End of the World
Peter Noone's Herman's Hermits Lyrics
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Why does the sea rush to shore
Don't they know it's the end of the world
When you don't love me anymore
Why does my heart go on beating
Why do these eyes of mine cry
Don't they know it's the end of the world
I wake up in the morning and I wonder
Why everything's the same as it was
And I can't understand, no I can't understand
Why life goes on the way it does
Why do the birds go on singing
Why do the stars shine above
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It ended when I lost your love
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It ended when you said goodbye
The lyrics of Peter Noone's Herman's Hermits's song "End Of The World" express the agony of heartbreak felt by a person who has just been left by their lover. The song begins by questioning the cosmic forces of nature - the sun shining and the sea rushing towards shore - if they are aware that the end of the world has arrived now that the person's lover does not love them anymore. The singer cannot understand why life goes on as usual even though their world has been shattered.
The second part of the first verse and the second verse follow a similar pattern of questioning, probing why the singer's heart still beats and their eyes still cry after the end of the world has come. The singer still wonders why life goes on as usual every morning, and how the world seems to continue in its usual way despite their pain. In the final verse, the singer questions whether the birds and stars know that it's the end of the world for them too since they lost their loved one.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of devastation and bewilderment that one often feels after a breakup. The lyrics question the order and function of the world when love is lost, and can resonate with anyone who has had their heart broken.
Line by Line Meaning
Why does the sun go on shining
Despite the fact that my world has collapsed, the sun doesn't seem to be affected and continues to shine.
Why does the sea rush to shore
Even though everything has fallen apart, the sea still consistently rushes to the shore.
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It seems impossible that everything is still functioning as normal despite my personal loss.
When you don't love me anymore
The end of the world is only within my own world due to my significant other not having feelings for me anymore
Why does my heart go on beating
My heart continues to beat despite feeling just as broken as the rest of me.
Why do these eyes of mine cry
I can't help but cry even though it won't change anything in the grand scheme of things.
It ended when you said goodbye
The world as I knew it, the world that included my lover, ended the moment they said goodbye and we parted ways.
I wake up in the morning and I wonder
Every morning, I am left with questions and confusion, trying to understand how everything fell apart so quickly.
Why everything's the same as it was
Despite going through such a major personal loss, the world still moves on unchanged just as before.
And I can't understand, no I can't understand
I am filled with frustration and confusion about how the world can continue after such a huge personal loss.
Why do the birds go on singing
Even though my world has fallen apart the birds still sing, and it seems strange to me.
Why do the stars shine above
No matter what happens in my personal life, the stars continue to shine just as brightly as ever.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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