Lyrics for Bittersweet Symphony as interpreted by kevin

Bittersweet Symphony Lyrics
Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony this life...
Try to make ends meet , you're a slave to the money then you die.
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down...
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the things meet, yeah.

No change, I can change, I can change, I can change,
but I'm here in my mould , I am here in my mould.
But I'm a million different people from one day to the next...
I can't change my mould , no,no,no,no,no,no,no


Well I've never prayed,
But tonight I'm on my knees, yeah.
I need to hear some sounds that recognise the pain in me, yeah.
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind , I feel free now.
But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now.


No change, I can change, I can change, I can change,
but I'm here in my mould , I am here in my mould.
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mould, no,no,no,no,no,no,no


Have you ever been down?
I can change, I can change...


Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life.
Trying to make ends meet, try to find somebody then you die.
You know I can change, I can change, I can change,
but I'm here in my mould, I am here in my mould.
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next.
I can't change my mould, no,no,no,no,no,no,no


We've got ya sex and violence melody and silence
(Have you ever been down)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 185 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
President Macho
12-19-2004

Rated 0 
Favorite most life-affirming, self defining tune that I have ever heard in my entire god damn life. Also the peak of The Verve's career both commercially and in my grandiose opinion artistically.
Returned The Verve to glory as the stepped on the princes of britpop Blur and Oasis in '97. How can you not feel something stir inside you as this song builds, climaxes and continues on into the infinite?!?! The lush strings, beeps, bells with that barely audible symphonic Stones sample and the dense layered guitar work driven home by a wicked drum loop. "Mad" Richard Ashcroft was my hero for this empowering anthem about getting fucked up, falling down, getting back up, shruggin' it off and doing shit on your own terms. You sir are a fucking coked-up immortal genius. Now keep on keepin' on brother.

Log in to reply
emoguy101
12-21-2004

Rated 0 
the end scene was my favorite scene in creul intentions, i thought this song really went with it.
i really feel the part where he says "i've never prayed but tonight i'm on my knees". this means alot to me because i'm athaiest, which i admit has not been so good for my mental and soicail lif, but i beleive in being true to yourself, if no one else, so i stick with it. but that line hit me so hard because somtimes you just ask yourself whats the point. other poeple can say god, and somtimes i feel like giving in and saying god too. but i have come up with other reasons to stick around, mainly because i would hurt to many poeple if i left. and the whole futility of life theme of the song hits me too. but when he says " it's a bittersweet syphony, thats life" it reminds us that in asking why live, we must also ask why not.

Log in to reply
Matt Parry
12-22-2004

Rated 0 
Creative Zen touch? what the fuck? have you ever played any track, never mind strings backwards? Hidden message my arse!
I heard it was a Stones B side and jagger and co demanded the royalties as the verve didnt get clearance on the sample, so effectively they didnt earn a penny from probably their best and certainly biggest selling track. Slave to money and you die, EH!

Log in to reply
adrock22
12-22-2004

Rated 0 
"Arse"? Go back to Ireland you dip shit... Thanks for your input, it was greatly appreciated, dumb ass. Oh yeah, this songs awesome...

Log in to reply
DamnPunkMusic
01-06-2005

Rated 0 
This song is all about life in all its bitchyness and all its greatness. You find your one true love in life just to be stabbed in your back by your best friend. You find a job you love just to have to pay all your money out to bill collectors. But you just have to take all the shit this world gives you and throw it back at it. Be yourself. Dont change just to fit the image of what everyone else wants. Be happy. Dont let anyone or anything bring you down. Be strong. Dont rely on anyone to help you with anything. If you want something in this life you have to go for the gusto, go out there and do it.

Log in to reply
mrred
01-14-2005

Rated 0 
I don't know about you guys, but when I'm walking down the streets of Chicago I jam in my earphones and play this song, with the volume as high as it can go. This song is a true masterpiece everyone should hear it, and on another note i just despise it when people say OMG they so totaly ripped off rolling stones OMG I hate it now thats totally wrong people these days

Log in to reply
blueoilpaints
02-08-2005

Rated 0 
LOVE this song. it's a masterpiece.

Log in to reply
skaterboyroland
02-25-2005

Rated 0 
Tom Penny's part to the instrumental version of this song in Really Sorry is hella tight

Log in to reply
kmk_natasha
03-05-2005

Rated 0 
I love it when he's waiting for her at the top of the escalator. Such a good scene! (In Cruel Intentions)

I like this song a lot too. Very good.

Log in to reply
angeleyes07
03-06-2005

Rated 0 
this song sounds so cool, like violinists playing in the clouds

Log in to reply
freaksHow05
03-15-2005

Rated 0 
ryan & reese.. always!!!!!!

Log in to reply
live4blink
04-02-2005

Rated 0 
ok i heard this on the end of the first cruel intentions.. i think it goes with it because sebastien fit "And I'm a million different people from one day to the next " until he met annette and then it was: "Have you ever been down?
I can change, I can change... Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life.
Trying to make ends meet, try to find somebody then you die. You know I can change, I can change, I can change" it's like.. the guy thinks his life is perfect with his perfect reputation and all that crap but then he finds a girl he actually loves and he gets really down about it and he changes for her but then he saves her and dies.. its almost like they made the ending from the song...

