Flyleaf – Sorrow

"Sorrow" as written by Sameer Bhattacharya, James Culpepper, Jared Hartmann, Lacey Nicole Sturm and Kirkpatrick Seals....
Sometimes life seems to quiet
Into paralyzing silence
Like the moonless dark
Meant to make me strong

Familiar breath of my old lies
Changed the color in my eyes
Soon he will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by

Sorrow lasts through this night
I'll take this piece of you
And hold for all eternity
For just one second I felt whole
As you flew right through me

Left alone with only reflections of the memory
To face the ugly girl that's smothering me
Sitting closer than my pain
He knew each tear before it came
Soon He will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by

Sorrow lasts through this night
I'll take this piece of you
And hold for all eternity
For just one second I felt whole
As you flew right through me

And we kiss each other one more time
And sing this lie that's halfway mine
The sword is slicing through the question
So I won't be fooled by his angel light

Sorrow lasts through this night
I'll take this piece of you
And hold for all eternity
For just one second I felt whole
As you flew right through me

And up into the stars
Joy will come


Lyrics submitted by thesimpleways

"Sorrow" as written by Sameer Bhattacharya Howard Benson

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

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Sorrow song meanings
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  • +6
    General CommentFlyleaf is a Christian band. Notice the capital "H" in "He knew each tear before it came". and the little "h" in the other "he" 's. Also, Satan is the Angel of Light. It is why he is called Lucifer. He was God's most beautiful Angel prior to his fall. God calls his word, the Bible, the sword of truth. It is also well known that Satan attempts to deceive. Therefore, "The sword is slicicing through the questions so I won't be fooled by his angel light" speaks to God's word clarifying what is right and what is wrong. I think it is about an adult, single women attempting to be abstinent, but failing. I think it is her version of how she feels when she fails. I think that "For just one second I felt whole... as you flew right through me" is about the very temporary satisfaction and closeness you feel during the act. But it is empty afterwards. But it is still very intimate and "I'll take this peice of you, and hold for all eternity" is about being in love, making love and knowing it is wrong at the time, but feeling so close to that person. "We kiss each other one more time and sing this lie that's half way mine" is about how she doesn't hold him responsible for the sin. She obviously wants him and is a willing participant, even though she feels remorse afterwards.

    This is one of the most beautiful songs on the album. I love "All Around Me" as well. It is such a wonderful Praise song.
    AngieRon February 28, 2006   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +4
    General CommentOkay, this is my (long-winded) breakdown of the song. And yes, I view Flyleaf as a Christian Rock band, and I am deciphering this song like a Christian song, though I agree that there are so many interpretations of it! :)

    “Sometimes life seems to quiet into paralyzing silence
    Like the moonless dark, meant to make me strong
    Familiar breath of my old lies change the color in my eyes
    Soon he will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by”

    It is a widely held belief in the Christian faith that God tests us all to make our faith stronger. “Like the moonless dark, *meant to make me strong.* Next, she speaks of remembering her old mistakes and sins. “Change the color in my eyes” could be speaking of her guilt and sadness at her past mistakes (here I’m going to use the term of being under conviction). Y’know, how people’s eyes are often described as “darkening” with tears? I’m judging that the last line deals with her personal salvation. Although salvation is a wonderful thing, if you were living a life of sin, it will change what you do in your day-to-day life. But this line is tricky and can refer to many, many different things.

    ”Sorrow lasts through this night
    I'll take this piece of you and hold for all eternity
    For just one second I felt whole
    As you flew right through me”

    I think the first line says that maybe she’s just started her faith, but she’s not saved yet, so “sorrow lasts”. Yet, she takes a piece of God (possibly something physical like a Bible or necklace, but most likely just the changes of her philosophies and beliefs) and swears to hold onto it forever. She does feel whole for a second though, when the Spirit was nearby, maybe she witnessed someone else being saved or someone “in the Spirit” but she herself was not saved. “Flew right through me.”

    ”Left alone with only reflections of the memory
    To face the ugly girl that's smothering me
    Sitting closer than my pain, he knew each tear before it came
    Soon he will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by”

    I think this deals with her memories of drug use (or any bad memory, really) and her decision that her outward self, her sins and mistakes, are ugly and smothering the real her. “Sitting closer than my pain” refers to God, and how even though she was hurting and confused, God was closer to her than her own pain, and he knew every tear she would cry before she ever did. The repetition of the last line reinforces my view that it refers to her impending salvation.


    "And we kiss each other one more time
    And sing this lie that's half way mine
    The sword is slicing through the question so I won't be fooled
    By his angel light"

    Maybe here she falters a little, and doesn’t really know if she wants to commit to a religion. “And we kiss each other one more time and sing this lie that’s half-way mine,” I feel means that she either went back to an old junkie boyfriend, OR it could be read more metaphorically and mean that she went back to drugs, even though she knows it’s wrong because she’s simply frightened of giving herself up to God. However, the knowledge that whatever she’s doing is wrong finally gets the best of her, and she realizes that even if the boy/drugs make her feel good momentarily (“angel light”) they are still wrong.

