Say Hello to Heaven
Temple of the Dog Lyrics

Please, mother mercy
The singer is asking for mercy to be taken away from the grief and turmoil he is experiencing.

Take me from this place
The singer wants to be taken away from the current situation he is in.

And the long-winded curses
The singer is referring to the negative and hurtful words that he keeps hearing in his head.

I hear in my head
The singer is experiencing these negative thoughts and ideas in his own mind.

The words never listen
The negative words seem to just continue on their own and do not stop or respond to the singer's own thoughts.

And teachers, oh they never learn
The singer is describing how it seems like people in authority or teaching positions do not understand the pain that he is going through.

My warmth from the candle
The only comfort the singer feels is from a candle, which represents a source of light and warmth.

Though I feel too cold to burn
Despite the comfort provided by the light and warmth of the candle, the singer is too emotionally cold and numb to fully feel it.

He came from an island
The singer is referring to someone who was from an island, which may indicate that they were not used to the fast pace of city life.

Then he died from the street
This person ended up dying due to the harshness and dangerous nature of the city streets.

And he hurt so bad like a soul breakin'
This person's emotional pain was so intense that it felt like their soul was being broken.

But he never said nothin' to me, yeah
Despite the pain he was feeling, the person never confided in the singer or anyone else about what he was going through.

A'say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
The singer is encouraging this person to say hello to heaven, indicating that he has passed away.

New like a baby, lost like a prayer
The singer is describing someone who is fresh and new, like a baby, but also feels lost and unsure like someone in prayer.

The sky was your playground
This person felt free and unrestricted, like a child playing in an open space, when they looked up at the sky.

But the cold girl was your bed
Despite having the freedom that came with the sky, this person was still alone, sad, and slept in a cold bed by themselves.

Ooh, I said, poor Stargazer
Stargazer is a reference to an actual person or a nickname. The singer is expressing sympathy for this person.

She's got no tears in her eyes
Despite the sadness she is feeling, this person is unable to cry.

But fool like a whisper
The singer is being self-deprecating by calling himself a fool and indicating that his whispering voice isn't able to reach this person.

She knows that love heals all wounds with time
Despite the pain and sadness, this person understands that eventually love will be able to heal the wounds that she is feeling.

Now it seems like too much love is
The singer is describing a situation where too much love was given and is now overwhelming or burdensome.

Never enough, yeah, you better
Despite the overwhelming amount of love that was given, it was never quite enough and it became a burden.

Seek out another road 'cause this one has ended abrupt, oh
The current situation that the singer is in has ended suddenly and they need to find a new path to move forward.

Say hello to heaven, heaven, heaven
The singer is again urging someone to say hello to heaven, which may indicate that another person has passed away.

I, I never wanted
The singer did not want to be in this situation or have to face the loss and sadness they are experiencing.

To write these words down for you
The only outlet that the singer feels is to write these words down as a way to express and process their emotions.

With the pages of phrases
The singer is writing down these phrases and lyrics as a way to capture the depth of their emotions and feelings.

Of things we'll never do
The singer is thinking back on things they will never be able to do or experience with this person again.

Yea, so I blow out, out the candle and I put you to bed
The song ends with a heartbreaking image of the singer putting the person to rest and blowing out the candle, indicating that their story has come to an end.

Since you can't say to me now
The singer is acknowledging that the person is no longer there to share their thoughts, feelings, or experiences with them.

How the dog broke your bone
The addition of the dog breaking a bone is a mystery that is left to the interpretation of the listener.

There's just one thing left to be said
Despite everything, the singer still feels that there is one final thing that needs to be expressed.