☝️ Key Points
- The text expresses melancholy and nostalgia, combined with a deep sense of loss and loneliness.
- The singer observes children playing and feels isolated as he cannot share their joy.
- The speaker reflects on wealth and the inability to buy happiness or satisfaction. He wants to hear the children sing, but only hears the melancholic sound of rain.
- The singer expresses a longing to bring back past times and activities, but once again shows his sadness and loneliness.
- 'As Tears Go By' is about dealing with loss, longing, and the inevitability of time moving forward while the singer remains trapped in his sorrow.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'As Tears Go By' by the
Rolling Stones are about melancholy, nostalgia, and a deep sense of loss. The first verse 'It is the evening of the day, I sit and watch the children play. Smiling faces I can see but not for me. I sit and watch as tears go by' depicts the narrator observing children playing and although he sees their smiling faces, he cannot share in their joy. He feels isolated and sad, which is underscored by the repeated line 'I sit and watch as tears go by'.
In the second verse 'My richness can't buy everything. I want to hear the children sing. All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground. I sit and watch as tears go by.' the narrator reflects on wealth and the inability to buy happiness or contentment. He longs to hear the children sing but only hears the sound of rain falling on the ground - another symbol of melancholy and loneliness.
In the final verse 'It is the evening of the day. I sit and watch the children play. Doing things I used to do they think of you. I sit and watch as tears go by.' the singer expresses once again his longing to bring back the past and do things he used to do. There is a deep sadness in this line that permeates the entire song.
Overall, 'As Tears Go By' is about grappling with loss, longing, and the inevitability of time moving forward while the narrator remains trapped in his sorrow.