Testify
Terence Trent D'Arby Lyrics


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Once ago there were lovebirds
Who began to fly
Into different spaces of the sky
They were kissed by grace notes
Passing by on there rainbow faces

Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why

Once ago there were sun birds
Who began to burn
With the heat of summers soft concern
But he turned her faith into a lie
And it stole her sigh

Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why

I can hear my lover calling
As the lazy afternoon is falling
Even if it's in my mind my memory just killing time
Loving has left me wanting
A ghost would find love haunting
I'll have to see if it costs an arm and a legacy
But it's still in question I can't deny
That it took a while to learn to fly
So I did impressions

Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy
Testify
Love is never easy
Love is never easy




But I'll still give it a try
Sometimes I wonder why

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Testify by Terence Trent D'Arby tell a story about the difficulties of love. The first verse opens with a mention of lovebirds who fly into different spaces of the sky. This is a metaphor for a couple who have diverging paths in life. They experience moments of beauty as they intersect, signified by the grace notes passing by on their rainbow faces. However, the chorus declares that love is never easy, but despite its challenges, the singer is willing to try. Sometimes he wonders why he persists with a feeling that can bring so much pain.


The second verse introduces the sun birds, who represent the passionate side of love. They burn with the heat of summer's soft concern, a reference to the carefree days of youth. However, the male partner turns her faith into a lie, and it steals her sigh. This suggests that while love can be exhilarating, it can also lead to heartbreak. The bridge interjects with the singer hearing his lover calling him, but it is unclear whether this is happening in reality or just a memory he is clinging to. The final lines of the song highlight the eternal mystery that is love, and how it takes time to learn how to navigate this complex emotion.


Line by Line Meaning

Once ago there were lovebirds
In the past, there were two people who were deeply in love


Who began to fly
They started living a life of freedom and happiness together


Into different spaces of the sky
They explored different dimensions of their love and expressed it in various ways


They were kissed by grace notes
They experienced moments of love that were so beautiful and harmonious, they felt like they were being kissed by grace


Passing by on their rainbow faces
These moments of love were fleeting, like rainbows that appear and disappear quickly


Love is never easy
True love is never simple or straightforward to attain or maintain


But I'll still give it a try
Despite the challenges and difficulties of love, the singer is willing to make the effort and take the risk


Sometimes I wonder why
The singer experiences moments of doubt and confusion about love


Once ago there were sun birds
In the past, there were two people who were passionate and intense in their love


Who began to burn
Their love was filled with desire, intensity, and emotion


With the heat of summers soft concern
Their love was as warm and comforting as a summer afternoon


But he turned her faith into a lie
One partner betrayed the other's trust and faith in them


And it stole her sigh
The other partner became disheartened and lost their ability to breathe deeply and feel contented


I can hear my lover calling
The singer is still in love and can hear their partner's voice in their mind


As the lazy afternoon is falling
The calm and peaceful moments of the day inspire feelings of love and longing


Even if it's in my mind my memory just killing time
The singer spends time remembering their past love, even if it is only in their mind, and feels a sense of loss


Loving has left me wanting
Being in love has left the singer feeling unfulfilled


A ghost would find love haunting
The emptiness and loneliness that follows lost love is so strong that even a ghost would be scared of it


I'll have to see if it costs an arm and a legacy
Starting a new relationship requires the singer to give a lot and is a significant investment


But it's still in question I can't deny
Despite the singer's doubts and fears about love, they cannot deny the possibility and desire for it in their life


That it took a while to learn to fly
Learning to love and be loved was a journey, and it took time for the singer to feel comfortable and confident in it


So I did impressions
The singer tried to imitate what they thought love should be like, to mixed success




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