Dear John
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Lyrics
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And utility bills, every Monday the company calls
I got a nice bed to sleep on
And a chest of drawers, where I keep those jewels of yours
Cause you're always mine to keep when you're gone
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
It went underground with you, oh John
Ten years passed
And I ended up with a house full of cats
But most of them went missing
Through that window you never fixed, the door you never latched
When you were on your way out like the last time...
Cause you are always mine to keep when you're gone
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
It went underground with you, oh John
I knew what you were doing
That summer when Candy came around
But I had too much hurt to bother you
When we lost our first child I thought a little payment was overdue
And I want you so bad...
Cause you are always mine to keep when you're gone
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
It went underground with you, oh John
I miss you
I miss you
I miss you
I miss you...
Oh John...
The song "Dear John" by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals is a poignant and emotional masterpiece that speaks about the power of love, loss, and grief. The first verse describes the singer's life after their lover "John" has left them. They have a house full of walls, utility bills, and a nice bed to sleep on, but the memory of John still lingers. They hold onto two silver rings, one on their finger and the other one gone underground with John. The singer finds comfort in keeping these jewels that belong to John and always remains his to keep.
The second verse depicts the passage of time, with ten years passed and the singer left with a house full of cats. The window that John never fixed and the door that he never latched became the gateway through which most of the cats went missing. The line "when you were on your way out like the last time" suggests that John has a pattern of leaving and returning. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the singer's love for John and how they hold onto his memory through those silver rings.
The final verse brings forth a darker aspect to the relationship. The singer speaks of knowing what John was doing when Candy came around but was too hurt to bother him. The loss of their first child left the singer with a feeling of overdue payment. The song ends with the singer confessing how much they miss John.
Overall, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals via the lyrics of "Dear John" portray the complexities of love and how it can lead to joy and pain simultaneously.
Interesting facts about the song:
Line by Line Meaning
I got a house full of walls
I have a home with walls that keep me sheltered.
And utility bills, every Monday the company calls
I have regular bills to pay for the utilities that come every week.
I got a nice bed to sleep on
I have a comfortable bed to rest on.
And a chest of drawers, where I keep those jewels of yours
I own a chest where I treasure and store your precious items.
Cause you're always mine to keep when you're gone
Even when you're not with me, I feel like you belong to me.
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
I have two silver rings; one is on my finger, while I lost the other one with you.
It went underground with you, oh John
You took the other silver ring with you when you passed away.
Ten years passed
A decade has gone by.
And I ended up with a house full of cats
I now have several cats living with me in my home.
But most of them went missing
Sadly, many of them have disappeared.
Through that window you never fixed, the door you never latched
The cats may have run away because of the broken window and unlocked door that you never fixed.
When you were on your way out like the last time...
When you were leaving, just like the last time...
Cause you are always mine to keep when you're gone
I still feel like you're mine even though you're not here.
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
I still have one silver ring with me, while the other one's gone with you forever.
It went underground with you, oh John
That other ring is buried deep with you.
I knew what you were doing
I was aware of your actions.
That summer when Candy came around
When Candy visited during that particular summer.
But I had too much hurt to bother you
I was too hurt to confront you about it.
When we lost our first child I thought a little payment was overdue
When we experienced the loss of our child, I felt like you owed me some sort of compensation.
And I want you so bad...
I still desire you so much, even though you're gone.
Cause you are always mine to keep when you're gone
I still feel like you're mine, despite your absence.
Two silvers rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
I have one silver ring with me, while the other one's gone forever.
It went underground with you, oh John
That second ring is now buried deep with you.
I miss you
I long for your presence.
I miss you
I feel your absence acutely.
I miss you
I pine for your company.
I miss you...
I still take deep sorrow in the fact that you're no longer here.
Oh John...
Oh, how I think fondly of you and miss you dearly, John.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NORAH JONES, RYAN ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind