After You Put Back The Pieces )
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles Lyrics


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Yes, you played the part of my true lover
But then you broke my heart
Now you'll try in vain to kiss back a dream
That no longer remains
'Cause I'm tired it's true
Of what I'm going through
It's better if we're apart
After you put back the pieces
I'll still have a broken heart
In playing your games
You broke every promise
And then the heartaches came to us
Although you're tellin' me
That you're so sorry
Then you hurt me from the start
After you put back the pieces
I'll still have a broken heart
Oh, yes I will
If my love you miss
Then always remember
That you started this
For a heart that is real
If once it is broken
It may never heal
For breaking hearts with you
Is nothing new
With you it's just an art, I know
After you put back the pieces
I'll still have a broken heart
I know for real
After you put back the pieces
And I'll still have a broken heart
I know, I know, I know, I know




After you put back the pieces
I'll still have a broken heart

Overall Meaning

In "After You Put Back The Pieces," Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' lead singer ponders the aftermath of a failed relationship. He admits that his former lover played the part of his true love, but eventually broke his heart. Despite her efforts to reconcile, he realizes that the dream they once shared is no longer attainable. He's exhausted from the pain and decides it's better to part ways. However, he's aware that even after she tries to fix things, his heart will remain broken. He acknowledges that breaking hearts may be an art for her, and warns that a heart once broken may never heal.


In this song, Smokey Robinson conveys a universal message about heartbreak and the pain it causes. He highlights the importance of recognizing when a relationship is no longer working and how difficult it is to mend a broken heart. His emotional delivery perfectly captures the feelings of someone who has been hurt but has come to terms with the reality of the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

Yes, you played the part of my true lover
You pretended to be my true lover


But then you broke my heart
But then you left me heartbroken


Now you'll try in vain to kiss back a dream
Now you'll try to revive a dream that is already dead


That no longer remains
That doesn't exist anymore


'Cause I'm tired it's true
Because I'm really tired


Of what I'm going through
Of the pain that I'm feeling


It's better if we're apart
Separating would be better


After you put back the pieces
Even after you try to fix things


I'll still have a broken heart
My heart will remain broken


In playing your games
By playing your dishonest games


You broke every promise
You didn't keep any promise


And then the heartaches came to us
And then we suffered from heartaches


Although you're tellin' me
Although you say to me


That you're so sorry
That you regret your actions


Then you hurt me from the start
Then you hurt me from the beginning


Oh, yes I will
Oh, yes it's true


If my love you miss
If you miss my love


Then always remember
Then don't forget


That you started this
That you were the one who caused this


For a heart that is real
For a genuine heart


If once it is broken
If it's broken even once


It may never heal
It may never fully recover


For breaking hearts with you
Because breaking hearts is a habit of yours


Is nothing new
Is something that always happens


With you it's just an art, I know
With you it's just a talent, I'm aware


After you put back the pieces
Even after you try to fix things


I'll still have a broken heart
My heart will remain broken


I know for real
I'm really sure about this


After you put back the pieces
Even after you try to fix things


And I'll still have a broken heart
My heart will remain broken


I know, I know, I know, I know
I really, really, really know


After you put back the pieces
Even after you try to fix things


I'll still have a broken heart
My heart will remain broken




Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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