Make me fumble
Make me fall
Make my heart stop and start

To tremble uncontrollably
Let my eyes see fear make desire
Keep those who long apart
Forbid the kiss
And leave us innocent
Of the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark

Make me remember
Make me forget
Make my mind unable

To force the body to do its will
Let it be right for belief and denial
To share a space in the heart and leave us only to imagine
About the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark

Make me pretend
Make me expect
Things can go and come to pass

Without trial or tribulation
Let this life space and time
Leave my body with permanent marks
Faded scars and lines
But not a single impression
Of the things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark

Let me be tempted
Let me be torn
But make my thoughts pure and not

Morally corrupt in form
Let us sleep tonight
Let innocence lie in our dreams and secret hearts
With burning desire
A need to know and do

The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark
The things some do in the dark


Lyrics submitted by AgathaKavka

In the Dark Lyrics as written by Tracy L Chapman Tracy Chapman

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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In The Dark song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Parts of this song make me think of abstinance while parts of it sound like repression of same sex attraction. Does anyone have any insight on it?

    chungjikon May 05, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    chungjick -- i've heard from a couple places that she's gay, so you might be right on the same sex attraction bit. if it's true she sure does a good job of hiding it.

    halfaliveon December 15, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is about forbidden love. Wanting each other so bad, but cant be together as it will hurt others.

    MissL12on July 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this seems a really dark song, for tracy at least. to me it seems it could be about a rape or some other violation because there seems to be that mix of sexuality ('let me be tempted') and violence ('leave my body with permanent marks'). but in the last verse it does seem like she enjoys whatever is happening, even though she claims to not want to know about 'The things some do in the dark'.

    Gem_Jonescrazyon September 07, 2005   Link

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