Torn
Obscure Lyrics


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I thought I saw a man brought to life
He was warm - he came around like
He was dignified
He showed me what it was to cry
Well you couldn't be that man I adored
You don't seem to know - don't seem to care
What your heart is for
No I don't know him anymore

There's nothin' where we used to lie
Conversation has run dry
That's what's going on
Nothing's fine

I'm torn
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am chained
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm cold and I am shamed and bound
And broken on the floor
And I can see the perfect sky is torn
You're a little late
I'm already torn

So I guess the fortune teller's right
I should have seen just what was there
And not some holy light
But you crawled beneath my veins
And now I don't care
I have no luck
I don't miss it all that much
There's just so many things
That I can't touch

There's nothing where he used to lie
My conversation has run dry
That's what is goin' on
Nothin's right

I'm torn
I'm all out of faith
This is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed
Lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed
Into something real
I'm wide awake
And I can see the perfect sky is torn




You're a little late
I'm already torn

Overall Meaning

In "Torn", written by Anne Preven and Adam Schlesinger and made famous by Natalie Imbruglia, the lyrics tell a story of someone who has been hurt and feels broken. The first verse describes seeing someone come to life, who seemed dignified and sturdy, but who turned out to be something else entirely. This person doesn't seem to know or care about love, or how to use their heart for it, and the singer doesn't know him anymore.


The chorus paints a picture of complete despair and hopelessness. The singer is "all out of faith", feeling cold and chained up, lying on the floor and feeling broken and ashamed. The perfect sky that she can see is torn, reflecting the pain and turmoil of her emotions. The bridge reveals more of the backstory of the singer's pain. She didn't heed the warnings of a fortune teller, and ended up getting hooked on someone who is now beneath her skin, causing her to feel indifferent and unlucky.


Overall, "Torn" is a powerful statement about the pain of heartbreak and disillusionment. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery and describe the singer's feelings in a way that many people can relate to.


Line by Line Meaning

I thought I saw a man brought to life
She believed she saw a man awaken from his emotional slumber


He was warm - he came around like
He had a welcoming and friendly nature about him


He was dignified
He carried himself with respect and poise


He showed me what it was to cry
He helped her understand and express her emotions


Well you couldn't be that man I adored
She realizes that the person she loved wasn't who she thought they were


You don't seem to know - don't seem to care
They don't understand or acknowledge the impact of their actions


What your heart is for
They don't have a clear understanding of their own emotional capacity


No I don't know him anymore
She no longer recognizes or understands the person she once loved


There's nothin' where we used to lie
Their relationship is empty and unfulfilling


Conversation has run dry
They no longer have anything to discuss or share with each other


That's what's going on
This is the reality of their relationship


Nothing's fine
Their relationship is in a state of turmoil and distress


I'm torn
She is emotionally conflicted and distressed


I'm all out of faith
She no longer has trust or confidence in their relationship


This is how I feel
She is expressing her emotions and being honest about her state of mind


I'm cold and I am chained
She feels emotionally distant and trapped in her situation


Lying naked on the floor
She feels vulnerable and exposed


Illusion never changed
Their relationship was never what she thought it was


Into something real
She wants more substance and meaning in her relationship


I'm cold and I am shamed and bound
She feels guilty and restricted by her relationship


And broken on the floor
She feels emotionally shattered and defeated


And I can see the perfect sky is torn
She can see that things aren't as great as they once appeared


You're a little late
They tried to fix things too late


I'm already torn
She has already emotionally moved on from the relationship


So I guess the fortune teller's right
She realizes that the advice she was given was correct


I should have seen just what was there
She should have noticed the issues in their relationship earlier


And not some holy light
She was blinded by her love and idealized version of the person she loved


But you crawled beneath my veins
They have affected her deeply and permanently


And now I don't care
She has reached a point of emotional detachment from the relationship


I have no luck
She has had no success in making things work in their relationship


I don't miss it all that much
She doesn't feel a strong connection or longing for their past relationship


There's just so many things
There are countless obstacles that keep their relationship from working


That I can't touch
She has reached a point of feeling helpless and powerless in their relationship


Nothin's right
Their relationship is unstable and uncertain


I'm wide awake
She is now fully aware of the reality of their relationship


And I can see the perfect sky is torn
She recognizes that their idealized version of their relationship is shattered


You're a little late
It is too late to salvage their relationship


I'm already torn
She has already made the decision to move on from their relationship




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gary Anthony Webb, Gary Anthony James Webb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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