I Am Stretched on Your Grave
SinГ©ad O'Connor Lyrics


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I am stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If your hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever

My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather

When my family thinks
That I'm safe in my bed
From night until morning
I am stretched at your head

Calling out to the air
With tears hot and wild
My grief for the girl
That I loved as a child

Do you remember
The night we were lost
In the shade of the blackthorn
And the chill of the frost

Thanks be to Jesus
We did what was right
And your maiden head still
Is your pillar of light

The priest and the friars
Approach me in dread
Because I still love you
My love and you're dead





I still would be your shelter
Through rain and through storm
And with you in your cold grave
I cannot sleep warm

So I'm stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If you hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever

My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather

Overall Meaning

The song "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" by Sinéad O'Connor is a haunting and sorrowful tribute to a lost love. The central image of the singer being "stretched on" the grave of their beloved, unwilling to leave their side, creates a poignant symbol of the singer's grief and longing. Although the song is not explicitly biographical, it is often interpreted as a tribute to a girlfriend of O'Connor's who died in a car accident.


The song is structured as a series of stanzas, each with a consistent rhyme scheme and meter. The first two stanzas establish the central image of being "stretched on" the grave, and the singer's desire to remain there forever with their beloved. The third stanza introduces the image of the apple tree, which may symbolize a sense of innocence, growth, and new beginnings that the singer yearns for. The fourth stanza reveals that the singer is deceiving their family, who think they are safe at home, in order to be with the ghost of their lover. The fifth stanza is filled with tears and wild grief, suggesting a deep sense of loss and pain. The next two stanzas recall a happier time when the couple wandered lost in the woods together, but ultimately did "what was right" and remained pure. The final stanza repeats the central image and expresses the singer's desire to be reunited with their love.


Overall, "I Am Stretched on Your Grave" is a deeply emotional and complex song that uses vivid imagery and powerful language to express the pain and longing of lost love.


Line by Line Meaning

I am stretched on your grave
I am lying on top of your burial ground, unable to move on from your passing


And will lie there forever
My love for you is eternal and I will remain devoted to you even after death


If your hands were in mine
If we were together in life, I believe we could have overcome any obstacle


I'd be sure we'd not sever
I am confident that our love is strong enough to weather any storm


My apple tree my brightness
You were a source of light and positivity in my life


It's time we were together
I long to be reunited with you, no matter the cost


For I smell of the earth
I am deeply rooted in my grief and consumed by my love for you


And am worn by the weather
The harshness of life has taken a toll on me, but my love persists


When my family thinks
Even though my loved ones believe I am safe in my bed


That I'm safe in my bed
I am tormented by thoughts of you and cannot find peace


From night until morning
I am haunted by your memory, day after day


I am stretched at your head
My soul is tied to yours, even in death


Calling out to the air
I cry out to the world, searching for a way to bring you back


With tears hot and wild
My grief is intense and uncontainable


My grief for the girl
I mourn the loss of the woman I loved


That I loved as a child
My love for you began when we were young and has never wavered


Do you remember
I reminisce about our past together


The night we were lost
That time we were wandering, unsure of our future


In the shade of the blackthorn
Under the cover of darkness, hidden from the world


And the chill of the frost
Frozen by the bitter cold, but warmed by our love for each other


Thanks be to Jesus
I am grateful for our time together, no matter how short


We did what was right
Our love was pure and true, even if others could not understand it


And your maiden head still
You remained innocent and untainted


Is your pillar of light
Your goodness still shines brightly, even in death


The priest and the friars
Even religious figures are afraid of my love for you


Approach me in dread
They are frightened of my devotion to you


Because I still love you
My love for you is unyielding, no matter the consequences


My love and you're dead
You may have passed on, but my love for you lives on


I still would be your shelter
I would protect you and care for you, even in death


Through rain and through storm
No matter what hardships we faced, my love for you would remain steadfast


And with you in your cold grave
Even in death, I would remain by your side


I cannot sleep warm
Without you, I am incomplete and unable to find peace




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: F. O'CONNOR, P. KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@bootdownthedoor

I am stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If your hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever
My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather
When my family thinks
That I'm safe in my bed
From night until morning
I am stretched at your head
Calling out to the air
With tears hot and wild
My grief for the girl
That I loved as a child
Do you remember
The night we were lost
In the shade of the blackthorn
And the chill of the frost
Thanks be to Jesus
We did what was right
And your maiden head still
Is your pillar of light
The priests and the friars
Approach me in dread
Because I still love you
My love and you're dead
I still would be your shelter
Through rain and through storm
And with you in your cold grave
I cannot sleep warm
So I'm stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever
If you hands were in mine
I'd be sure we'd not sever
My apple tree my brightness
It's time we were together
For I smell of the earth
And am worn by the weather



All comments from YouTube:

@tq6tl

This song is fitting for such a sad day. May your spirit find your beloved son's spirit.
RIP Sinead

@athecheat

It's my song now that she has passed

@Pcrimson1

As soon as I heard the news, I had to hear this song. What a great voice, what a loss.. Peace to you, Sinead

@sidgrimes2495

SAME 💔

@jec0435

SAME. Here we are. Rest in peace Sinead.

@Iofflight78

I hadn't listened to her in ages and I knew of her struggles still I found myself strangely gutted.

@jograham1153

Same...

@SirenaSpades

Why bother now.

@cookworm6

I've been listening to Sinéad O'Connor since 1986, and I had no idea until today this song was an old Irish poem!

@panismith1544

Awesome poem!!!

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