    ”Sorrow lasts through this night
    I'll take this piece of you and hold for all eternity
    For just one second I felt whole
    As you flew right through me
    And up into the stars

    Joy will come”

    The last two lines end with the hope of salvation. She knows she’s under conviction, and she’s ready to accept Christ and has faith that “Joy will come” even if it’s not right then and there.
    Coronaeon February 05, 2007   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • +2
    General CommentVery interesting interpretations, all of you. Yes, Flyleaf has already dubbed themselves a Christian band in one of their interviews. As for ambiguity, it's just a way to spread the Message without it being so blatantly stated that it loses appeal it could otherwise hold to someone who needs it ... I admit, though, in my mind, atheism has never quite worked out somehow ... When all things, without exception, are cause and effect, how can someone say humanity lacks a Cause? I'm forced to wonder.

    I never thought about it being about sex ... promiscuity ... How sad. It's like she left a piece of herself with someone who didn't even love her. That feeling was meant for good ... How often we twist what God intends for good. Very sad, very beautiful song.
    Job_the_Jubilanton March 03, 2007   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +2
    General CommentI think the song is about making the mistake of having sex with someone before marriage and feeling used afterwards. When she sings "I'll take this piece of you and hold for all eternity," I think she is quoting the guy that took her virginity (in the song, I've no idea if she's a virgin or not). Read the lyrics and think about it being about regreting the loss of virginity. Makes sense to me.
    BTW, I love Lacey Mosley and I'd marry her if I had the chance, just letting everyone know that.
    hottguy7on June 12, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment"Sorrow will last through the night; but Joy comes in the morning" Psalm 30:5
    TiaEphesians429on March 15, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General CommentA lot of these lyrics are wrong. The correct lyrics are:

    "Sometimes life seems to quiet into paralyzing silence
    Like the moonless dark, meant to make me strong.
    Familiar breath of my old lies
    Changed the color in my eyes
    Soon he will perferate the fabric of the peaceful by and by

    Sorrow lasts through this night
    I'll take this piece of you, and hold for all eternity
    For just one second I felt whole... as you flew right through me.

    Left alone with only reflections of the memory
    To face the ugly girl that's smothering me.
    Sitting closer than my pain...
    He knew each tear before it came,
    And soon he will perforate the fabric of the peaceful by and by

    We kiss each other one more time
    And sing this lie that's half way mine
    The sword is slicing through the questions so I won't be fooled
    By his angel light..

    Sorrow lasts through this night
    I'll take this piece of you and for all eternity
    For just one second I felt whole as you flew right though me
    and up into the stars
    Joy will come.
    "
    These lyrics are directly off of flyleaf's website.

    As for this song, personally, it is my favorite off the album. Flyleaf rocks.
    unclerico007on January 27, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Commentchristian or not, the nice thing about religious bands nowadays is a lot of them make their songs ambigious. for me, it's sort of a breakup. taking a piece of someone could be a nice memory or a bit of clothing or a personal gift, and hope for all eternity that maybe someday you'll cross paths in a good way later on. i think that everyone gets to a point in a relationship where when it ends you look back and think that you had just one second where everything was perfect.
    seelenschreion April 27, 2006   Link
    • 3 Replies
  • +1
    General CommentI Love This Song Soooooooo much!!!!!
    Sarah90on May 28, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI agree with Angie R. Basically, it's about the speaker interpretting being used as love. She can give and give and give of herrself, but the truth is that it really isn't love. It can feel amazing, but it's not actually any kind of real love. In time, she realizes that she was just lying to herself, but she doesn't hold the other person as entirely guilty, she allowed it to happen in the first place, so she's just as quilty. Honestly, I kinda think Lacey's been abused in a lot of ways or has at least had a really crappy life. I used to really hate this song because it was so quiet compared to their other ones, but once I actually listened to the words I changed my mind. These guys are going to get pretty big soon, watch and see.
    chardsofglasson August 21, 2006   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +1
    General CommentLacey Mosley( lead singer of flyleaf) also stated that the lyric "Joy will come" is about Jesus, In the Bible, it says, “Jesus was a man of sorrow.” On the secular side, there are people who deal with depression because they feel empty. On the Christian side, there are people who deal with depression because they feel alone with their Christianity or because they mess up. That’s the spirit we’re combating when we play it. The promise in the end is, “Joy will come.” and to confirm this you can go to their offical website ( flyleafonline.com) and it does clearly state, by Lacey herself in one of the interviews, that their " life is based on their faith in God" and " that is affects every aspect in our lives" to confirm, go to " band" and click interviews... tells you everything, peace out!
    haydee_01on May 02, 2007   Link

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