He deals the cards as a meditation
And those he plays never suspect
He doesn't play for the money he wins
He don't play for respect

He deals the cards to find the answer
The sacred geometry of chance
The hidden law of a probable outcome
The numbers lead a dance

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart

He may play the jack of diamonds
He may lay the queen of spades
He may conceal a king in his hand
While the memory of it fades

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart
That's not the shape
The shape of my heart

If I told her that I loved you
You'd maybe think there's something wrong
I'm not a man of too many faces
The mask I wear is one

But those who speak know nothing
And find out to their cost
Like those who curse their luck in too many places
And those who fear are lost

I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart
That's not the shape of my heart
That's not the shape
The shape of my heart


Lyrics submitted by anieloo

Shape of My Heart Lyrics as written by Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner Dominic James Miller

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Shape Of My Heart song meanings
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    General Comment

    Sting put out a book called Shape of My Heart (Art and Poetry Series)

    Shape of My Heart marries the haunting lyrics of pop icon Sting with the mesmerizing images of Pablo Picasso, perhaps the greatest artist of the twentieth century. The result is a scintillating look at how the forces of love and desire will enrich and complicate life.

    Sting's lyrics from his amazing song echo the feelings of an entire generation. Here is a true love song from the 1990s, full of ambiguities, self-doubt, hope, and mysticism. In Sting's vision, we discover that the truth of the heart is often masked by forces beyond our control. These are words that reverberate with feeling, much like the images painted by the ever controversial Picasso.

    Both these artists share the ability to make the world see itself in a new light. Picasso painted his subjects--particularly the women he loved--unlike any artist before or after him, and the world was changed because of his vision. In a similar way, the complexity of Sting's words elevate and expand popular music into previously uncharted territory.

    Together, these words and images--like all messages from the heart--will make the perfect gift of love.

    sillybunnyon August 29, 2006   Link

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