After graduating from UCLA in 2002, Bareilles performed at local bars and clubs. She issued two demos of mostly live tracks in 2003: The First One in April and The Summer Sessions in October.
In January 2004, Bareilles released her first studio album, Careful Confessions. She signed a contract with Epic Records' A&R executive Pete Giberga on April 15, 2005. The remainder of the year and early 2006 was spent writing and reworking songs for her upcoming album.
Her debut major-label album Little Voice came out on July 17, 2007.
Poetry by Dead Men
Sara Bareilles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the time you hear this, I'll be in the rearview mirror
I'll even wear that green dress you like, so when I disappear
You can turn around, one last look at the girl you lost
In the time you took to make up your mind
Between the two roads
Go and take some more time
But me and mine must go
I tried to wait it out, no more
Can't find the man I was waiting for
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
By the time you hear this, who knows where I might be
Singin' 'bout another near-miss love that ended incomplete
I was ready, but you weren't
So jump with your net from this bridge you've burned
I wanted to tell you things, all the secrets I've been keepin'
I saw it in front of me, but then you just kept disappearin'
A good dream, almost
Now I tell your ghost
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
Line after line, the words just left to remind
The two of us, oh, what we could have been
Poetry by dead men
Fire from embers, how can I make you remember?
With a turn of a phrase, would you turn to me if I say
I still want to be your girl?
I still wanna be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
In Sara Bareilles's song Poetry by Dead Men, the lyrics paint a picture of a love that was never fully realized. The song is about a woman who is waiting for a man who is unable to make up his mind about the relationship. She expresses her desire to be his girl and to have him read her poetry by dead men while she stirs in the cinnamon. The repetition of this desire throughout the song highlights the deep longing she feels for the intimacy that she craves with him.
The song begins with the woman telling the man that she will be gone by the time he hears the song. She wears the green dress he likes as a final gesture, reminding him of what he lost. She has tried to wait for him, but she can't anymore. She wanted to share her secrets with him and to be his girl as he read her poetry by dead men. However, the relationship never materialized into what she wanted it to be. As she sings the song, she conveys her regret for what could have been but is now lost, as line after line of the poem just reminds her of what they could have been.
Overall, the song is a reflection on unfulfilled love and a yearning for the intimacy that never came to be.
Line by Line Meaning
By the time you hear this, I'll be in the rearview mirror
I will be gone by the time you hear this.
I'll even wear that green dress you like, so when I disappear
I'll even wear that green dress you like, so you can remember me when I'm gone.
You can turn around, one last look at the girl you lost
You can turn around and see the girl you lost one last time.
In the time you took to make up your mind
In the time you took to decide.
Between the two roads
Between two choices.
Go and take some more time
Go take more time to make your decision.
But me and mine must go
But I have to leave now.
I tried to wait it out, no more
I tried waiting, but I can't wait anymore.
Can't find the man I was waiting for
The man I was waiting for is no longer here.
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
I wanted to be with you in a casual setting.
Over coffee, stirring in the cinnamon
Drinking coffee and stirring the cinnamon together.
While you read me poetry by dead men
While you read me poems written by deceased men.
By the time you hear this, who knows where I might be
Who knows where I'll be when you hear this.
Singin' 'bout another near-miss love that ended incomplete
Singing about another almost-love that didn't work out.
I was ready, but you weren't
I was ready for a relationship, but you weren't.
So jump with your net from this bridge you've burned
Deal with the consequences of your actions.
I wanted to tell you things, all the secrets I've been keepin'
I wanted to share my secrets with you.
I saw it in front of me, but then you just kept disappearin'
I saw us together, but then you kept leaving.
A good dream, almost
A good dream, almost a reality.
Now I tell your ghost
Now I'm telling your memory.
Line after line, the words just left to remind
Each line of poetry reminds us of what could have been.
The two of us, oh, what we could have been
We could have been something great.
Poetry by dead men
Poetry written by deceased men.
Fire from embers, how can I make you remember?
How can I make you remember what we had?
With a turn of a phrase, would you turn to me if I say
If I said something romantic, would you come back to me?
I still want to be your girl?
I still want to be with you.
I still wanna be your girl in a white T-shirt
I still want to be with you in a casual setting.
Over coffee, stirring in the cinnamon
Drinking coffee and stirring the cinnamon together.
While you read me poetry by dead men
While you read me poems written by deceased men.
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
I wanted to be physically close to you.
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
Stirring the cinnamon together.
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
(While you read me poems written by deceased men).
While you read me poetry by dead men
While you read me poems written by deceased men.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Justin Tranter, Sara Bareilles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Meleika
Someone tell me how to feel about this whole album. I just want to talk to Sara. I wanna talk to her for days. As my frieennd. HER MUSIC DOES EVERYTHING FOR ME.
