A Beautiful Story
Sonny Cher Lyrics

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What's your name is it Jane
Would you mind sitting next to a silly old fool?
It's just I tired of wasting my hours
Talking to trees and watching flowers grow
Watching birds chasing bees
Little boys scraping knees
Even my tears have all dried
Can I sit by your side?

[Chorus]
Don't misunderstand me
I'm just an old man with no place to go
And if you oblige me and sit here beside me
I'll tell you a story a beautiful story
That you might not know Please don't go

Pardon me mister tree
I hope I didn't offend you before
You are my friend but I wanted much more
But now I'm back once again
Like always before
Watching birds chasing bees
Little boys scraping knees
Even my tears have all dried
Can I sit by your side?

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sonny & Cher's "A Beautiful Story" describe a lonely old man looking for someone to talk to because he's "tired of wasting [his] hours talking to trees and watching flowers grow." He asks a woman for her name and if she would sit next to him, despite calling himself a "silly old fool." He explains that even his tears have dried up, suggesting that he's been alone for a long time. The chorus emphasizes that he's just looking for someone to talk to and promises to tell the woman a beautiful story if she stays and listens.

The song is a poignant commentary on isolation and the need for human connection. The old man's desire for companionship is so strong that he's willing to sit and talk to a stranger. The lyrics are a reminder that everyone has a story to tell, and that it's important to take the time to listen to each other's experiences.

Line by Line Meaning

What's your name is it Jane
May I have the pleasure of knowing your name, is it Jane?

Would you mind sitting next to a silly old fool?
May I have the honor of sitting next to you, even though I myself am old and perhaps, foolish?

It's just I tired of wasting my hours
I'm simply tired of wasting my time with things that don't matter.

Talking to trees and watching flowers grow
I've been talking to trees and wasting time watching flowers grow, needing a break from it all.

Watching birds chasing bees
Even watching birds chasing bees is getting old and repetitive for me.

Little boys scraping knees
Seeing little boys scraping their knees, while it may be entertaining, has also lost its novelty.

Even my tears have all dried
Even my tears have dried up, showing even my deep emotions are no longer stirred.

Can I sit by your side?
May I have the honor to sit by your side?

[Chorus]
Refrain from misunderstanding me, for I am just an old man with nowhere to go. If you allow me to sit beside you, I'll share a beautiful story.

Pardon me mister tree
I apologize, tree, for previously overlooking you and wanting more from you.

I hope I didn't offend you before
I hope I didn't come off as rude or unappreciative of you before.

You are my friend but I wanted much more
You are a friend to me, but I wanted something more exciting and inspiring.

But now I'm back once again
However, I have come back to appreciate you once again.

[Chorus]
Refrain from misunderstanding me, for I am just an old man with nowhere to go. If you allow me to sit beside you, I'll share a beautiful story.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sonny Bono

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

WhoKnowsWhy

9y↑6

My oldest sister sang this to me when I was a baby. I miss her and those times every day.

dramdad

7y↑4

i found this in my parents album collection. i listen to this and think about them and smile. i miss them both so much

WhoKnowsWhy

5y↑3

I know what you mean. My late sister was 13 years older than me and I can remember her singing this to me when I was sad. I wish she could sing it now because I am sad again.