Bitter's End
Paul Kimble & Andy Mackay Lyrics

The lyrics of Bitter’s End by Paul Kimble & Andy Mackay depict a melancholic song about the twists of fate and the roads not taken. The song begins with an image of the “crimson chord cascade,” a metaphor for the inevitable course of life, as everything comes to an end at some point. The lines, “To shower dry cordials within / Too late to leap the chocolate gate / Pale fountains fizzing fort pink gin” suggest the futility of trying to change one’s circumstances when it is too late. The “chocolate gate” is a symbol of temptation, while “pale fountains” may represent an insincere display of celebration or joy.

The second stanza goes on to describe how despite the inevitability of fate, it is sometimes hard to accept it. The “farmyard chorus,” suggesting the collective voices of society, sings an “upstanding anthem to the sky,” but they are oblivious to their destiny. The phrase “too soon to realize their fate” implies that the people are living in ignorance, unaware of the bigger picture when it comes to their lives.

The third stanza is a lamentation of the singer for the paths not taken. The lines “I never thought I'd be a rover / I didn't even look around / But now I know you've found another / So will someone please find me” displays the emptiness and longing of the singer who realizes too late what they have lost. The song ends with a warning, “Note his reaction acid sharp / Should make the connoisseur think,” suggesting the harsh consequences of our actions, and how one must be careful about the choices they make.