Anyone get what i mean? It's like, there is never anything out of place. I feel like she is exactly how i feel. Her music isn't defined by the lyrics, yet it is. She is a feeling. It's like, sure this is a break up song but its entirely whole. Sure this is a love song but its entirely heartbreaking. It's never one thing, you get me? It's always more, that's my word for Sara. Sara you are "More".
The honestly is why i'm so connected. I genuinely, cannot deny any of this.
Sara,
We love you.
I love you.
#MOSTUNDERRATED
X
I'm not sure if anyone will see this but here goes.
This song found me at a time in my life when I had just been crushed by the man I thought was the one. He gave me every indication that he felt the same until one day while we were in bed, he told me he was still in love with his ex girlfriend -the worst part being she doesnt live in the country and has moved on with someone else.
I didnt think I would ever recover from this, the emotional pain was like nothing I had ever experienced, even in past break ups. I felt humiliated, used and was began questioning everything from day one.
This song sums up how finding out you are second best to another woman can turn something so beautiful into an experience that brings nothing but pain to think about. At the same time, this song is about vulnerability, swallowing your pride and admitting the genuine and pure feelings you had for that person which can never be taken away. I had the pride to walk away gracefully from the situation, saying I wouldnt be second best and told him the hurt he had caused and that all I could do was hope he wouldnt do it to another woman.
I felt paralysed by the lyrics the first time I heard this and it is still too raw to listen to without being overwhelmed.
I refuse to be hardened by what he did to me because i know that one day a better man than him will see my loyalty and want to be the same with me forever.
Thank you Sara x
Bob Nevels
@X
But if a woman cared to do that consciously, notice that her sense of feeling weak when people don't do as she'd prefer and the feeling of strength that occurs when people do what you prefer.
That's obedience training pretending to train women to be "queens."
The feeling of being special because of feeling attractive to the opposite sex also is a competition for matriarchal oppression of women.
If a woman knows how to converse and socialize with skill then all the manipulations of the mother would be immediately recognized and immediate discarded in favor of a strong socialized man that tends to defer to wise feminine counsel.
That's where much of the rage came from in 2017. My ability to speak well and respect feminine opinions obliterated matriarchal brain washing of women who maintained status by oppressing their daughters.
Bob Nevels
@X
Sylvia Plath insight.
Women tend to love compliments and love discarding the men that give them.
Women hate men who tell the truth but love obsessing about loving a man who seems to have contempt for her.
It's a sad standard of perfectionism that seems to be reminiscent from what seems to be echos of obedience training that tends to be initiated by the mother of women. The idea is that if one suffers for what one gets then one deserves the heaven after. And guilt for any man who would disagree. But a sociopathic man would see through this charade, completely disregard a mother's advice and fight for his right to exist and reject any unnecessary suffering immediately without indulging any guilt/obedience training. That's why women tend to be attracted to male sociopaths, to escape motherly tyranny.
Juliiana Mora López
Lyrics
[Intro]
Ooh
[Verse 1]
By the time you hear this, I'll be in the rearview mirror
I'll even wear that green dress you like, so when I disappear
You can turn around, one last look at the girl you lost
In the time you took to make up your mind between two roads
Go and take some more time, but me and mine must go
[Pre-Chorus]
I tried to wait it out, no more
I can't find the man I was waiting for
[Chorus]
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
[Verse 2]
By the time you hear this, who knows where I might be?
Singin' 'bout another near-miss love that ended incomplete
I was ready, but you weren't
So jump with your net from this bridge you've burned
I wanted to tell you things, all the secrets I've been keepin'
I saw it in front of me, but then you just kept disappearin'
[Pre-Chorus]
A good dream, almost
Now I tell your ghost
[Chorus]
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
[Bridge]
Line after line, the words just left to remind
The two of us, oh, what we could have been
Poetry by dead men
Fire from embers, how can I make you remember?
With a turn of a phrase, would you turn to me if I say
I still want to be your girl?
[Chorus]
I still wanna be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
Nikee Calunsag
I want you to sing along...so here you go...
