Dressed in Black
Shangri Las Lyrics
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He walks alone, a shadow in the night
Each time he walks by my window
Can't hold the tears from my eyes
We're so much in love
Why can't they realize
That every time he looks at me
I live on just the memory of him caressing me
So soft, so warm
So soft, so warm
They said he was much to wild for me
They said I didn't know what I was getting myself into
They said a whole lot of things
But there are some things they could never understand
That a girl can tell by the way a boy holds her hand
Or maybe they thought we were too young to be in love this way
Well, I don't care what people say
This girl's love is getting stronger with each passing day
That every time he looks at me
I long to feel his lips on mine
I live on just the memory of him caressing me
So soft, so warm
So soft, so warm
But now he's gone
But now he's gone
I climbed the stairs
I shut the door
I turned the lock
Alone once more
And no one can hear me cry
No one
can see me die inside
The song "Dressed in Black" by the Shangri Las tells the story of a woman who is desperately in love with a man whom everyone else seems to disapprove of. The song emphasizes the loneliness and isolation that the woman feels, as she struggles to understand why others cannot see the depth of her love. She watches as the man walks by her window each night, dressed in black, and longs for his touch. The woman remembers the moments when he held her close, caressing her with such tenderness and warmth. But, in the end, the man is gone and the woman is alone, locked inside her own heartache.
The lyrics are very emotive and portray a strong sense of passion and intensity between the couple. The song speaks to the idea of young love, where people may not understand the depth of passion and commitment that two individuals can feel for each other. The lyrics also touch on the idea of societal norms, where others feel the need to judge and criticize a relationship that they may not fully understand.
Line by Line Meaning
Dressed in black
He is wearing black clothes
He walks alone, a shadow in the night
He walks alone and is like a shadow in the darkness
Each time he walks by my window
Whenever he passes by my window
Can't hold the tears from my eyes
I cannot stop my tears
We're so much in love
We love each other very much
Why can't they realize
Why can't they understand
That every time he looks at me
Whenever he looks at me
I long to feel his lips on mine
I want to kiss him
I live on just the memory of him caressing me
I only have the memory of him touching me
So soft, so warm
It was very soft and warm
They said he was much too wild for me
They said he was too wild for me
They said I didn't know what I was getting myself into
They said I didn't understand what I was doing
They said a whole lot of things
They said many things
But there are some things they could never understand
Some things they could never comprehend
That a girl can tell by the way a boy holds her hand
A girl can understand how a boy feels by the way he holds her hand
Or maybe they thought we were too young to be in love this way
Maybe they thought we were too young to be in love like this
Well, I don't care what people say
I don't care about people's opinions
This girl's love is getting stronger with each passing day
My love is growing stronger every day
But now he's gone
But now he is no longer here
I climbed the stairs
I went up the stairs
I shut the door
I closed the door
I turned the lock
I locked the door
Alone once more
Once again, I am alone
And no one can hear me cry
No one can hear me crying
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GRANT PHILLIP MICHAELS, GREGORY ALLEN KURSTIN, KATE I FURLER SIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Corporations8MyBaby
I adore Betty (Liz) and her voice. There's a rock n roll growl to her voice. I'm so glad she got to sing lead or co-lead on 11 of their tracks! I get goosebumps.
@thebarbaryghostsf
This is probably the best song by any of the girl groups. I love to spin this at the end of my DJ sets.
@hsard
Would love to hear that
@ChildOfThe1970s
Beautiful song. I love the mood... and Betty's voice.
@Kat456789
When HIM opened with this, I got goose-bumps! What a Great Song!
@jackassthemovie
12 years later and I still remember this too!
@Qkfreakshow
This song, "Never Again" and "I can never go home anymore" are my favorites. Increibles!
@kj104uk9
"...a girl can tell by the way a boy holds her hand" the music, the piano and the voice make this song so potent but also, very often, so true.
"Alone once more and nobody can here me cry..."
Mary sings it so beautifully from the heart.
@teendude16
I love it, what talent. Thank you for posting.
@joncheskin
Terrific performance--subtle. She uses vocal color beautifully in the song.