Live To Tell
Madonna椀 Lyrics
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Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well
I was not ready for the fall
Too blind to see the writing on the wall
A man can tell a thousand lies
I've learned my lesson well
Hope I live to tell
It will burn inside of me
I know where beauty lives
I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives
The light that you could never see
It shines inside, you can't take that from me
A man can tell a thousand lies
I've learned my lesson well
Hope I live to tell
The secret I have learned, 'till then
It will burn inside of me
The truth is never far behind
You kept it hidden well
If I live to tell
The secret I knew then
Will I ever have the chance again
If I ran away, I'd never have the strength
To go very far
How would they hear the beating of my heart
Will it grow cold
The secret that I hide, will I grow old
How will they hear
When will they learn
How will they know
A man can tell a thousand lies
I've learned my lesson well
Hope I live to tell
The secret I have learned, 'till then
It will burn inside of me
The truth is never far behind
You kept it hidden well
If I live to tell
The secret I knew then
Will I ever have the chance again
A man can tell a thousand lies
I've learned my lesson well
Hope I live to tell
The secret I have learned, 'till then
It will burn inside of me
In "Live to tell," Madonna sings about keeping a secret that consumes her. The song is about the internal struggle of not being able to share a painful secret with anyone and the fear of how it will impact her life. She admits that sometimes it gets difficult to keep the secret hidden away and that she was not ready for the consequences of her secret being revealed.
Madonna exemplifies how something so personal and destructive can cause a person to suffer significantly. She comes to realization that beauty can be found in her experience despite how difficult it may be to share. The beauty she finds is in the strength she possesses to keep going – to live to tell the tale. The song acknowledges that truth is always behind a hidden secret, and the fear of when and how the secret will come out is always present.
In the end, Madonna acknowledges that she has learned her lesson well, but the secret she has learned will continue to burn inside of her until she has the chance to share it again. She grapples with the reality that if she ran away from her problems, she would not have the strength to go very far. The beating of her heart is the only thing that keeps her alive, and she fears that if she hides the secret forever, she will become cold and unable to have a second chance at redemption.
Overall, "Live to tell" is a powerful song that explores themes of secrets, fear of the unknown, and the struggle to keep moving forward. Madonna's raw and passionate vocals add to the emotional intensity of the lyrics, making the song a classic that has resonated with listeners over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a tale to tell
I have an experience or a story to share
Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well
At times it can be challenging to keep my personal experiences or emotions to myself
I was not ready for the fall
I didn't anticipate the consequences or the outcome of my actions
Too blind to see the writing on the wall
I was unaware of the warning signs or indications of impending danger
A man can tell a thousand lies
People can deceive others extensively by lying
I've learned my lesson well, Hope I live to tell
I have gained wisdom from past mistakes and pray that I survive to share my experiences with others
The secret I have learned, 'till then, It will burn inside of me
I have a personal revelation that I am not yet ready to share with others
I know where beauty lives, I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives
I have encountered a person or a moment in time that exudes beauty and warmth, and I can recall it vividly
The light that you could never see, It shines inside, you can't take that from me
I have an inner light that is not visible to others, but it is an integral part of my being and can never be taken away from me
The truth is never far behind, You kept it hidden well
The truth always comes to light eventually, even if it was concealed
If I live to tell, The secret I knew then, Will I ever have the chance again
If my personal revelation becomes public knowledge in the future, will I have the opportunity to make the same decision again?
If I ran away, I'd never have the strength, To go very far, How would they hear the beating of my heart
If I attempted to escape or conceal my emotions, I wouldn't be able to do so for long, and others would eventually discover how I feel
Will it grow cold, The secret that I hide, will I grow old, How will they hear, When will they learn, How will they know
Will my personal revelation become irrelevant or insignificant as I age? How will others become aware of my experiences or wisdom, and when will they learn from it?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MADONNA CICCONE, PATRICK LEONARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leokimvideo
The eternal Queen of Pop Music. Influenced so many after her and will influence generations of artists to come.
@armandozertuche4054
I can now see how this particular song influenced lady Gaga's music. Sounds a bit like one of her songs
@dripsipp
Beyoncé Coachella performance was def influenced from this
@emiliyam19
<3
@siniamendez2012
Is true 👍
@noahbowie5985
This has to be the happiest Madonna has ever looked performing. She looked like she was having the time of her life
@SaraShakur94
And she looks so cute
@crenshawwholesale1623
When I watched this, I was convinced it was THE BEST half-time show I've seen and from a 54-year old Pop Queen it was indeed THE BEST.
@sandyvalentin3072
Yep
@hernandoling5661
Fantastic