People are puppets held together with string
There's a beautiful sadness that runs through him
As he asked me to pray to the God he doesn't believe in

Time and again boys are raised to be men
Impatient they start, fearful at the end
But here was a man mourning tomorrow
He drank, but finally drowned in his sorrow

He could not break surface tension
He looked in the wrong place for redemption
Don't look at me with those eyes
I tried to unheave the ties
Turn back the time that drew him
But he couldn't be saved
A sadness runs through him
Through him

Time and again boys are raised to be men
Impatient they start, fearful at the end
But here was a man mourning tomorrow
Who drank, but finally drowned in his sorrow

He could not break surface tension
He looked in the wrong place for redemption
Don't look at me with those eyes
I tried to unheave the ties
Turn back the time that drew him
But he couldn't be saved
A sadness runs through him
Through him

Don't look
Don't look
Don't don't

Don't look at me with those eyes
I tried to unheave the ties
Turn back the time that drew him
But he couldn't be saved
No he couldn't be saved
A sadness runs through him
A sadness runs through him
A sadness runs through him
A sadness runs through him
A sadness runs through him


Lyrics submitted by Zenafa

A Sadness Runs Through Him Lyrics as written by Irwin Sparkes Alan Sharland

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

A sadness runs through him song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

6 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Ah, well I have the lyrics now because they came wiff the album. Yes it is people are puppets held together with string. It's "Time and again boys RACE to be men" "Impatient they start" "He drank finally drowned in his sorrow" "he could not break surface tension" "He loked in the wrong place for redemption" "I tried to anaethetize" "Turn bak the tide that drew him"

    So I got it mostly wrong basically.

    LOl xD My bad hearing for yeww.

    Zenafaon October 28, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This has got nothing to do withe meaning as there is really nothing more to add, but I love the very last little bit as it just tails off with that vocal tremolo (?I think?) and is lovely (:

    BudgieFaceon January 10, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    so what i think this song means is he was so excited to grow up and wanted to be an adult already. hence in the line "Time and again boys are raised to be men Impatient they start, fearful at the end". He then realized that being an adult isn't all its cut out to be. a lot of stuff goes down and he starts to get deppresed. He ends up trying to bring back his childhood as said in the line

    "He could not break surface tension He looked in the wrong place for redemption Don't look at me with those eyes I tried to unheave the ties Turn back the time that drew him But he couldn't be saved A sadness runs through him Through him"

    He tried to bring back his childhood and failed making him even more depressed. He tried to take off the ties and free his childhood but was forced to grow up sending sadness through him. this song is so sad.

    Whatever32on May 13, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "people are puppets held together wit string" and i think its "i try to anethatise" i dunt think thts the spelling, but about goin under anethetics (again dunt no bout spelling) so 2 not feel pain. I also think its "he drank, finally drown in his sorrow" and "he looked in the wrong place for redemption". These r jus wat i think is bein said im nt sure

    Stuie06on October 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Personally, I think it is about a man spiralling into deep depression, perhaps a little insane.

    betniion February 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Here's my elongated impression:

    It seems to be referring to a friend who is suffering from a bad phase, or depression. "People are puppets held together with string" - Perhaps the man has just broken up with a partner, and this is showing how easily relationships can ruin, just like the ease of snapping string.

    "He asked me to pray to the god he doesn't believe in" - This could refer to religion in a literal sense, perhaps the man is attempting to repent something, as to rid himself of the bad 'karma' he's been getting lately. On the contrary, it could be referring to alcohol, as many depression sufferers turn to drink, and it could be at the stage where he sees alcohol as his only salvation, thus interlinking with the religion theme.

    "He, could not break surface tension, He looked in the wrong place for redemption" - Carrying on with the alcohol theme, it seems the protagonist has become an alcoholic, and realised, but it's become too late. He either dies from alcohol related matters such as liver trouble or suicide. He tried to find refuge and comfort in a bottle.

    "I tried to anaethetize, Turn back the tide that drew him." - His friend attempted to help him, to ease his pain, but he wasn't salvageable. The thundering "current" of his depression was taking over him, and he couldn't escape.

    Beautiful song, nonetheless. The Hoosiers are intense. (:

    Ebonoireon February 25, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.