What a Broken Heart Can Do
Takako Mamiya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where all the people can look at me
Between the strong man and the tattooed lady
I'm here to look at, not to see
They pay their 50′second and walk on through
They quickly glance and look away
And through my glass wools I can watch them
Hold, there's the children cross to say
It′s why the angels ignore her
That′s what a broken heart can do
There is no wire or strings
She lost everything
But I promise that it won't happen to you
I see all the young couples passing by
And watch them catch each other tight
Then one will whisper to the other
Please, won′t you stay with me tonight?
I've seen the hard looks and the empty stares
I′ve heard the sighs and silent screams
I've felt the pain that comes when no ones cares
Know the ache of your worst dreams
This is what a broken heart can do
It′s why the angels ignore me
This is what a broken heart can do
There is no wire or strings
I've lost everything
Don't be sure that it won′t happen to you
Takako Mamiya’s song “What a Broken Heart Can Do” is a forlorn and haunting portrayal of a woman stuck as a freak in a sideshow. The lyrics are poignant and raw, illustrating the desperation, loneliness and rejection that one can feel after going through heartbreak. The singer is a victim, compulsively and perpetually using the sideshow as a means of channeling her pain and attempting to cope with the hopeless anguish of heartbreak.
The sideshow serves as a metaphor for the singer's broken heart, as she watches people come, pay and go by. The various roles played by everyone who enters and leaves the sideshow, from the strong man to the tattooed lady, highlights the different ways people cope with their own trials and tribulations. In contrast, the singer remains stagnant in her state of sadness, unable to move on and perpetually trapped in her pain. The singer observes and empathizes with the "young couples passing by" who are able to find solace in each other, however, they cannot fathom the depth of pain she has felt.
The lyrics, "That′s what a broken heart can do, It's why the angels ignore her" suggests that her pain and sorrow has made her a societal outcast, an anomaly in the world she lives in. The final lines, "There is no wire or strings, She lost everything, But I promise that it won't happen to you" embody the singer's cynicism towards love, and highlights how deeply embedded her despair is that she cannot image the possibility of anyone avoiding heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a freak here at the sideshow
I feel like a spectacle and a misfit among the other performers
Where all the people can look at me
Everyone can stare at me, scrutinize me and judge me
Between the strong man and the tattooed lady
I'm sandwiched between the muscle-bound man and the lady with tattoos, feeling like the odd one out
I'm here to look at, not to see
People come to gawk at me but seldom see me for who I really am
They pay their 50′seconds and walk on through
They buy a ticket, take a fleeting glimpse at me, and continue on their way.
They quickly glance and look away
They don't take the time to acknowledge me, they avert their eyes
And through my glass wools I can watch them
As I look through my binoculars, I can observe the visitors passing through
Hold, there's the children cross to say
I spot some children walking by, pointing and commenting on me.
That's what a broken heart can do
This is the power of a heart that has been crushed, disappointed or shattered
It′s why the angels ignore her
A broken-hearted person may feel abandoned or overlooked by heavenly beings
There is no wire or strings
The artist is not an illusion, there are no physical props, but emotions and experiences
She lost everything
She feels she has nothing left, no possessions or relationships, to hold on to
But I promise that it won't happen to you
The singer is assuring her audience, or herself, that they won't suffer the same fate
I see all the young couples passing by
She observes the innocent and romantic lovers walking past her tent
And watch them catch each other tight
She witnesses their happy embraces, their affection and trust
Then one will whisper to the other
She hears one of them whispering sweet nothings to their partner
Please, won′t you stay with me tonight?
The lover asks for companionship, assurance, and sustenance for their heart
I've seen the hard looks and the empty stares
She noticed the disdain and disinterest of some people who walked by
I′ve heard the sighs and silent screams
She detected and sensed the unsaid and unheard agonies of human beings
I've felt the pain that comes when no ones cares
She has experienced the suffering, despair and loneliness that result from neglect or indifference
Know the ache of your worst dreams
She empathizes with the profound and distressing pain people may face
This is what a broken heart can do
This is the power and impact of a heart that has been broken or betrayed
It′s why the angels ignore me
The performer feels like an outcast or unworthy of divine attention or care
There is no wire or strings
There is no scripted act, just authentic emotions and vulnerabilities
I've lost everything
She has suffered a great loss or deprivation in her life journey
Don't be sure that it won′t happen to you
She warns the listener not to take their happiness and security for granted, as they too could be victim to misfortune and heartbreak
Contributed by Tyler M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.