Fighting In Vain
The Pauls Lyrics
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But who wants to be in love in vain
At night you hang around the hall
And eat your heart out
And cry your eyes out
And rack your brains
You sit and wonder why anyone as wonderful as she
I thought that I would be in Heaven
But I'm only up a tree
Cause it's just my luck to be in love in vain.
You sit and wonder why anyone as wonderful as he
Should cause you such misery and pain
I thought that I would be in Heaven
But I'm only up a tree
Cause it's just my luck to be in love in vain.
The above lyrics to The Pauls's song Fighting In Vain express the universal human desire to be in love and have someone special in their lives. However, it highlights the pain and agony that comes with unrequited love. The opening line acknowledges the natural inclination of humans to seek love, but questions the point of being in love if it's not reciprocated. The melancholic tone of the song is evident in the phrases, "At night you hang around the hall," and "And rack your brains". These lines show the agony and restless nights spent yearning for someone who does not feel the same way.
The second stanza is particularly poignant as the tone is set by the phrase, "You sit and wonder why anyone as wonderful as she/ he should cause you such misery and pain". It is a heart-wrenching struggle when one is in love with someone who is amazing, but their feelings are not reciprocated. The last two lines, "Cause it's just my luck to be in love in vain", sums up the sentiment of the entire song. The singer is caught between his desire for love and the despair of never having it returned, leaving a sense of defeat in his love-struck heart.
Line by Line Meaning
It's only human for anyone to want to be in love
It's natural for every human being to desire affection and connection through a romantic relationship.
But who wants to be in love in vain
However, no one wishes to love someone who doesn't reciprocate their feelings or love them back.
At night you hang around the hall
During the night, you linger in public spaces hoping to meet the target of your affection.
And eat your heart out
You feel intense emotional pain due to the unrequited love, and it consumes you.
And cry your eyes out
You sob uncontrollably because of the distress and heartbreak.
And rack your brains
You exhaustively try to find a solution to solve or understand the problem of unrequited love.
You sit and wonder why anyone as wonderful as she
You ponder about the reasons why a person as amazing as the subject of your love interest, doesn't love you back.
Should cause you such misery and pain
It causes you agony and distress that he/she cannot see or appreciate your love.
I thought that I would be in Heaven
Initially, you believed that being in love with the person would fulfil you and bring happiness.
But I'm only up a tree
However, you are stuck in a difficult and unfavourable position because of this unrequited love.
Cause it's just my luck to be in love in vain
Unfortunately, it is your fate, and you have no control over falling in love with someone who cannot love you back.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEROME KERN, LEO ROBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind