Shake Hands
The Tremeloes Lyrics


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Give me heartaches, scold me
Give me cause to hurt again
Hear me, well, now
Can't be blamed
Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
And come out crying (Crying)
Come out crying (Crying)
Crying enemy

Give me sadness, bring to me
Give me credit for not being any good
One more teardrop from the heart
Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
And come out crying (Crying)
Come out crying (Crying)
Crying enemy

Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
And come out crying (Crying)




Come out crying (Crying)
Crying enemy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Tremeloes's song "Shake Hands" express a desire for heartache and pain to prove one's ability to handle it. The opening lines, "Give me heartaches, scold me / Give me cause to hurt again," portray a yearning for emotional turmoil as a measure of strength. The lines "Give me sadness, bring to me / Give me credit for not being any good" suggest a similar desire for hardship to validate one's lack of worthiness.


The repetition of the phrase "Let's shake hands" throughout the song suggests a sense of agreement or acceptance of the situations that cause pain. The lines "And come out crying / Crying enemy" indicate that the pain is not necessarily desired, but rather an inevitable consequence of the situation. The reference to the "crying enemy" may suggest that the song's protagonist is battling against their own emotions and vulnerabilities, which they embrace through the handshake gesture.


Overall, the lyrics to "Shake Hands" seem to express a complex attitude towards pain and adversity. The desire for hardship as a measure of strength and self-worth is tempered by an acknowledgment of the pain and struggle inherent in these experiences. The repeated call to shake hands suggests a surrender to inevitable emotional difficulties, while the tears that follow are a necessary part of the journey.


Line by Line Meaning

Give me heartaches, scold me
Inflict emotional pain upon me and criticize me for my actions


Give me cause to hurt again
Provide me with a reason or opportunity to experience emotional pain once more


Hear me, well, now
Listen to me with attention and focus


Can't be blamed
Not holding anyone responsible or accountable for the situation or emotions being expressed


Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Agree to reconcile and make amends with a handshake


And come out crying (Crying)
Despite the attempt at reconciliation, still experience emotional pain


Come out crying (Crying)
Reiterate the fact that the emotional pain persists after the attempt to reconcile


Crying enemy
Expressing emotions towards someone who is viewed as an adversary or opponent


Give me sadness, bring to me
Bring me emotional pain and sadness


Give me credit for not being any good
Acknowledge or recognize that I may not be performing or behaving well


One more teardrop from the heart
Another experience of emotional pain or sadness


Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Reiterating the attempt to reconcile and make amends through a handshake


And come out crying (Crying)
Despite the attempt at reconciliation, still experiencing emotional pain


Come out crying (Crying)
Reiterate the fact that the emotional pain persists after the attempt to reconcile


Crying enemy
Expressing emotions towards someone who is viewed as an adversary or opponent


Let's shake hands (Shake hands)
Continuing to make the attempt at reconciliation through a handshake


And come out crying (Crying)
Emphasizing that the attempt at reconciliation did not resolve the emotional pain


Come out crying (Crying)
Reiterating the fact that the emotional pain persists after the attempt to reconcile


Crying enemy
Expressing emotions towards someone who is viewed as an adversary or opponent




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KERSHAW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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