Tears In Rain
Vangelis / Blade Runner OST Lyrics

The lyrics of Vangelis's song Tears in Rain consist of a monologue by the character Roy, played by Rutger Hauer, towards the end of the motion picture Blade Runner. The character reflects on various memories and experiences that he had during his short life, as he is dying, and realizes that they will soon disappear forever, just like tears in the rain. The opening line, "I've seen things, you people wouldn't believe," is one of the most famous and often quoted lines from the movie. It suggests that Roy has experienced things that are beyond the imagination of most people.

The subsequent descriptions of "attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion" and "sea beams glittering in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate" are highly imaginative and evocative. They give the impression of a vast and complex universe, full of wonder and danger, that Roy has had the privilege to witness. The phrase "shoulder of Orion" refers to the constellation of Orion, and the Tannhauser Gate is a science fiction reference to a fictional space-time portal that was created by Richard Wagner in his opera Tannhauser.

The final line, "All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain," is one of the most poignant and memorable lines in cinema history. It sums up the fleeting nature of human existence and the inevitability of mortality. The line has been interpreted by many as a reflection on the transience of human experience and the importance of cherishing the moments that we have.