tears
The Stone Roses Lyrics


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Our love, girl, is going through changes
I don't know if I'm alive, dead, dying, or just a little jaded
Someone throw me a line
You know I need it
I need it bad

Lost in a maze of my own making
No way out that I can find, send home your hard-working jury
I'm going down this time
You better believe it
Yes you had

So if you hear me crying, or talking in my sleep
Don't be afraid, it's just the hours that I keep
We gotta love to last for a million years
A love that could never fade through the tracks of your tears

All I can do is hope that you will see me fall
Do your best to smash my picture on your wall
Forgive me baby, absolve me, my dear
I've seen the future in the tracks of your tears

I've seen the future in the tracks of your tears
Of your tears
All those tears

I cast a shorter shadow with every passing day
No time to think, I'm just fading away




Some kind of magic in all your hopes and fears
Shows me the future through the tracks of your tears

Overall Meaning

The Stone Roses's song Tears is a love song that captures the tumultuous and uncertain nature of romantic relationships. The opening line "Our love, girl, is going through changes" sets the tone for the song, suggesting that the relationship between the singer and their partner is in flux. This uncertainty is exacerbated by the line "I don't know if I'm alive, dead, dying, or just a little jaded", which suggests that the singer is struggling to understand their own feelings about the relationship.


The chorus of the song is a plea for help, with the singer asking someone to throw them a line as they feel lost in a maze of their own making. The line "send home your hard-working jury" suggests that the singer is looking for a way out of their predicament but is not sure which direction to go in. The chorus ends with the line "You better believe it, yes you had", which suggests that the singer is warning their partner that they are in trouble and need their help.


The second verse of the song continues the theme of uncertainty and vulnerability, with the singer stating that they are going down this time and that their partner needs to believe them. The line "So if you hear me crying, or talking in my sleep, Don't be afraid, it's just the hours that I keep" suggests that the singer is struggling to come to terms with their feelings and that they may be talking about their relationship even in their sleep. The final lines of the song, "I've seen the future in the tracks of your tears, Of your tears, All those tears", are a powerful image of emotional pain and heartbreak that leaves the listener with a sense of the emotional toll that love and relationships can take.


Line by Line Meaning

Our love, girl, is going through changes
The singer's relationship is undergoing significant changes.


I don't know if I'm alive, dead, dying, or just a little jaded
The singer is unsure of their emotional state.


Someone throw me a line
The singer needs help and support to get through their issues.


You know I need it
The artist is expressing their desperation for help.


I need it bad
The artist's need for help is urgent and intense.


Lost in a maze of my own making
The singer feels trapped in their own problems.


No way out that I can find, send home your hard-working jury
The singer doesn't see a solution to their problems and is not interested in seeking advice or judgment from others.


I'm going down this time
The artist feels that they're on the brink of failing or losing everything.


You better believe it
The artist is certain about their situation and any impending downfall.


Yes you had
It's unclear what this line is meant to convey.


So if you hear me crying, or talking in my sleep
The singer is warning someone they are close to that they may hear them expressing their emotional distress out loud.


Don't be afraid, it's just the hours that I keep
The artist is reassuring or explaining that their woes are normal and temporary, and not something to be alarmed about.


We gotta love to last for a million years
The singer desires a love that defies time and lasts indefinitely.


A love that could never fade through the tracks of your tears
The singer wants a love that can withstand any trials or hardships, symbolized by 'the tracks of your tears.'


All I can do is hope that you will see me fall
The singer is acknowledging their own vulnerability and hoping that others witness their failure, possibly to gain pity or understanding.


Do your best to smash my picture on your wall
The artist is asking someone to remove any image or memory of them, suggesting a desire to cut ties or break up completely.


Forgive me baby, absolve me, my dear
The artist is asking for forgiveness and release from guilt for any wrongdoings.


I've seen the future in the tracks of your tears
The singer sees their own fate reflected in someone's tears, suggesting that they share the same pain and disappointment.


I cast a shorter shadow with every passing day
The singer feels as though they are losing their identity or importance over time.


No time to think, I'm just fading away
The artist feels like they don't have the space or time to properly process their struggles and they are getting worse.


Some kind of magic in all your hopes and fears
The artist acknowledges that the people they care about have their own struggles, hopes and fears that influence their own emotions and fate.


Shows me the future through the tracks of your tears
The artist again sees their own future and fate reflected in someone else's tears.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN SQUIRE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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