Bitter Tears
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Bitter tears keep me going
Through the years, freely flowing
What have you done
Only a gun

Could stop these bitter tears
The endless streets I walk along
You made them seem pretty
But no I dress in country songs

And wake in New York City
I cry because it looks so good
I cry, why not, it's free
And there's nothing more interesting





Than crying constantly

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Magnetic Fields' song Bitter Tears evoke a sense of despair and heartbreak that consumes the singer. The line "Bitter tears keep me going / Through the years, freely flowing" suggests that the singer has been crying for a long time and that the tears have become a necessary part of their life. The next line, "What have you done / Only a gun," implies that the cause of the singer's heartbreak is someone who has hurt them deeply. The use of the phrase "only a gun" suggests that the damage done is severe and irreversible, as if only death could stop the flow of tears.


The song goes on to describe the singer's movements and thoughts as they navigate life through the pain. They describe the city streets they walk on as "endless" and the way that the person who hurt them has made the world seem beautiful, but they themselves are dressed in what they describe as "country songs." This contrast seems to suggest a disconnect between the singer and the world they live in, as if they are trying to find a way to fit into a world that no longer makes sense to them. The final lines of the song, "I cry because it looks so good / I cry, why not, it's free / And there's nothing more interesting / Than crying constantly" emphasize the idea that the singer has become consumed by their own sadness, as if it has become their only source of comfort and entertainment.


Line by Line Meaning

Bitter tears keep me going
My sadness fuels me and keeps me moving forward


Through the years, freely flowing
I have been continuously shedding tears for a long time


What have you done
What could you have possibly done to stop my tears?


Only a gun
Even if you tried to stop my tears, it would take extreme measures like using a gun


Could stop these bitter tears
There is nothing that can stop my sadness from resurfacing and causing me to cry


The endless streets I walk along
I wander aimlessly through long stretches of urban scenery, lost in my own thoughts


You made them seem pretty
You tried to convince me that these streets were beautiful, but I can't see their beauty through my sadness


But no I dress in country songs
I reject the urban lifestyle and instead embrace a more rural, country style


And wake in New York City
I find myself waking up in the middle of the bustling metropolis of New York City, lost in a sea of people


I cry because it looks so good
I cry because the city looks beautiful and fascinating, but my sadness prevents me from experiencing it fully


I cry, why not, it's free
I cry because there is no cost to expressing my emotions in this way


And there's nothing more interesting
My sadness and constant crying is the most interesting thing about me




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

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