By the time you hear this
I'll be in the rear view mirror
I'll even wear that green dress you like
So when I disappear
You can turn around
One last look
At the girl you lost in the time you took
To make up your mind
Between two roads
Go and take some more time
But me and mine must go
I tried to wait it out, no more
Can't find the man I was waiting for
I wanted to be your girl
In a white t-shirt
Over coffee stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl
With your hands on my skin
Stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
By the time you hear this
Who knows where I might be
Singing 'bout another near miss
Love that ended incomplete
I was ready but you weren't
So jump with your net from this bridge you've burned
I wanted to tell you things
All the secrets I've been keeping
I saw it in front of me
But then you just kept disappearing
A good dream almost
Now I tell your ghost
I wanted to be your girl
In a white t-shirt
Over coffee stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl
With your hands on my skin
Stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
Line after line
The words just serve to remind the two of us
Oh what we could have been
Poetry by dead men
Fire from embers
How can I make you remember
With a turn of phrase
Would you turn to me if I say I still want to be your girl
I still want to be your girl
In a white t-shirt
Over coffee stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl
With your hands on my skin
Stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
Georges Rafael Ymalay
Ooh
By the time you hear this, I'll be in the rearview mirror
I'll even wear that green dress you like, so when I disappear
You can turn around, one last look at the girl you lost
In the time you took to make up your mind
Between the two roads
Go and take some more time
But me and mine must go
I tried to wait it out, no more
Can't find the man I was waiting for
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirring in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
By the time you hear this, who knows where I might be
Singin' 'bout another near-miss love that ended incomplete
I was ready, but you weren't
So jump with your net from this bridge you've burned
I wanted to tell you things, all the secrets I've been keepin'
I saw it in front of me, but then you just kept disappearin'
A good dream, almost
Now I tell your ghost
I wanted to be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
Line after line, the words just left to remind
The two of us, oh, what we could have been
Poetry by dead men
Fire from embers, how can I make you remember?
With a turn of a phrase, would you turn to me if I say
I still want to be your girl?
I still wanna be your girl in a white T-shirt
Over coffee, stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
I wanted to be your girl with your hands on my skin
Stirrin' in the cinnamon
While you read me poetry by dead men
(While you read me poetry by dead men)
While you read me poetry by dead men
dian rubianti
The Owner and the Creator of this song (full/complete song melody and style how to sing this song + lyrics) Poetry by dead men by Sara Bareilles is Dian Rubianti /
Originally Published by Sara Bareilles (Sara Bareilles official Youtube)
Song Writer : Dian Rubianti (lyrics------, full/complete song melody style how-vocal personality character harmonize melody-genre and emotion-rhytm to sing the song created by Dian Rubianti )
Lyrics written by Dian Rubianti & --------------
(World first Original recorded by Dian Rubianti)
This song was taken without permission/illegally on air from Dian Rubianti's home when it was creating alone by Dian Rubianti by singing alone -----
one take only (Fast) song creation by Dian Rubianti by singing only without music instrument / Once in a lifetime taken on creating only----original Done by Dian Rubianti in home and taken.
Published Originally by Sara Bareilles (Sara Bareilles official audio /audio youtube) by original lyrics----- in perfect pitch song melody/original song melody by original style (vocal personality character harmonize melody-genre and emotion-rhythm) created alone by singing alone by Dian Rubianti without music instrument-
Dian Rubianti's heart feeling daily-emotion instantly created the lyrics (Dian Rubianti's main theme lyrics) singing instantly by the song melody completely created alone by Dian Rubianti by the way/how it was singing spontanity in creating alone by Dian Rubianti in style (perfect pitch song by Dian Rubianti in creating this song) ---
Notice by Dian Rubianti myself
181181
(Dian Rubianti's private home daily song creation-Dian Rubianti's privacy)
freckledklutz
This is deep. Know your value and don't settle damn AMEN. This one hits hard and its one of my favourites from her new album but we all know she is a lyrical genius!
luz mella
yes, my favorite too
Pamela Machala
The melody of this song is so unique and beautiful 😭💜😭
Cambridge
That's exactly what I thought.
Lily Gray
I agree! I'm listening on repeat
luz mella
yes, only sara can concoct such a fantastic melody
Phoebe D
I've got tickets to see her. I can't wait to see if she plays this masterpiece!
Edit:
She did! Second song in the set after Fire. So wonderful
Maria Robles
She will I just saw her and it was pure magic!
Meleika
Someone tell me how to feel about this whole album. I just want to talk to Sara. I wanna talk to her for days. As my frieennd. HER MUSIC DOES EVERYTHING FOR ME.
Anyone get what i mean? It's like, there is never anything out of place. I feel like she is exactly how i feel. Her music isn't defined by the lyrics, yet it is. She is a feeling. It's like, sure this is a break up song but its entirely whole. Sure this is a love song but its entirely heartbreaking. It's never one thing, you get me? It's always more, that's my word for Sara. Sara you are "More".
The honestly is why i'm so connected. I genuinely, cannot deny any of this.
Sara,
We love you.
I love you.
#MOSTUNDERRATED
Jo F
Yes. Yes. Yes.