Lyric discussion by Joachim_Moeller 

Cover art for Ashes lyrics by Céline Dion

This song is clearly about a relationship burned to ashes aka breaking up forever is a matter of time if something major doesn't change. Celine did not write it btw, so don't read into it anything relating to her life.

What's left to say? (Haven't I said and tried to say anything possible to mend this? I'm sad and I'm losing hope that anything I say can change anything)

These prayers ain't working anymore

Every word shot down in flames (I told/tried to tell you but you refused to listen to me)

What's left to do with these broken pieces on the floor? (It all just feels so hopeless and are any of the remnants of our once great relationship good for anything anymore? Can it be put back together somehow?)

I'm losing my voice calling on you (I tried telling you endlessly but you just don't listen)

'Cause I've been shaking (I've been trembling from uncertainty and heartbreak)

I've been bending backwards till I'm broke ("Bend over backwards: To exert a lot of effort towards some end. This phrase is often used to express frustration when one's efforts go unrecognized." meaning "I have tried so hard to mend things and I'm desperate and broken inside like our relationship is now. I've been reduced to ashes. I'm an emotional wreck)

Watching all these dreams go up in smoke (I had all these dreams of how wonderful our life together would be)

Let beauty come out of ashes (Our relationship is in ruins now but please, please let us rebuild it, like a phoenix from the ashes, let it be reborn and gloriously fly towards the sun, the beauty of our love restored and let my love no longer be unrequited)

Let beauty come out of ashes And when I pray to God all I ask is Can beauty come out of ashes?

Can you use these tears to put out the fires in my soul? (Can you recognize, sympathize with my pain and use it to remember when we were so open and so close to each other. Can you use that to water the withering plant that is, or now rather was, your love for me? Please make it bloom again and extinguish the fire in me, please end the torment that I feel)

'Cause I need you here, woah

'Cause I've been shaking I've been bending backwards till I'm broke Watching all these dreams go up in smoke

Let beauty come out of ashes Let beauty come out of ashes And when I pray to God all I ask is Can beauty come out of ashes?

Can beauty come out of ashes?

Song Meaning