Like a Tattoo
Sade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heavy with the burden of the truth
And he spoke of his dreams
Broken by the burden
Broken by the burden of his youth
"Fourteen years," he said
"I couldn't look into the sun
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
I remember his hands
And the way the mountains looked
The light shot diamonds from his eyes
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
Like the scar of age
Written all over my face
The war is still raging inside of me
I still feel the chill
As I reveal my shame to you
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
The song Like A Tattoo by Sade is a melancholic ballad that tells a story of a love that has left an indelible mark on the singer. In the first verse, the singer talks about how her lover told her sweet lies of love that were heavy with the burden of truth. It appears that the lover spoke of his broken dreams and how they were shattered by the burden of his youth. The second verse talks about a young man who dies at the end of the singer's gun. The man was hungry for life and thirsty for the distant river, which seems to be a metaphor for an unattainable dream. The singer remembers the man's hands and the way the mountains looked. The light shot diamonds from his eyes, which could be interpreted as a sign of his joie de vivre.
The refrain of the song talks about how the war is still raging inside the singer. She wears the scar of age on her face, and it is like a tattoo that she cannot remove. She still feels the chill as she reveals her shame to the listener. The song seems to be a meditation on love, loss, and regret. The singer has been wounded by love, and her scars are permanent. The song's mood is somber, and the melody is haunting, which conveys a sense of melancholy and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
He told me sweet lies of sweet loves
He spoke false words of love and affection
Heavy with the burden of the truth
He struggled with the reality of his emotions
And he spoke of his dreams
He shared his aspirations for the future
Broken by the burden
Heavy responsibilities had crushed his spirit
Broken by the burden of his youth
The difficulties of his youth had marked and impacted him
Fourteen years, he said
He confided in me about his past experiences
I couldn't look into the sun
He couldn't face the brightness of life
She saw him laying at the end of my gun
She witnessed him facing death due to his actions
Hungry for life
He craved the fullness and richness of existence
And thirsty for the distant river
He desired something unattainable and far away
I remember his hands
I recall his touch and presence
And the way the mountains looked
I recollect the beauty of nature that surrounded us
The light shot diamonds from his eyes
His eyes sparkled with radiance and hope
Like the scar of age
Similar to a mark of time and experience
Written all over my face
Evident in my facial expression and demeanor
The war is still raging inside of me
Internal struggles continue to consume me
I still feel the chill
I'm still affected by the coldness of past events
As I reveal my shame to you
As I confess my regrets and flaws to you
I wear it like a tattoo
It's a permanent part of me, like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
It's something that will never fade or disappear
I wear it like a tattoo
It's ingrained in my identity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andrew Hale, Helen Adu, Stuart Matthewman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@idaliciofunk
Lyrics:
He told me sweet lies of sweet loves
Heavy with the burden of the truth
And he spoke of his dreams
Broken by the burden
Broken by the burden of his youth
Fourteen years, he said
I couldn't look into the sun
She saw him laying at the end of my gun
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
I remember his hands
And the way the mountains looked
The light shot diamonds from his eyes
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
Like the scar of age
Written all over my face
The war is still raging inside of me
I still feel the chill
As I reveal my shame to you
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
@mrsandman3717
He told me sweet lies of sweet loves
Heavy with the burden of the truth
And he spoke of his dreams
Broken by the burden
Broken by the burden of his youth
"Fourteen years," he said
"I couldn't look into the sun
She saw him laying at the end of my gun"
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
I remember his hands
And the way the mountains looked
The light shot diamonds from his eyes
Hungry for life
And thirsty for the distant river
Like the scar of age
Written all over my face
The war is still raging inside of me
I still feel the chill
As I reveal my shame to you
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
I wear it like a tattoo
@Timecapsule96
I’ve always loved the “I remember his hands and the way the mountains looked, light shot diamonds from his eyes,” and the “war is still raging inside of me, I still feel the chills as I reveal my shame to you, I’ll wear it like a tattoo.”
Like how much more poetic can you get
@pedropolanco9042
Poetical trascendance, within through another time or dimensional-passthroughrealm of feelins. Something not pretty usual them, and specially in these almost totally-'musak' facturated days...man!
@SidneyDBrown
Yess I love this song 🎵
@layagreen9493
One of her most beautiful songs, the softly playing guitar and her vocals are simply superb!
@shaym4306
Right?? My exact most fave parts too! Sung like an angelic siren. Said so poetically. She’s a wonder🖤✨
@nolanw1666
Shut up
@balynsus
You gotta be someone safe and special for a war vet to confess his murder to you. And then you make a song out of it. Sade so unique .
@shaym4306
Always unique 🖤
@olvgab9047
She is a goddess
@carmensellesalvarez1420
can you explain?