One Less Bell To Answer
The Dells Lyrics


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One less bell to answer
One less egg to fry
One less woman to pick up after
I should be happy

But all I do is cry
(Cry, cry, no more laughter)
I should be happy
(Oh, why did he go)

I only know that since he left
My life's so empty
Though I try to forget
It just can't be done

Each time the doorbell rings
I still run
I don't know how in the world
To stop thinking of her

I still love her
I spend each day the way I start out
Crying my heart out
(One less bell to answer)

I should be happy
(One less egg to fry)
One less woman to pick up after
No more laughter, no more love

Since she went away
(One less bell to answer)
(One less egg to fry)
One less man to pick up after

No more laughter, no more love




Since she went away
She went away

Overall Meaning

One Less Bell To Answer by The Dells is a song about heartbreak and the struggle to move on after a relationship has ended. The lyrics express a sense of confusion and sadness that comes with trying to adjust to life without the person you love. The line "one less bell to answer, one less egg to fry" speaks to the practical changes that come with being alone, but the singer finds no comfort in these small mercies. He is still consumed by thoughts of his lost love, unable to stop thinking about her despite his efforts.


The chorus of the song reveals the depth of the singer's pain. He should be happy, he tells himself, since he is no longer responsible for the things he used to do for his partner. However, he cannot find any joy in his newfound freedom, and instead, he is plagued by the memories of her. The line "crying my heart out" emphasizes just how difficult it is for him to move on, and how much he still loves her.


Line by Line Meaning

One less bell to answer
I am relieved that I no longer have to hear the sound of her voice, but it reminds me of her absence and makes me feel sad.


One less egg to fry
I am glad that I don't have to go through the hassle of cooking for her anymore, but it makes me miss her presence and feel lonely.


One less woman to pick up after
I feel happy that I am free of the responsibility of taking care of her, but it also makes me miss her and feel the emptiness of her absence.


I should be happy
I feel like I should be happy because she is gone and I am free, but it actually makes me feel more sad and lonely than I ever have before.


But all I do is cry
Despite my efforts to be happy, I find myself constantly crying and feeling sad because I miss her so much.


(Cry, cry, no more laughter)
I can't stop crying and there is no more laughter in my life now that she is gone.


Oh, why did he go
I keep asking myself why she had to leave and why she couldn't stay with me.


I only know that since he left
All I know is that ever since she left, my life has been empty and dull.


My life's so empty
Her absence has left a gaping hole in my life and I feel like there is nothing left for me.


Though I try to forget
I try my best to forget about her and move on, but I just can't seem to do it.


It just can't be done
No matter how hard I try, I can't forget about her and move on with my life.


Each time the doorbell rings
Every time I hear the doorbell ring, I think it might be her and my heart starts racing with the hope that she might have returned.


I still run
When the doorbell rings, I still run to answer it because I can't help but hope that it might be her.


I don't know how in the world
I am at a loss as to how I can forget about her and move on with my life.


To stop thinking of her
No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to stop thinking about her and the love that we shared.


I still love her
Despite everything that has happened, I still love her and miss her deeply.


I spend each day the way I start out
Every day is still painful and empty, just like it was in the beginning after she left.


Crying my heart out
I spend each day crying because I miss her so much and can't seem to get over her.


No more love
Now that she is gone, there is no more love in my life and I feel like there never will be again.


Since she went away
Ever since she left, my life has been empty and nothing feels the same anymore.


One less man to pick up after
I am glad that she no longer has to take care of me and that I am free, but it also makes me miss her and feel the emptiness of her absence.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Burt F. Bacharach, Hal David

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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