Newborn

Elbow

I'll be the corpse in your bathtub
Useless
I'll be as deaf as a post
If you hold me like a newborn
Whisper what you feel

My badly strung declaration to you
You'll spend the end of your days
Gently smiling like a newborn
Whisper what you feel

Love not by degrees

Press your lips to my eyes
Taste my tears on your tongue
Pull the blinds
Play our song
Nothing's changed
Nothing could be wrong

Scream in the night
Kick and strike like a newborn
Holding me shaking awake in the dark
All of these promises kept and unbroken
Tracing the scars
Tracing the scars
Even and cold as we both become older
Your arms bound about me
The hush in your voice
The warmth of your fingers entwined around mine
In the eve of our lives
Never a choice


Lyrics submitted by Shapeshifter

Newborn Lyrics as written by Richard Barry Jupp Peter James Turner

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Newborn song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentThis is most people's fvourite Elbow song - rightfully so!
    It's talking about an old married couple - one of whom is suffering from dimentia (or some such devastating illness). They've been together for so long and refuse to leave eachother despite the illness being very hard to deal with.
    "Love not by degrees" - meaning absolute committment to eachother no matter what happens.

    The crescendo at the end is fabolous - the image of such a terrifying "episode" happening to one of them that it brings fear and terror to the other one, but they hold them regardless and do everything in their power to calm them down and reassure them that everything will be alright.

    Sends shivers up my spine.
    Cazzdevilon May 20, 2006   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationTo me, it's a song about loving someone so much you know you want to get old with them and die together - not in just a romantic, abstract way, but in the real, concrete details. It staggers me that such a gorgeous song can begin with such a horrible image. "I love you so much that I want you to find me dead of old age one day." Superb.
    huytongirlon September 06, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThis song starts very creepily, with the image of someone dying in someone's arms, which can be touching, it is a love song after all, but still the imagery is abit rough, especially the first line, but after that the song develops beautifully, definitely elbows best song, nothing better in life than growing old with the one you love.
    straydog89on April 13, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Commenti think Elbow deserve a lot more than to be simply compared to Coldplay, Coldplay would never sing a sing like this and Elbow are more exprerimental with their music. Don't get me wrong, Coldplay are well deserving of their fame but Elbow sound is quite different. I love the part in this song where it picks up and Guy just sings 'yeah', it truly conveys that feeling of exhileration when in love and i am- with elbow!
    ylliton December 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI love this song. I love elbow... they have such good music. This sounds alot like Coldplay, and I thought it was until the dude on the edge said that it was elbow. God! I love them!!
    siren86on May 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti like this song. i like coldplay, too. and sparklehorse. and travis. and..... the list goes on forever. how did all of these bands end up sounding so goddam similar? luckily, it's a good sound, and for the most part the radio and mtv aren't killing it off too badly. i put elbow's musical talent and song-writing ability at the front of the pack. great song.
    bosco9on May 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commenttragically romantic.simply love this one.
    cuteLSDon May 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIt's a very good song, but you people must be deaf, it dosen't sound anything like Coldplay. Totally different artists, totally different sounds. I love this song, also Coming Second is ace! :)
    Ps, Coldplay are my all time fav band ;)
    ScuTTerBoBon May 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI really think this band sounds a lot like coldplay, but their both awesome in their own rights. I think this songs about a couple who are growing old and dying together, such a great romantic notion, a simply gorgeous, moving song.
    aftonbelleon March 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti think they sound like a happy-go-lucky side of radiohead. They have the experimental part of it down. They really sound the most like Doves to me. And a little like Coldplay with his desperate, yearning for love lyrics. I personally like Radiohead and Portishead better, because they're a million times more creative, but I love this band just as well. If you haven't heard them and you're reading this for some odd reason, listen to them. they're awsome!
    Phrogexon May 25, 2004   Link

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