Originally from Sha Tin, Hong Kong, Hung moved to Camden, NJ, United States, in 1993 and graduated from the John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles. He was a student at University of California, Berkeley, and later dropped out to pursue his music career. He later attended Pasadena City College and now attends California State University, Northridge.
Healing Hands
William Hung Lyrics
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That ain't like a man
I could fly like a bird some days
Had a place where I could land
I could have sworn we were all locked in
Ain't that what you said
I never knew it could hurt so bad
But giving into the nighttime
Ain't no cure for the pain
You gotta wade into the water
You gotta learn to live again
And reach out for her healing hands
Reach out for her healing hands
There's a light, where the darkness ends
Touch me now and let me see again
Rock me now in your gentle healing hands
I never knew love like poison
That burned like a fire
All I ever wanted was a reason
To drown in your eyes
I never knew sleep so restless
Empty arms so cold
That's not the way it's supposed to be
It ain't the spell that I was sold
"Healing Hands" is a ballad about heartbreak and the healing process that follows. The first verse reveals the extent of the emotional pain that the singer is experiencing. He has never cried so hard before and it goes against the traditional masculine perspective that men should not show emotion. He used to feel invincible but now he feels grounded without a place to go. He thought he would be locked in a healthy relationship but instead, it ended. Love is powerful but when it's gone, the hurt is unbearable.
The chorus provides hope and a solution to the problem. The singer encourages himself to swim in the water of life and learn how to live again. Reaching out for her healing hands, the light in the darkness could bring him back to life. He wants her to touch him to remind him what it's like to feel again. The second verse characterizes love as something that could be like poison or fire. The singer wanted to have a reason for his love and to feel it deeply in the sanctuary of her eyes. He never knew that the lack of love could cause him to lose sleep or feel cold.
Overall, "Healing Hands" is a song that showcases the vulnerability and strength of the human spirit. It teaches listeners to let go of the past, to learn from it and move on to new beginnings. It takes a person to reach out and heal from a broken heart with the help of someone you trust.
Line by Line Meaning
never dreamed I could cry so hard
I never thought I could cry so deeply and painfully
That ain't like a man
Crying so hard is not something that is associated with being masculine
I could fly like a bird some days
Sometimes I felt like I was soaring high like a bird
Had a place where I could land
I had a safe place to turn to when I needed to come back down to earth
I could have sworn we were all locked in
I thought we were all in this together, as though we were imprisoned
Ain't that what you said
Didn't you tell me that we were all in this together?
I never knew it could hurt so bad
I never imagined that the pain could be so intense
When the power of love is dead
When the love between two people has completely disappeared
But giving into the nighttime
Surrendering to sadness and despair
Ain't no cure for the pain
There is no easy way to alleviate the pain and suffering
You gotta wade into the water
You have to step into the unknown and face your fears
You gotta learn to live again
You have to find a way to move forward and enjoy life once again
And reach out for her healing hands
Seeking comfort and support from someone who can help you heal
There's a light, where the darkness ends
There is hope and happiness to be found even in the darkest of times
Touch me now and let me see again
Help me to experience the joys of life once again
Rock me now in your gentle healing hands
Hold me close and comfort me with your touch
I never knew love like poison
Love that is so intense it can also cause harm and pain
That burned like a fire
That was so intense and passionate it felt like a burning flame
All I ever wanted was a reason
I just needed an excuse or motivation to immerse myself in love
To drown in your eyes
To be fully consumed by the love and beauty I see in your eyes
I never knew sleep so restless
I have trouble sleeping deeply and peacefully because of my restless heart
Empty arms so cold
Feeling alone and cold without someone to embrace me
That's not the way it's supposed to be
I don't believe that this is how life is meant to be lived
It ain't the spell that I was sold
This is not what I expected from the promises of love I believed in
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind