Jackie
SinГ©ad O'Connor Lyrics
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Telling me he'd be home
Sailed the seas for a hundred years
Leaving me all alone
And I've been dead for twenty years
I've been washing the sand
With my ghostly tears
Searching the shores for my Jackie-oh
I remember the day the young man came
He said, "your Jackie's gone
We got lost in the rain"
And I ran to the beach
And laid me down
"You're all wrong", I said
And they stared at the sand
"That man knows that sea
Like the back of his hand
He'll be back some time
laughing at you"
And I've been waiting all this time
For my man to come
Take his hand in mine
And lead me away
To unseen shores
I've been washing the sand
With my salty tears
Searching the shore
For these long years
And I'll walk the seas forever more
Till I find my Jackie oh
Till I find my Jackie oh
Till I find my Jackie oh
Jackie oh
Jackie oh
Jackie oh
The song "Jackie" by Sinéad O'Connor tells a story of a woman who has been waiting for her lover, Jackie, to return for twenty years. Jackie had left on a cold, dark night telling her he would come home, but had sailed the seas for a hundred years, leaving her alone. The woman has been dead for twenty years, and has been washing the sand with her ghostly tears while searching the shore for Jackie. She remembers the day a young man came and told her that Jackie was gone and they got lost in the rain. She ran to the beach and laid down, telling the men that they were wrong and that Jackie knew the sea like the back of his hand. She waits for Jackie to return, hoping he will take her hand and lead her away to unseen shores, but until then, she will walk the seas forevermore until she finds her Jackie oh.
The lyrics of this song are open to interpretation, but it seems to be about the pain of waiting for someone who has left and may never return. It speaks to the deep longing and hope that love can bring, even in the face of loss and grief.
Line by Line Meaning
Jackie left on a cold, dark night
My partner, Jackie, left me on a cold, dark night.
Telling me he'd be home
He promised me that he'd come back home.
Sailed the seas for a hundred years
Jackie has been gone for such a long time that it feels like a hundred years.
Leaving me all alone
I've been left completely alone without my partner by my side.
And I've been dead for twenty years
I've been so lonely and sad that it feels like I've been dead for twenty years.
I've been washing the sand With my ghostly tears
I've cried so much that my tears feel ghostly and blend in with the sand.
Searching the shores for my Jackie-oh
I've been searching the shores for my lost partner, Jackie, hoping to find him again.
I remember the day the young man came
I recall the day a young man came and told me that Jackie was gone.
He said, "your Jackie's gone We got lost in the rain"
The young man explained that Jackie was gone and they got lost in the rain.
And I ran to the beach And laid me down
I immediately ran to the beach and lay down there, feeling lost and alone.
"You're all wrong", I said And they stared at the sand "That man knows that sea Like the back of his hand He'll be back some time laughing at you"
I protested and told them they were wrong, insisting that Jackie knew the sea well and would return one day, possibly to laugh at those who doubted him.
And I've been waiting all this time For my man to come Take his hand in mine And lead me away To unseen shores
I've been waiting for Jackie to return so that we can be reunited and explore new adventures together.
And I'll walk the seas forever more Till I find my Jackie oh Till I find my Jackie oh Till I find my Jackie oh Jackie oh Jackie oh Jackie oh
I'll keep searching the seas until I find Jackie, and I won't stop until I have him back in my arms.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SINEAD O'CONNOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind