Tears Dry on Their Own Lyrics

[Produced by Salaam Remi]

[Verse 1]
All I can ever be to you is the darkness that we knew
And this regret I've got accustomed to
Once it was so right, when we were at our height
Waiting for you in the hotel at night
I knew I hadn't met my match
But every moment we could snatch
I don't know why I got so attached
It's my responsibility
And you don't owe nothing to me
But to walk away, I have no capacity

[Chorus]
He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)

And in your way, in this blue shade
My tears dry on their own


[Verse 2]
I don't understand, why do I stress the man?
When there's so many bigger things at hand
We could've never had it all
We had to hit a wall
So this is inevitable withdrawal
Even if I stop wanting you and perspective pushes through
I'll be some next man's other woman soon

I cannot play myself again
I should just be my own best friend
Not fuck myself in the head with stupid men
[Chorus]
He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)

And in your way, in this blue shade
My tears dry on their own


[Bridge]
So we are history
Your shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze

[Chorus]
He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown

And in your way, in this blue shade
My tears dry on their own


[Verse 3]
I wish I could say no regrets
And no emotional debts
'Cause as we kiss goodbye, the sun sets
So we are history, the shadow covers me
The sky above ablaze that only lovers see

[Chorus]
He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown (I'm grown)

And in your way, my blue shade
My tears dry on their own

Woah, he walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I am grown

And in your way, my deep shade
My tears dry on their own, woah
[Outro]
He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I'm grown

And in your way, my deep shade
My tears dry

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About

Genius Annotation

Written in Miami with producer Salaam Remi, “Tears Dry On Their Own” has grown to become one of the most recognisable songs in Winehouse’s discography. During an undated interview with BBC, Winehouse described the song as:

I was with someone that I couldn’t really be with and I knew it wouldn’t last. But I think because I knew it couldn’t last, it’s kinda like saying, “I’m upset, but I know I’ll get over it, I guess.”

The track also samples Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1967 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” While the song was originally a much slower tempo, Remi was able to picture the song having a more upbeat, “Motown” tempo after hearing the original instrumentals to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

Remi also revealed during the 2015 BBC Amy Winehouse: Back to Black documentary that one of the hardest moments of creating music with Winehouse was trying to record the upbeat vocals with the new sample. He added:

There was a lot of mad at the world, [with Amy] goin' on like, “You sing it yourself!” This just didn’t happen – these were rarities, as far as Amy needing to do a vocal over and over. Basically, frustration for the first time and the only time in our creative process was the frustration with the vocals. But, when it finally got right, it made all the difference in the world.

Q&A

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Credits
Produced By
Flugelhorn
Recording Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Drums and Tambourine
Background Vocals
Bass Trumpet
Recorded At
Instrument Zoo, Miami, Florida
Release Date
October 27, 2006
Tears Dry on Their Own Interpolations
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