both the gradual buildup of this relationship and the gradual process of healing and self-discovery.


The final verse is perhaps the most emotionally charged, with lines like "The moods that take me and erase me / And I'm painted black" conveying a sense of despair and hopelessness. However, the singer also recognizes the resilience of their partner and encourages them by saying "Well, you have suffered enough / And warred with yourself / It's time that you won." Together, they can find their way home and sing the melody of hope and love.


Overall, "Falling Slowly" is a song about the transformative power of connection and the hope that comes from finding someone who understands and supports us.


Line by Line Meaning

I don’t know you, but I want you
I may not have met you, but there is a desire within me to connect with you.


All the more for that
In fact, this desire only grows with each passing moment.


Words fall through me and always fool me
I find myself constantly being deceived by empty words that hold no meaning.


And I can't react
This deception leads to a sense of being lost and unable to respond to the world around me.


And games that never amount
I have found that many actions in life are nothing more than meaningless games.


To more than they're meant
They do not serve any higher purpose beyond the superficial game itself.


Will play themselves out
These games will eventually come to an end, but they will not leave a lasting impact.


Take this sinking boat and point it home
Despite the feeling of being lost, there is still hope that I can find my way back to where I belong.


We've still got time
It is not too late to make a change and find my way back on track.


Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
I have the power to choose how I approach life, and can choose to have a positive attitude.


You've made it now
By taking action and making positive choices, I am already on the path to success.


Falling slowly, eyes that know me
Despite feeling lost, there are those who understand me and can offer support along the way.


And I can't go back
I cannot change the past or go back in time to undo what has been done.


The moods that take me and erase me
My emotions can be overwhelming and cause me to lose sight of myself and my goals.


And I'm painted black
These emotions can feel all-consuming and be detrimental to my overall wellbeing.


Well, you have suffered enough
It is time to acknowledge the struggles and hardships faced, and to move past them.


And warred with yourself
Inner conflicts can be just as challenging to overcome as external struggles.


It's time that you won
By overcoming these internal battles, I can achieve victory and find peace within myself.


Falling slowly sing your melody
Even in the face of adversity, I can find beauty in the world around me, and can share this beauty with those around me.


I'll sing it along
I choose to embrace the joy and beauty in the world, and to contribute to it in my own way.




Writer(s): Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova

Contributed by Brooklyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

BujoldComa78

Shayne Ward is flawless as usual. I have never heard of Louise Dearman before but she has a beautiful voice.

Kathleen Keoghan

Stunning, They sang this live on the Terry Wogan show on Sunday it was astounding. I think her voice is beautiful, And as for Mr Ward we all have our own opinion but i love his voice he was fantastic in Rock of ages in the west end. Hope it does really well this duet as i love it.

THE VILLAIN

Beautiful song I love it

RJF *

Shayne could sing The Bible and still be fantastic!!

Jirapinya Funk

i really like all of his songs...nice always happy to listen your song..😊

Jirapinya Funk

i really like all of his songs...nice always happy to listen your song..

debbzz15

Its good but doesn't beat the original. Its one of my favourite songs. Eddie vedder and Glenn Hansard do a really good version too

Steven O'Connor

Glen Hansard IS the original

bluelightalarm

Love this song but this version isn't a patch on the original.  The backing music sounds very karaoke.  Why have they even done this?

Just Cutie Cats

Good, but I prefer Josh Groban's version.

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