… Read Full Bio ↴The McCoys was a pop group started in Union City, Indiana, USA in 1962.
The original members were guitarist Rick Derringer (Rick Zehringer), his brother Randy on drums and bass player Dennis Kelly, a lineup called "Rick and the Raiders", then later known as "The Rick Z Combo". When Dennis Kelly left for college, the Zehringers were joined by bassist Randy Hobbs, saxophonist Sean Michaels and keyboardist Ronnie Brandon. This was the lineup that took the name of "The McCoys".
One of their most known songs is Hang on Sloopy which was #1 in America in October and is the state rock song of Ohio. Other hits include a top ten cover of Fever and a top 40 cover of Come On Let's Go. A cover of Fever's flip side, Sorrow, was a hit in the UK for The Merseys, and was later covered by David Bowie.
Sorrow
The McCoys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The only thing I ever got from you was sorrow
Sorrow
You acted funny trying to spend my money
You're out there playing your high class games of sorrow
Sorrow
You never do what you know you oughta
Sorrow, sorrow
Ahhhh, ah, ahhhh
I tried to find her
'Cause I can't resist her (I tried to find her)
I never knew just how much I missed her
Sorrow
Sorrow
With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue
The only thing I ever got from you was sorrow
Sorrow
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh
With your long blonde hair
I couldn't sleep last night
With your long blonde hair
and your eyes of blue, the singer describes a woman who brings him nothing but sorrow. Despite her physical beauty, he only experiences heartache and pain in their relationship. She is described as acting funny and playing high-class games of sorrow, indicating that she may be manipulative and taking advantage of him. The singer also suspects that she is not to be trusted, calling her a Devil's daughter.
Despite his misgivings, the singer cannot resist the woman and tries to find her. He realizes how much he misses her and experiences sorrow once again. The repetition of the word "sorrow" throughout the song emphasizes the pain and sadness that the singer feels in this relationship.
One interpretation of the song is that it reflects the changing social dynamics of the 1960s, when traditional gender roles were being challenged and people were questioning the established order. The lyrics reflect a man's disillusionment with a woman who does not conform to traditional ideas of femininity.
Line by Line Meaning
With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue
The singer is describing the physical appearance of the woman who caused him sorrow.
The only thing I ever got from you was sorrow
Despite being physically attractive, the singer only received sadness and regret from the woman's actions.
Sorrow
Repeating the word 'sorrow' emphasizes just how strongly the singer feels about the situation.
You acted funny trying to spend my money
The woman tried to manipulate the singer into spending his money on her in a way that seemed suspicious or deceitful.
You're out there playing your high class games of sorrow
The singer accuses the woman of playing games that ultimately cause him sadness or pain, despite her possibly being from a higher social class.
You never do what you know you oughta
The woman consistently makes poor decisions and doesn't act in a way that is expected or acceptable.
Something tells me you're a Devil's daughter
The singer believes that the woman's actions are so negative and harmful that she may be considered evil or related to the devil.
Sorrow, sorrow
Again, the word 'sorrow' is repeated to emphasize the strong feeling of sadness and regret.
Ahhhh, ah, ahhhh
This is a non-lyrical vocalization, possibly meant to convey a feeling of despair or hopelessness.
I tried to find her
Despite the hurt, the singer still has a desire or compulsion to seek out the woman who caused him sorrow.
'Cause I can't resist her (I tried to find her)
The singer feels that he is unable to resist the pull of the woman, even though she has caused him pain in the past.
I never knew just how much I missed her
The singer admits that even though he has suffered because of the woman, he still feels a strong sense of loss or longing for her.
Oh-oh-oh-oh
This is another non-lyrical vocalization, possibly meant to convey frustration or sadness.
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh
This non-lyrical vocalization is repeated multiple times, possibly serving as a bridge between different parts of the song or emphasizing the strong emotions expressed in the lyrics.
With your long blonde hair
This line is repeated multiple times throughout the song, perhaps emphasizing the woman's physical attractiveness or serving as a reminder of what initially drew the singer to her.
I couldn't sleep last night
The singer is so preoccupied with thoughts of the woman that he is unable to get a good night's rest.
Contributed by Zoe P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.