Log in to reply
WaitingToDrown144
04-11-2005

Rated 0 
This is really a great, GREAT song.. It liftes me up everytime I hear it. It's unbelievble. It isn't really a happy song, but somehow the sound, it's just... Makes me crazy...

Log in to reply
SilentAssassin
04-15-2005

Rated 0 
these violins are really great, they give the song a big power, it kinda cheers me up when i listen to it, although it has some parts which are more serious, so i think the title bittersweet is well-chosen.

Log in to reply
dave_1987
04-17-2005

Rated 0 
I love the video, I don't know if any of the americans on here have seen it or just associate the song to the "Cruel Intentions" - let me tell you, if the song itself picks you up a bit, just try watching the video. You'll feel like a fuckin god. Best music video ever made.

Log in to reply
shoegazin
04-17-2005

Rated 0 
One of the greatest songs of all time. Brilliant Perfection. Love the Stones, but sorry Mick, you really had nothing to do with contributing to the greatness of this song.

Log in to reply
aisha_08
05-01-2005

Rated 0 
i think this song is about drugs. and i know that videos dont tell u what the song is about in most cases. However i think the video for this song confirms that its about drugs. He feels "god-like" like dave_1987 said, which a drug will make u do. I dont know much about the specifics of drugs...but maybe its coke?

Log in to reply
BoHo
05-20-2005

Rated 0 
It's a Bittersweet Symphony this life for sure.

Log in to reply
Cosmoed
06-02-2005

Rated 0 
Aisha_08 is the only one who got Richard Ashcroft's intended meaning. Richard Ashcroft did state to BBC that this song is about his friends battle and untimely death to heroin, however he said he wrote in a way that nonuser (Rich is a nonuser by the way) can understand and apply to their life. He wrote the song from his friends point of view and it is basically narrative of a his heroin problem. I will decipher. When I refer to he, I am referring to a heroine addict/Richard's friend. "It's a bittersweet syphmony, that's life..." Is referring to life in general and heroin. Heroin is arguably the best physical feeling (while high) in the known world, but the unwanted effects are horrible. This next line is very important to the song and shows a heroin addicts irresponsibility and their habit of making excuse of their problem. "Try to make ends meet , you're a slave to the money then you die.", when addicted to heroin all junkies care about is getting money for a fix, so instead of admitting he is a slave to heroin, he is making an excuse and saying he is a slave to money. “I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down. You know the one that takes you to the places where all the things meet, yeah.” He now is admitting his problem and is telling a loved one that he is going down the road of addiction and if you stay you will end up dead . “No change, I can change, I can change, I can change,but I'm here in my mold , I am here in my mold.” He is about to inject the needle and he realizes how weak he is and states there is no change. After the high he thinks he can stop, but he is in a “mold” or rut and the addiction cycle is so tough it will be almost impossible. "But I'm a million different people from one day to the next.”. By a “million different people” he means his mind state is changing all the time and his view on heroin changes with it. “Well I've never prayed,But tonight I'm on my knees, yeah.” This line is pretty obvious, he hit rock bottom and he is looking for his last lifeline, God. “I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah.” When he says that he basically is say heroin is the only thing that knows me and it can help. “I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind , I feel free now.” He just shot up heroin and this is the time he is happiest and most at peace with himself and the world. “But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now.” He just overdosed and now there is no pain. The rest is basically more of the same. I really want to emphasize that this song doesn’t have to be about heroin, It’s whatever you get out of it. When I hear this song I think about how insignificant life is yet how much I need it.

Log in to reply
billynomates
06-22-2005

Rated 0 
This is what this song means to me:

Du De Du De Du Der.
De Du Der, De Du Der.
“It’s a bitter sweet sympathy, blah, blah-ah.”

Over and over again until the end. How fucking monotonous can you get?

Log in to reply
moose49
06-27-2005

Rated 0 
i dont understand what "i can change but I'm here in my mould" and " i cant change my mould" means. Mould? i do not get it! help please

Log in to reply
Cosmoed
07-01-2005

Rated 0 
moose49, read my post.

Mould is like rut, he is stuck in this drug addiction and he can't get out of it.

Log in to reply
fallenbroken
07-07-2005

Rated 0 
I dunno if it's true or not but I got told that the whole video was real, it wasn't planned that everything he does in it is real and peoples real reactions. e.g when he steps on that dudes car and he gets pissed off, that was real. I dunno. It's a masterpiece and Richard Ashcroft probably knows that. F*cking AWESOME song.

Log in to reply
AssD
07-21-2005

Rated 0 
Fantastic song about the real world we are living in.
A true masterpiece. ^^

Log in to reply
daffydd
07-24-2005

Rated 0 
I think this song is about how shit life is and how it's so hard to change your ways, and he's only ever been able to do one thing because he dosn't belive he can change.

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here