Tears On My Pillow
Ricky & The Rhythm Strings Lyrics

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When you left me lonely here
I thought that I would drown in tears
As one was wiped away
Another one would take it's place
Drop by drop as time went by
I slowly ran that river dry
Until I finally realized today

[Chorus:]
That I've cried my last tear for you
Wasted my last year on you
There's no trace of the heartache I knew
It's been raining pain since you walked out
Baby that's all over now
'Cause I've cried my last tear for you

I use to lay alone in bed
With my pillow soaking wet
And all of those lonely nights
I thought there was no end in sight
I cried my heart out over you
Then I cried the hurt out too
It took awhile but now I'll be alright

[Chorus:]

Yeah, baby I've cried my last tear for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ricky & The Rhythm Strings's song "Tears On My Pillow" depict the emotional journey of someone who has been left lonely and heartbroken. The singer expresses their initial state of overwhelming sadness when the person they loved left them, feeling as though they were drowning in tears. Each time they would wipe away one tear, another would quickly replace it, symbolizing the endless flow of tears shed in their sorrow. As time passes, however, they gradually begin to heal and their tears dry up. The final realization comes that they have cried their last tear for this person, signifying the end of their emotional attachment and moving towards a new chapter of their life.

The chorus emphasizes the singer's sense of liberation and resolution. They state that they have wasted their last year on this person, indicating that they no longer want to invest any more time or energy into a failed relationship. The heartache and pain that once consumed the singer have now disappeared, leaving no trace behind. The metaphorical representation of rain symbolizes the duration of their suffering since the person left, implying that the storm of emotional turmoil has come to an end. The closing line, "Yeah, baby I've cried my last tear for you," serves as a powerful declaration of their emotional independence and readiness to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

When you left me lonely here
When you abandoned me in my loneliness

I thought that I would drown in tears
I believed that I would be overwhelmed by my tears

As one was wiped away
As one tear was erased

Another one would take its place
Another tear would replace it

Drop by drop as time went by
Gradually, as time passed

I slowly ran that river dry
I gradually exhausted that river of tears

Until I finally realized today
Until I eventually understood today

[Chorus:]

That I've cried my last tear for you
I have shed my final tear for you

Wasted my last year on you
I spent my last year in vain for you

There's no trace of the heartache I knew
There is no evidence of the pain I once experienced