Cry Me a River
Heartbreak Harmony: Ella Fitzgerald's Soulful Symphony of Love and Betrayal
Lyrics
Now you say you're lonely
Expressing that the person is claiming to be lonely
You cry the long night through
Describing a night filled with crying
Well, you can cry me a river
Challenging the person to cry a river in response to their loneliness
Cry me a river
Reiteration of the invitation to cry a river
I cried a river over you
Personal acknowledgment of having cried a river over the person
Now you say you're sorry
Person now apologizing for being unfaithful
For being so untrue
Expressing regret for being untrue in the past
Well, you can cry me a river
Repeating the invitation to cry a river in response to the apology
Cry me a river
Reiteration of the invitation to cry a river
'Cause I cried, I cried, I cried a river over you
Confirmation of the singer having cried a river over the person
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
Expressing emotional distress caused by the person, almost to the point of madness
While you never shed a tear
Highlighting the lack of emotional response or remorse from the person
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
Recalling and questioning the sincerity of past declarations of love
You told me love was too plebeian
Reference to the person dismissing love as common or ordinary
Told me you were through with me and
Recalling the person ending the relationship
And now you say, you say you love me
Contradiction as the person now claims to love the singer
Well, just to prove you do
Asking the person to demonstrate their love
Come on and cry me a river
Repeating the invitation to cry a river now that the person claims to love
Cry me a river
Reiteration of the invitation to cry a river
'Cause I cried a river over you
Confirmation of the singer having cried a river over the person
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
Repetition of the emotional distress caused by the person
While you never shed a tear
Reiteration of the lack of emotional response or remorse from the person
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
Repeating the questioning of the sincerity of past declarations of love
Told me love was too plebeian
Reiteration of the person dismissing love as common or ordinary
Told me you were through with me and
Repeating the recalling of the person ending the relationship
Now, now you say you love me
Reiteration of the contradiction as the person claims to love the singer
Well, just to prove you do
Repeating the request for the person to demonstrate their love
Come on and cry, cry, cry me a river
Encouraging the person to cry a river to prove their love
Cry me a river
Reiteration of the invitation to cry a river
'Cause I cried a river over you
Confirmation of the singer having cried a river over the person
If my pillow could talk, imagine what it would have said
Speculating about what the singer's pillow would say, hinting at the depth of emotional turmoil
Could it be a river of tears I cried instead?
Suggesting the possibility of tears being equivalent to a river
So you can cry me a river
Encouraging the person's father to cry a river as well
Daddy, go ahead and cry me a river
Reiteration of the invitation for the father to cry a river
'Cause I cried, how I cried a river, river over you
Expressing the intensity of the singer's own emotional pain, repeating the idea of crying a river
How I cried a river over you
Repeating the expression of crying a river over the person
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