So Sad About Us
The Jam Lyrics


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So sad about us
So sad about us
Sad - never meant to break up
Sad - suppose we'll never make up
Sad about us

So bad about us
So bad about us

Bad - let the music stop now
Bad - suppose we can't turn back now
Bad about us

Apologies mean nothing when the damage is done
But you can't switch off my loving
Like you can't switch off the sun

So sad about us
So bad about us

Sad - never meant to break up




Sad - suppose we'll never make up
Sad about us

Overall Meaning

The Jam's "So Sad About Us" is a heartbreaking song about lost love and regret. The melancholic lyrics are sung with a sense of sadness, the singer talking about how he never intended to let his relationship end, and how he feels bad about the whole situation. The song can be interpreted in different ways, but one of the main themes seems to be the fragility of love and how easily it can be broken, regardless of how much we might care about someone.


The opening lines of the song say it all: "So sad about us / So sad about us." The repetition of the phrase reinforces the feeling of despair, the idea that the singer is so consumed by his emotions that he can't even come up with anything else to say. He goes on to say that he never intended for the break-up to happen, but it did, and now there's no going back. The second verse talks about how bad he feels about the whole thing, how he wishes he could turn back time and make things right, but he knows he can't.


The chorus repeats the same lines as the beginning of the song, but the emphasis changes slightly. The sadness is still there, but now there's a sense of defeat, of acceptance that things are never going to be the same again. The final lines drive the point home: "Apologies mean nothing when the damage is done / But you can't switch off my loving / Like you can't switch off the sun." The power of love is such that even when a relationship is dead and buried, the love still exists, and it can't be erased.


Line by Line Meaning

So sad about us
We are both very unhappy about the situation.


So sad about us
We are both very unhappy about the situation.


Sad - never meant to break up
We are upset because we never intended to end the relationship.


Sad - suppose we'll never make up
We are sad because we don't think we can reconcile.


Sad about us
We are both deeply saddened by the state of our relationship.


So bad about us
We both feel very guilty about what happened.


So bad about us
We both feel very guilty about what happened.


Bad - let the music stop now
Things have gotten so bad that even the music has stopped playing.


Bad - suppose we can't turn back now
Things have gotten so bad that we don't think we can fix it.


Bad about us
We both feel very guilty and regretful about what happened.


Apologies mean nothing when the damage is done
Saying sorry doesn't fix the harm that's already been done.


But you can't switch off my loving
Despite everything, I still love you deeply and that won't change.


Like you can't switch off the sun
My love for you is as constant and natural as the sun; it can't be turned off.


So sad about us
We both feel very unhappy and disheartened by the state of our relationship.


So bad about us
We both feel very guilty and regretful about what happened.


Sad - never meant to break up
We never wanted to end our relationship, so we're both very upset about it.


Sad - suppose we'll never make up
We don't think we can reconcile, which fills us both with sadness.


Sad about us
Our relationship is a source of great sorrow for both of us.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Peter Townshend

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Pguilhaus

Crisp and crystal clear rendition! Seems to be prettier than the original😊

Michael tidy

Great band doing justice to a great Who track

Pigmeat Martin

I can remember being in the UK in spring of '77 and being totally unimpressed with the newly transplanted Punk scene there I'd heard so much about. Then I saw The Jam. Foxton could play that big Rick like few people I ever heard and they were drumhead tight unlike the majority of the bands there. I've been a fan ever since. The Jam could do impeccable covers that they made their own, like this and Kinks "David Watts". A great tune by great band.

Ryan Evans

Split with my wife of almost 14 years 6 weeks ago and this is my go to song.

davebuchan81

Amen. I'm 31 years old and I missed the Jam. I seen Paul Weller live on the "Illumination" tour though..... Live at Hull Ice Arena......good night out, and I smoked inside even though it was against the rules..... God Bless the best band ever, and the best rocknrollstar ever. =)

miclael ohare

i'm 50 years old from chicago seen em in 1982 my favorite band i got in a band cuz of the jam god bless the jam

Kennan Klingerman

Ooh but my favorite band wrote this song which is The Who

Rob Barr

Best live band ever if you never meant to break up then WHY??

joan davies

i still remember an ex boyfriend playing this to me over the cb radio

Nick Prica

cb that takes me back 10 4

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