Live To Tell
Madonnas 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, 'til 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, 'til 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, 'til then
It will burn inside of me
"Live to Tell" is a ballad song by Madonna that tells of the struggle of keeping a personal and painful experience a secret. The first verse states that the singer has something to tell but sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well. She admits that she was not ready for the fall and was too blind to see the writing on the wall. The chorus hints that the singer has learned a lesson well and hopes to live to tell the secret she has learned. But until then, it will burn inside of her. The second verse reveals that the singer has seen where beauty lives and knows the warm it gives, but the man who promised to keep the beauty was telling a thousand lies. The bridge of the song states that the truth is never far behind but it was hidden well, and the singer wonders whether she will have the chance to tell her secret again.
The song conveys the difficulty of keeping a traumatic experience hidden while living with the fear of being exposed. The lyrics are deeply emotional and reveal the singer's pain and struggle to keep a dark secret hidden. The song builds up with each verse, providing vivid images of the internalized pain that the singer is carrying, leading to the bridge which brings in a message of hope, that someday the truth will come out.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a tale to tell
There's something important that I need to share.
Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well
It's difficult to keep this secret to myself.
I was not ready for the fall
I didn't anticipate the consequences of keeping this secret.
Too blind to see the writing on the wall
I was unaware of the signs that this would end poorly.
A man can tell a thousand lies
People have the capacity to deceive each other many times over.
I've learned my lesson well
I am more aware of deception and the need to be honest.
Hope I live to tell
I hope I survive long enough to share my story.
The secret I have learned, 'till then
Until then, I will keep this lesson with me.
It will burn inside of me
The emotions and knowledge associated with this experience will never truly leave me.
I know where beauty lives
I have a deep understanding of the essence of beauty.
I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives
I have witnessed something beautiful and felt its warmth firsthand.
The light that you could never see
There is a type of beauty that is only perceptible to some individuals.
It shines inside, you can't take that from me
This special form of beauty is internal and unshakeable.
The truth is never far behind
There is always a possibility for the truth to be revealed.
You kept it hidden well
Someone has gone to great lengths to keep this truth concealed.
If I live to tell
If I survive to reveal the truth,
The secret I knew then
The hidden truth that I have come to know
Will I ever have the chance again
Will there be another opportunity to reveal this truth?
If I ran away, I'd never have the strength
I cannot escape this situation or the emotional burden it has placed on me.
To go very far
I cannot leave this place or the people involved behind.
How would they hear the beating of my heart
How would others sense the intensity of my emotions?
Will it grow cold
Will my heart and emotions become numb over time?
The secret that I hide, will I grow old
Will I carry this secret with me for the rest of my life?
How will they hear
How will I communicate the truth to others?
When will they learn
When will others understand the truth and its significance?
How will they know
What will it take for people to acknowledge and accept the truth?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Madonna Ciccone, Patrick Leonard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ivanhamilton
I have a tale to tell
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
The secret I have learned, 'til then
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, 'til 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, 'til 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, 'til then
It will burn inside of me
@bobsilver3983
The 80's was pretty cool, I have great memories. You people have no idea how good life was WITHOUT internet and cellphones.
@OfficiallyWrexx
that's because ignorance is bliss
@mrgetbad5725
I agree with you...a simpler age
@knenda1
+Bob Silver Cars sucked, people smoked everywhere, hairstyles were terrible and you never knew who you would get when you called on a phone. But we were 30 years younger. That probably outweights all of that.
@rangerrocket
Cellphones and internet is used to communicate with your friends and loved ones far away but .... It became TOO much for now... you could see other malicious websites that is not safe for children.. and SO many things.
@malthof200
what a jerk you must be in rl
@jamesbolen8991
In my opinion, the BEST song she's ever done!
@JustinDudley-ed4cm
Yes I agree your spot on
@SuperFunkykool
One of,"Take a bow" is a masterful classic that crosses all demographic.
@agonistes06
so many best.