Sedaka wrote his 1959 hit "Oh! Carol" about his then-girlfriend, Carol Klein, later to become Carole King. In 1963, King released a humorous answer entitled "Oh Neil".
The Laughter In the Rain Songfacts says Sedaka's hits dried up when The Beatles arrived, but then he teamed up with the lyricist Philip Cody and had a a number 1 hit with "Laughter In The Rain." It re-ignited Sedaka's career and he had 6 more Top-40 hits in America by 1977.
Sedaka's voice is in the tenor range.
I Let You Walk Away
Neil Sedaka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Promises won't help us stay together
Life for us was never hearts and flowers my friend
It seems we couldn't solve lifes problems
Maybe it's because we tried so seldom
So much must change today
That I can only hope and pray
[Chorus:]
As I watch you leave the room that I'll see you very soon
And it's all that I can do to keep from running after you
And though I wanted you
I let you walk away
It's just a simple case of heartache
My hands begin to tremble and my knees shake
Somewhere along the line I hope we can make amends
I believe that nothing lasts forever
Promises won't help us stay together
You may come home one day
'Til then I only hope and pray
[Chorus]
Neil Sedaka's song "I Let You Walk Away" is a poignant reflection on the ephemerality of life and relationships. The singer acknowledges that nothing lasts forever and that even promises cannot keep people together forever. He laments that his relationship with his partner was never perfect, as life was not always easy for them. Despite their problems, they did not put in the effort required to solve them, and now it seems too late.
As his partner leaves the room, the singer watches her go with a heavy heart, struggling to keep himself from running after her. He knows that he wanted to keep their relationship alive, but he also knows that it's too late now. He acknowledges that his trembling hands and shaking knees are simply signs of the heartache that he feels. He hopes that someday they can make amends, but for now, all he can do is hope and pray.
Overall, "I Let You Walk Away" is a sad but honest reflection on the impermanence of relationships and the pain of heartbreak. It's a reminder to cherish the people we love while they are still with us and to work hard to maintain our relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe that nothing lasts forever
I understand that everything has an end
Promises won't help us stay together
Assurances cannot heal our broken relationship
Life for us was never hearts and flowers my friend
Our life together was never easy
It seems we couldn't solve lifes problems
We couldn't find solutions for the challenges life threw our way
Maybe it's because we tried so seldom
Perhaps our failure was due to lack of effort
So much must change today
We need to change a great deal to make our relationship work
That I can only hope and pray
All I can do is hope and pray that our situation improves
As I watch you leave the room that I'll see you very soon
I realize you are leaving, but I still hope to see you soon
And it's all that I can do to keep from running after you
Despite wanting to stop you, I cannot bring myself to do so
And though I wanted you
I desired your presence in my life
I let you walk away
I allowed you to leave despite my desire to keep you
It's just a simple case of heartache
My pain and sadness is a common phenomenon
My hands begin to tremble and my knees shake
The emotional toll of this experience is physically evident
Somewhere along the line I hope we can make amends
I look forward to the possibility of repairing our relationship
You may come home one day
I am still open to the idea of reconciling with you
'Til then I only hope and pray
In the meantime, all I can do is hope and pray for reconciliation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PHILIP CODY, NEIL SEDAKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shawn Powell
Thank you, what a powerful and incredible song.
Drive Easy
What a beautiful song and so poignant.
S B
Neil Sedaka wrote over a thousand songs but this one and the slow version of Breaking Up is Hard to Do have special significance to anyone who has lost the Love of their life
Both powerful and emotional to this present day
Thank you for posting them
Kay Evans
Great song.
fakerating
Really great song... not well known, as it should be...
Susan Bateman
Great song. It was a surprise to me he wrote it. I think Randy Crawford has a more powerful take on it.
tszhok
Both are awesome.
Aaron Rowles
thank youuu