Big Girls Don't Cry
Nelly Allen Lyrics


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Ah da da da

The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You′re probably on your flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection, baby
Be with myself and center - clarity, peace, serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We′ve got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I′ve got to get a move on with my life
It′s time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don′t cry,don't cry, don′t cry

The path that I'm walking I must go alone
I must take the baby steps ′til I'm full grown, full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they?
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It′s personal, myself and I
We′ve got some straightenin' out to do
And I′m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It′s time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry

Like the little school mate in the school yard
We′ll play jacks and UNO cards
I'll be your best friend and you'll be my Valentine
Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to
′Cause I wanna hold yours too
We′ll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds

But it's time for me to go home
It′s getting late and dark outside
I need to be with myself and center - clarity, peace, serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We′ve got some straightenin' out to do
And I′m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don′t cry
Don′t cry, don't cry, don′t cry





La da da da

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nelly Allen's song Big Girls Don't Cry convey the struggle of moving on from a past relationship and finding independence. The singer admits that the scent of her former lover still lingers on her, but she needs to protect herself emotionally to find clarity and peace. The song is not about the former lover but rather about the singer's journey towards self-improvement, admitting that she has some "straightenin' out to do."


The singer also acknowledges that the path she must take towards independence will be a lonely one, but nevertheless necessary. She compares herself to a child who needs to let go of their blanket to grow up. The singer also mentions the idea of not every story having a happy ending, which could signify that the past relationship was not a successful one.


Ultimately, the singer conveys the theme of empowerment for women, with the title itself implying that "big girls" do not need to cry over a failed relationship. Instead, they should focus on their own growth and well-being. By the end of the song, the singer depicts a sense of childhood innocence, perhaps symbolizing a new beginning, with the idea of playing games and holding hands.


Line by Line Meaning

The smell of your skin lingers on me now
Your presence still affects me and stays with me even though you are not physically here


You’re probably on your flight back to your home town
You have left me and are most likely returning to your place of origin


I need some shelter of my own protection, baby
I require a safe space where I can protect myself and regain my composure


Be with myself and center - clarity, peace, serenity
I need to be alone and find inner peace and clarity


I hope you know, I hope you know
I wish you understand, I pray you comprehend


That this has nothing to do with you
My current situation and emotions have no relation to you


It's personal, myself and I
This is a personal matter that I need to sort out on my own


We’ve got some straightenin' out to do
I need to clear up some issues within myself before I can move on


And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
I will definitely miss you, as much as a child would miss their security blanket


But I’ve got to get a move on with my life
I need to start moving forward in my life and leave the past behind


It’s time to be a big girl now
I need to be more mature and handle my emotions and life changes like an adult


And big girls don’t cry
I need to be strong and not let myself fall apart


The path that I’m walking I must go alone
I have to traverse this journey on my own


I must take the baby steps ’til I'm full grown, full grown
I need to progress slowly until I fully regain my composure and personal growth


Fairy tales don't always have a happy ending, do they?
Not all stories have a happy conclusion


And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay
I can visualize darkness if I continue with the current situation


Like the little school mate in the school yard
Similar to childhood friends on the playground


We'll play jacks and UNO cards
We will engage in children's games such as jacks and UNO


I'll be your best friend and you'll be my Valentine
I can be your closest friend and confidant, and you can be my romantic partner


Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to
You have permission to hold my hand if you wish to do so


‘Cause I wanna hold yours too
Because I want to hold your hand as well


We’ll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds
We can be both intimate friends and romantic partners, sharing our deepest secrets


But it’s time for me to go home
It's time for me to return to my safe space


It’s getting late and dark outside
The day is ending, and nighttime is approaching


I need to be with myself and center - clarity, peace, serenity
I must be alone to secure my peace, serenity, and contentment


Don’t cry, don't cry, don’t cry
I need to remain strong and not succumb to tears




Writer(s): Stacy Ferguson, Tobias Gad

Contributed by Brody I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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