The Meaning Behind “Tears Dry on Their Own” by Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse made contemporary R&B by mining the past and presenting it with modern production and cheeky wit.

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The chaos and tragedy of Winehouse’s life are well known. But before she died at age 27, the singer left behind two studio albums that changed pop music. However, her 2003 debut Frank and its colossal follow-up Back to Black (2006) show two very different versions of the singer.

The debut mixes jazz and hip-hop with a clean, pop sheen over its production. Winehouse once said she didn’t even own a copy of the album. She may have been unhappy with it, but her big voice was undeniable. Then Back to Black made Winehouse a global superstar.

“Tears Dry on Their Own” was the fourth single from Back to Black. It didn’t have the chart success of “Rehab,” but its messy romantic tale showcases Winehouse’s vivid and confessional songwriting.

It Won’t Last

She describes a doomed relationship but the predictable outcome won’t keep her away. Though Winehouse knows how it’ll end, she still gives in to the allure of early romance and the high feelings of young love.

All I can ever be to you is a darkness that we know
And this regret I got accustomed to
Once it was so right when we were at our high
Waiting for you in the hotel at night

Winehouse told the BBC, “I was with someone that I couldn’t really be with, and I knew it wouldn’t last. But I think because I knew it couldn’t last, it’s kinda like saying, ‘I’m upset, but I know I’ll get over it, I guess.’”

He walks away, the sun goes down
He takes the day, but I’m grown
And in your way, in this blue shade
My tears dry on their own

The Motown Sound

Producer Salaam Remi borrowed from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell to build the track. (Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson received songwriting credits alongside Winehouse.)

Gaye and Terrell’s 1967 Motown hit remains a touchstone for soul duets. But “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” describes two people in love, and no obstacle will stand in their way.

“Tears Dry on Their Own” contains the uplifting energy and drive of Motown’s production, yet the brokenhearted lyrics leave Winehouse hurt and alone.

I don’t understand, why do I stress the man?
When there’s so many bigger things at hand
We could’ve never had it all, we had to hit a wall
So this is inevitable withdrawal

Love Is a Losing Game

There’s a track on Back to Black called “Love Is a Losing Game.” In it, she sings about the futile odds of falling in love and how the gods laugh as she keeps trying. Finally, she acknowledges “love is a losing game.”

“Tears Dry on Their Own” sounds like the prequel to “Love Is a Losing Game.” One of many little heartbreaks adding up to bad odds and a losing hand.

Photo by Barney Britton/Redferns