Jackie
Sinéad O'Connor Lyrics


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Jackie left on a cold, dark night
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

Overall Meaning

The song "Jackie" by Sinéad O'Connor tells the story of a woman whose partner, Jackie, has been gone for a hundred years, leaving her alone to mourn and search for him on the shores where he left. The lyrics are full of despair and heartbreak, as the woman has been dead for twenty years and is stuck in an eternal cycle of searching for her lost love. She remembers the day when a young man came to tell her that Jackie was gone, but she refused to believe him and clung to hope that her partner would return.


The lyrics are a powerful commentary on the intensity of love and the pain that comes with loss. They are also an exploration of themes like grief, denial, and the search for closure. The woman's determination to find her partner even after death is a testament to the power of the human heart and its capacity to hold on to hope even in the face of despair.


Overall, "Jackie" is a haunting and deeply emotional song that showcases Sinéad O'Connor's talent for writing lyrics that cut deep into the human experience.


Line by Line Meaning

Jackie left on a cold, dark night
Her lover left her in the middle of the night without a word.


Telling me he'd be home
He promised to return but never did.


Sailed the seas for a hundred years
He left her for a long time and could have been anywhere.


Leaving me all alone
She was deserted and lonely.


And I've been dead for twenty years
She's been dead inside without her love for a long time.


I've been washing the sand with my ghostly tears
She has spent years mourning the loss of her lover without any resolution.


Searching the shores for my Jackie-oh
She is desperately seeking her lover, longing for his return.


I remember the day the young man came
She vividly recalls the day when she learned of her lover's fate.


He said, 'your Jackie's gone
The young man informed her that her love was no longer alive.


We got lost in the rain'
The man explained the circumstances of Jackie's death.


And I ran to the beach and laid me down
She was devastated and went to the beach to mourn.


'You're all wrong', I said
She refused to believe that Jackie was gone forever.


And they stared at the sand
Others were skeptical of her hope for Jackie's return.


'That man knows that sea like the back of his hand
She insisted that Jackie was an experienced seaman who was capable of navigating any waters.


He'll be back some time laughing at you'
She believed that Jackie would one day return and prove everyone wrong.


And I've been waiting all this time
She has remained steadfast in her hope for Jackie's return.


For my man to come
She is waiting for her love to return to her.


Take his hand in mine
She wants to be reunited with Jackie and feel his touch again.


And lead me away
She wants to leave her old life behind and start anew with Jackie.


To unseen shores
She wants to start a new life with Jackie in a place they've never been before.


And I'll walk the seas forever more
She is committed to spending the rest of her life searching for Jackie.


Till I find my Jackie oh
She will never give up on finding her love and being reunited with him.


Jackie oh
Repeated as a desperate plea for her lover to return.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SINEAD O'CONNOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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