Molly Johnson has earned her reputation as one of Canada's greatest voices.… Read Full Bio ↴Molly Johnson has earned her reputation as one of Canada's greatest voices.

She has won numerous awards and inspired many to donate their time and money to countless charities around the globe. Her accomplishments in blues, jazz and rock have moved audiences across the country. Her talents have led to collaborations, as both singer and songwriter, with internationally acclaimed artists as well as local friends and heroes.

Molly Johnson has rocked standing-room only audiences in nightclubs and bars from coast-to-coast as a pop artist, seduced the patrons of salons and lounges with her luscious interpretations of jazz and blues standards and even regaled royalty with her unique and charming presence.

However, Molly's most prized accomplishment to date is being a good mother to her two children.

Sticks and Stones
Molly Johnson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(M. Downes/M. Johnson)

Sticks and stones - Words will never break my heart
Sticks and stones - Baby we just gotta part
Sticks and stones - How we gonna work it?
You've got sticks and I've got stones.

Sometimes it's hard to see

Through all the trees, the birds and bees
Yeah all those things
It can be a little grey, in your world some days
Wanna see the sun break through again

Well let me spell it out
The times they've changed
Don't stay the same, it's what its all about
So you take a few words

To twist then shout
Free at last, of this there is no doubt

Overall Meaning

The song "Sticks and Stones" by Molly Johnson is an ode to the power of words and the end of a relationship. Johnson sings, "Sticks and stones, words will never break my heart. Sticks and stones, baby we just gotta part. Sticks and stones, how we gonna work it? You've got sticks and I've got stones." The first verse talks about how sometimes it's difficult to see through the "trees, the birds, and bees" and how the world can be a little grey. However, the singer wants to see the sun shining again.

The chorus is where the title comes into play, with the repeated phrase "Sticks and stones." The singer seems to be telling the person she's breaking up with that their words don't hurt her, but it's time to move on. She says, "How we gonna work it? You've got sticks and I've got stones." This seems to suggest that the relationship is not a balanced one, with one person trying to hurt the other with their "sticks" (words) while the other is trying to defend themselves with their "stones."

In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that things have changed and that staying the same isn't what life is about. She says that sometimes people take words and twist them to hurt others, but she is free from that now that the relationship is over. Overall, "Sticks and Stones" is a powerful song about the power of words and the end of a relationship due to communication issues.

Line by Line Meaning

Sticks and stones
Words will never break my heart

Sticks and stones
Baby we just gotta part

Sticks and stones
How we gonna work it?

You've got sticks and I've got stones.
We have our own issues and differences that will make it difficult to resolve our problems

Sometimes it's hard to see
It's easy to lose perspective on things

Through all the trees, the birds and bees
Distractions of life and nature can make it hard to focus

Yeah all those things
All of life's distractions and problems

It can be a little grey, in your world some days
Life can be depressing and dull sometimes

Wanna see the sun break through again
Want to feel hope and joy once more

Well let me spell it out
Let me explain it to you clearly

The times they've changed
Things are different now