This may seem all too confusing
How I could walk away from something so rare
But you see it all got too demanding, yeah
And I just didn't care, I just didn't care, if I cared, if I cared
Lately, I've been left wanting, but not wanting you
Attraction that once was is no longer there, ooh
And it sucks to be taken for granted
When the veil is drawn and there's only air

I had to walk away
Give up something I love
For what I loved even more
And save my tears for you

Everything has lost its meaning, I had to let it go
To find myself, myself, and start something new, brand new
Forced to look deep in the mirror, face who I really am
Now it's just me, cause I can't afford you

I had to walk away
Give up something I love
For what I loved even more
And save my tears for you
I gave up something I loved
For what I loved even more
And I saved my tears for you
In a vial and walked away

You were so beautiful to look upon
I could see the light in your smile
Your eyes were the windows into your soul
Your body was heavenly just like the sky

Until all your good looks betrayed you, which ain't much
Counted on your counterfeit smiles for too long
Your eyes are empty windows: broken
The body may be here, but the soul is gone

I saved my tears for you in a vial
From everything wicked thing that you did, that you said
To send away, buried with your love
So many tears in a vial, now that you're gone,
And now that you're dead


Lyrics submitted by Charlie the man

Tears in a Vial Lyrics as written by Dave Mustaine

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Tears In A Vial song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    i cant believe im the first to comment on this song. i decided it would be better for me if i stopped hating all the music i do and get into some of it. so i bought this cd, and this is my fave song on the whole damn thing. surprising, because the name megadeth doesnt suggest that this type of lyrical and musical harmony is part of their criteria for an album. i love the lyrics, MEGADETH ROCK!

    metal_advocateon January 12, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Recently, in an interview about Gigantour, the meaning of this song came into a question.

    Dave's short but sweet answer (always are) was it was about leaving music to be with his family.

    xheihachion September 23, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Personally, I think this is talking about how he had to pass on a relationship in order to do something he really wanted to do. And decided that he'd do that and save his tears everytime he missed her. Which could mean thinking of the memories that he has kept in his mind.

    The problem is that after he comes back to her, she's died of something and regrets ever leaving her side and missing her.

    TCLeon May 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this is about giving up drinking.

    "and it sucks to be taken for granted when the veil is drawn and there is only air"

    puppetmasteron July 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this is about giving up drinking.

    "and it sucks to be taken for granted when the veil is drawn and there is only air"

    puppetmasteron July 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Nooo whats wrong with you people, this song isn't about leaving music to be with his family & it's defently not about Drugs or giving up drinking. I think it refers to his last lover...(take a look at the lyrics) He loved her madly for what she was, not just her good looks he realy loved her beautiful soul, then it was the time when she started to change and became wicked so she took him for granted which hurts Dave so much. Though it's hard to end this relationship but he had to give up his heart to save his pride. So he saved his tears for her in a vial, & he walked away...

    PS- some of the lyrics aren't right :

    From something so "weird" - "rare"

    "Everything has lost its meaning I have to let it go to find myself, myself And start something new, brand new Forced to look deep in a mirror" A face who I really am Now it's just me, cause I cant afford you"

    Your eyes are "wicked" windows broken

    "To send away", buried with your love So many tears in a vial Now that you're gone and now that you're dead

    ...

    Yeb, I know my english aint that good. But thats it I guess, Amazing song ha it's my fav by the way.

    eve_of_the_devilon July 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think dave is recalling the song on the debut album "last rites/loved to deth" on recall of the line

    "Until, all your good looks betray you, which ain't much Counted on your, count of the smiles are too long Your eyes are empty windows broken The body maybe here but the soul is gone"

    but maybe im wrong...it just reminds me of loved to deth

    mortemdrummeron September 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yea this song is about the music business draining time from his family, so he has to make decide between music or his family. This was written around the time Dave was considering ending Megadeth, so it's pretty appropriate.

    MetalNickon March 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is about Dave walking away from the music industry. Dave Mustaine said so himself.

    “This was one of the first ones I wrote after I broke up Megadeth. For a man to walk away from a multi-million dollar franchise just because he is not happy- he’s got to be very unhappy. One of the lines is ‘Forced to look deep in the mirror and face who I really am/now it’s just me because I can’t afford you.’ that tells you some truths.”

    megadeth.com/scorpion_archive.php

    Rebellion11on November 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I thought it's about his daughter and then I saw the inter view thing so yeah there's my first read on the skng

    FaZyXDemonon September 16, 2014   Link

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