Everybody's Breakin' Everybody's Heart
Sonny Landreth Lyrics


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Billy really loves his lady Lou
She got eyes for an uptown dude
He got a honey
He keep across town
Now they all on the corner
It's a battle ground

What a shame
Lord knows what a shame
Yeah it seem like the neighborhood fallin' apart
And everybody's breakin' everybody's heart

Annie got in trouble with her man Jim
She sent her friend Betty just to talk to him
Imagine the look on Annie's face
When she caught them red handed at daddy's place

What a shame
Lord knows what a shame
Yeah it seem like the neighborhood fallin' apart
And everybody's breakin' everybody's heart

People get to talkin'
The word gets around
The next thing you know
You got a scandal in town

Your lightin' the fuse
When you gamble the heart
The stakes are high
When the fireworks start

What a shame
Lord knows what a shame




Yeah it seem like the neighborhood fallin' apart
And everybody's breakin' everybody's heart

Overall Meaning

In Sonny Landreth's song "Everybody's Breakin' Everybody's Heart," the lyrics tell the story of several interconnected relationships that have fallen apart due to cheating and scandal. The first verse introduces Billy, who is in love with Lou, but Lou is attracted to an uptown man who already has a girlfriend across town. The second verse tells the story of Annie and her man Jim, which leads to a scandal when Annie's friend Betty is caught having an affair with Jim at Annie's father's place. The chorus repeats the phrase "what a shame" and emphasizes the idea that the whole neighborhood is falling apart because of all the broken hearts.


Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the consequences of infidelity and gossip. The verses illustrate how one person's cheating can cause a ripple effect and impact multiple people's lives, leading to a breakdown of trust and relationships. The chorus suggests that everyone is at fault and that no one is innocent when it comes to breaking hearts. The metaphor of lighting a fuse and setting off fireworks implies that the consequences of these actions can be explosive and destructive.


Line by Line Meaning

Billy really loves his lady Lou
Billy is deeply in love with his partner Lou


She got eyes for an uptown dude
Lou is attracted to a wealthy man from the city


He got a honey
Billy has a secret lover


He keep across town
Billy's other lover lives far away from Lou and him


Now they all on the corner
All three of them have coincidentally met on the street corner


It's a battle ground
This confrontation is turning into a fierce fight between them


What a shame
It's unfortunate


Lord knows what a shame
It's truly regrettable


Yeah it seem like the neighborhood fallin' apart
The community is breaking apart due to these types of conflicts


And everybody's breakin' everybody's heart
This strife is causing everyone to hurt each other emotionally


Annie got in trouble with her man Jim
Annie is having issues with her partner Jim


She sent her friend Betty just to talk to him
Annie asked her friend Betty to talk to Jim on her behalf


Imagine the look on Annie's face
Annie is shocked by what she sees next


When she caught them red handed at daddy's place
Annie finds Jim and Betty at a place belonging to Annie's family


People get to talkin'
Gossip spreads quickly


The word gets around
Rumors circulate


The next thing you know
Before you know it


You got a scandal in town
The town is now embroiled in a scandal


Your lightin' the fuse
You're setting yourself up for trouble


When you gamble the heart
When you take risks in matters of love


The stakes are high
The risks are significant


When the fireworks start
When everything erupts into chaos and drama




Contributed by Eva W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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