Bittersweet Symphony
The Andrew Oldham Orchestra/The Verve Lyrics


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'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Try to make ends meet
You're a slave to money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the veins meet yeah,

No change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mold
I am here in my mold
But I'm a million different people
From one day to the next
I can't change my mold
No, no, no, no, no

Well I never pray
But tonight I'm on my knees yeah
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now
But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now

No change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mold
I am here in my mold
And I'm a million different people
From one day to the next
I can't change my mold
No, no, no, no, no
I can't change
I can't change

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Try to make ends meet
Try to find some money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
Where all the things meet yeah

You know I can't change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mold
I am here in my mold
And I'm a million different people
From one day to the next
I can't change my mold
No, no, no, no, no

I can't change my mold
No, no, no, no, no,
I can't change
Can't change my body,
No, no, no

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
Been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Ever been down




Have you ever been down?
Have you've ever been down?

Overall Meaning

The song Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve is a poignant reflection on life, highlighting the struggles that people face to make ends meet and the realization that money is the root cause of many problems. The lyrics are a blend of cynicism and hope, as the singer tries to find meaning in the complexities of life. It is a powerful song that has touched the hearts of millions over the years.


The song starts with the line "Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life", which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The balance between joy and sorrow, contentment, and dissatisfaction in life is the theme that runs throughout the song. The singer seems to have accepted the harsh realities of life and the fact that no matter how hard he tries, he will always be at the mercy of the money he earns. However, he also recognizes that life is not simply a bed of roses; it is complex and multi-faceted, with a lot of different experiences and emotions.


The imagery used in the song is vivid and striking. The line "I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that life is a journey, and there is only one path that one can follow in it. The overall message of the song is that life is a bittersweet symphony, with all its ups and downs, and that one needs to find meaning and purpose in it, even in the face of adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Life is a beautiful yet complicated blend of happiness and sadness


Try to make ends meet
Struggling to make enough money to survive


You're a slave to money then you die
The cycle of life is that you work to make money, but eventually you die, never having accomplished everything you wanted


I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
I'll show you the path that I've taken, the only path I know


You know the one that takes you to the places Where all the veins meet yeah
I'll take you to places where it feels like everything in life comes together in one place


No change, I can't change
I am unable to change


But I'm here in my mold
I am who I am, and I am comfortable in my own skin


I am here in my mold
I am comfortable with my identity


But I'm a million different people From one day to the next
I change and grow as a person constantly


I can't change my mold
I am who I am and cannot change that


Well I never pray
I have never been one to pray


But tonight I'm on my knees yeah
But tonight I'm in a vulnerable state, and am willing to try anything to find solace


I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I need to hear music that resonates with my emotional pain


I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now
The music is a cathartic experience, helping me release negative emotions


But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now
But now, there is no music to help me escape from my negative emotions


I can't change my mold
I am who I am and cannot change that


You know I can't change, I can't change
I cannot be someone other than who I am


Can't change my body
I cannot change the physical body I have been given


Have you ever been down?
Have you ever experienced the low points in life?




Lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, RIchard Ashcroft

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@NightRunner417

What everybody else said. It's truly bizarre how "This Could Be The Last Time" morphed into this beautiful thing, and then this beautiful thing morphed into "Bittersweet Symphony", one of the greatest songs ever made. Sometimes you just gotta put down the "you stole this!" pitchfork and torch and just appreciate the music. This to me is a rare, brilliant example of how one song can be made from another and work OH so well. 🙂

@timster1995

Yeah I can still hear the violin riff melody in this version and the way they play the chords in expression even chords progression isn’t copyrighted but the expressed way is and in the same rhythm and the strings and the melody is exactly the same so Bittersweet Symphony is too awfully close to this!

@efan2012

Indeed. It's honestly amazing. The Last Time imo is one of the Stones's more underrated songs, then Oldham did this version which is gorgeous. Then BS came out all those years later and is iconic on it's own right.

@Deep.Purple

Except the Verve got permission from Decca to use that clip and then Decca did what a lot of crooks did... tell them that the deal wasn't enough and they would have to give them 100% of the royalties from the Verves song through extortion. Alan Kline also a notorious crook jumped in and demanded 100% and signed it away for $1. Kline did the same thing to George Harrison. AND if that all isn't enough the STONES took the song "The last time" from the Staple Singers. Which you can still go listen to and hear the same lyrics and melody. The Stones didn't really change anything in the song and the staple singers never got a dime from it. The music industry is F-ed up. Crooks one and all.

@nell580

The verbe just put the lirycs on this masterpiece.

@jorgegonza8681

How about RIDING SOLO

36 More Replies...

@Rumeiyuh

It literally feels like you're walking in paradise listening to this. Imagine hearing this live

@PM-vv3uc

Maybe it feels a little bit more like walking down a street without paying attention to passers-by. In doing so, I arbitrarily push other passers-by aside and just walk over a car. I don't really have a clue how I got this idea.

@cllewis1

@@PM-vv3uc Man, I felt the same way and I don't know why.

@jimmanuel9512

I feel like I’m swinging from star to star

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