This was the first song that the band finished for the album. This song was written by front woman Beth Gibbons before the formation of Portishead and after the band formed they were so amazed by Beth’s singing on her demo version that they had to remake it and include it on the album.
It Could Be Sweet
Portishead Lyrics
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No reason have I but fear
And I ain't guilty
Of the crimes you accuse me of
But I'm guilty of fear
I'm sorry to remind
You but I'm scared of what we're creating
This life ain't fair
You don't get something for nothing, turn now
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
It could be sweet
Like a long forgotten dream
And we don't need them
To cast the fate we have
Love don't always shine through
'Cause I don't want to lose
What we had last time your leaving
This life ain't fair
You don't get something for nothing, turn now
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
It could be sweet
But the thoughts we try to deny
Take a toll upon our lives
We struggle on in depths of pride
Tangled up in single minds
'Cause I don't want to lose
What we had last time your leaving
This life ain't fair
You don't get something for nothing, turn back
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
'Cause I don't want to lose
What we had last time your leaving
This life ain't fair
You don't get something for nothing, turn back
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
It could be sweet
The lyrics to Portishead's song "It Could Be Sweet" are complex and layered, exploring themes of fear, guilt, and the struggle to maintain a relationship. The song begins with the singer expressing their desire not to hurt their partner, though they are consumed by fear. They insist that they are not guilty of accusations, but rather of their own fear. The singer then apologizes for reminding their partner that they are scared of the relationship they are creating. They confront the reality of life, where things do not come easy and one must work hard, urging their partner to try a little harder.
Despite the challenges they face, the singer believes that their relationship has the potential to be "sweet," like a long forgotten dream. They reject the idea that outside forces like fate or others' opinions should dictate their relationship. Yet, they acknowledge that love does not always shine through and express their fear of losing what they have. The second half of the song deals with the toll that this struggle takes on their lives. They try to deny their thoughts and feelings, but they continue to impact them. Ultimately, they know they need to try harder to maintain their relationship, refusing to give up on what they could have together.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to hurt you
I have no intention of causing you harm
No reason have I but fear
My only motive is fear
And I ain't guilty
I am innocent of your accusations
Of the crimes you accuse me of
You are accusing me falsely
But I'm guilty of fear
I admit that I am afraid
I'm sorry to remind
I regret having to tell you this again
You but I'm scared of what we're creating
I am frightened of the situation we have created
This life ain't fair
Life is not fair
You don't get something for nothing, turn now
You cannot expect to receive something without putting in effort
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
We need to put in more effort
It could be sweet
Our situation has potential to be fulfilling
Like a long forgotten dream
It could feel like a memory from the past
And we don't need them
We can rely on each other instead of seeking external help
To cast the fate we have
We are in control of our own destiny
Love don't always shine through
Love can be difficult to see or feel
'Cause I don't want to lose
I am afraid of losing
What we had last time your leaving
I don't want to lose what we had before you left
But the thoughts we try to deny
The thoughts we suppress can affect us negatively
Take a toll upon our lives
They can harm our well-being
We struggle on in depths of pride
We try to apologize or forgive but struggle due to our pride
Tangled up in single minds
We are still unable to reconcile our thoughts
You don't get something for nothing, turn back
We need to put more effort into our relationship
'Cause I don't want to lose
I am afraid of losing
What we had last time your leaving
I don't want to lose what we had before you left
This life ain't fair
Life is not fair
Mmmm gotta try a little harder
We need to put in more effort
It could be sweet
Our situation has potential to be fulfilling
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind