Seal: Kiss From a Rose Meaning
Song Released: 1994
Kiss From a Rose Lyrics
You became the light on the dark side of me.
Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill.
But did you know,
That when it snows,
My eyes become large and
The light that you shine...
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Thanks for the comments made by so many music lovers. I just want to mention one thing. The more I hear the song, the more I believe the snow means love. When it snows,I believe, is equal to say when love falls on me. While my eyes become large is a metaphor. It means love open our minds to more beautiful things than the dreary lonely world described earlier. This way it makes sense. Just my opinion
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I think this song is about the true love between a man and woman. Often whenever I hear this song, I think of the magical rose from the Disney film "Beauty and the Beast". A rose is a very beautiful thing, but dangerous to the touch. And that's what I see in my mind whenever Kiss from a Rose is playing.
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Gray makes sense, because the idea of a "kiss from a rose on the gray" would be the only bright, colorful thing in a gray world. He says she is, "... the light on the dark side of me."
"But do you know, that when it snows, my eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen."
I think his eyes widen in wonder and clarity - snow tends to reduce our ability to see clearly, yet her presence is a beacon through the storm, much like a lighthouse. This could also be the the "graying tower alone on the sea - You became the light on the dark side of me", much as a lighthouse beacon turns with a light side and dark side. -
This song is about love, powerful and passionate. It's the kind of love where, a person walks into someones life and changes that person forever; though I suspect the part about seeing her bloom does indicate that he has known her for a while, since she was young (and loved her all along?)
also, every lyric site I've been to has it as "a rose on the grey"...in fact I think I even have the original lyric booklet somewhere which says that, but I'm not a hundred percent on that.. -
Have any of you ever seen a light shine through snow? It "lights up" the air more than the light shining through plain air. It doesn't reach as far, but the light reflecting off the snow is much closer, making the light (love) more visible.
-
"but did you know, that when it snows, my eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen"
Mmm.. I think this means that when things are bad (snows) that he must make his eyes large so he can she her through the snow because she is his light or saviour.
However, I need your help.. I still don't understand I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey. I understand kiss from a rose being a kiss from something beautiful but that also has thorns but why 'grey' why compose the lyric in this way.. what does it mean 'grey'? -
This song is about a new love, that reminds him of the love he had in the past. Basically it's about falling in love twice.
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The lyrics will appear first, then the parenthesis will be what I interpret them as.
There used to be a graying tower alone on the sea.
(I used to be alone.)
You became the light on the dark side of me.
(But then, I found you, the better half of me.)
Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill.
(Love found me and made me happy.)
But did you know,
(Did you know,)
That when it snows,
(When you show me your love,)
My eyes become large and
(I absorb it and)
The light that you shine can be seen.
(Your love reflects off of me.)
Baby,
(My love,)
I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grave.
(You are like a kiss from a rose on the grave.)
Ooh,
(Oh,)
The more I get of you,
(The more love you show me,)
The stranger it feels, yeah.
(It gets better.)
And now that your rose is in bloom.
(Now that our love is in full swing.)
A light hits the gloom on the grave.
(Love shines into my soul.)
There is so much a man can tell you,
(There’s so much to tell you,)
So much he can say.
(All about me.)
You remain,
(You are,)
My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby
(Many things to me, my love)
To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny.
(I can’t stop thinking about you.)
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?
(Is that crazy, my love?)
goes to a repeated part...
I've been kissed by a rose on the grave,
(My lonely soul has been shown love,)
I've been kissed by a rose
(I’ve been kissed by a beautiful girl)
I've been kissed by a rose on the grave,
(My lonely soul has been shown love)
...And if I should fall along the way
(…And if I should mess up)
I've been kissed by a rose
(I’ve been kissed by a beautiful girl)
...been kissed by a rose on the grave.
(My lonely soul has been shown love)
more repeating...
Now that your rose is in bloom,
(Now that our love is in full swing.)
A light hits the gloom on the grave.
(Love shines into my soul.) -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Sorry if this is somewhat out of order...
but to be honest, I believe that this song has nothing to do with drugs.. you really have to read the lyrics...
"love remained a high that's not the pill".. did you catch that? NOT the pill, which makes me think that it's not drugs.. you REALLY have to pay attention.. and yes, there's more than just one form of a drug.. I'm sure.. but which one is more logical?? seal is a family man, not a drug pusher..
"you became the light on the dark side of me"
-simply, something like, "you showed me the light" or "you showed me the love".. ya know??
"but did you know, that when it snows, my eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen"
-to tell you the truth, this one I think just says this love story takes place in the winter.. I don't know what other way to put it.. I mean sure, it COULD be about how snow affects your eyes, and I'm 98% sure this isn't about drugs.. So I'm canceling that out all together. Honestly, what's wrong with writing a song that takes place in the winter? hey..it's possible..
"baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey"
-a rose usually represents beauty, and I'm assuming that grey is representing this, man's, life.. Sad, lonely, dreary, all of those. He's saying that something beautiful came into his sad, dark, depressing life.
"ohh, the more I get of you, stranger it feels, yeah"
-he's not used to getting this kind of treatment from anyone, especially a woman, so it feels strange to him for having a women care for him like this. and maybe he's possibly..ohh, I don't know... Skeptical??
"And now that your rose is in bloom, a light hits the gloom on the grave"
-"and now that your love/light is given to me" or "now that you are showing me this love/light"... "a light is being shown on this darkness." or "you have saved me from the dark" or "you drive the darkness away and fill my life (or life in general) with light".. any of those choices..
"there is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say"
-there are too many words to describe the love that this man is feeling.. He is overwhelmed with love, joy, and happiness
or.. possibly that this woman was fooling around.. and that man number 1 is saying that man number2 will tell her anything that she wants to hear.. maybe..
"you remain, my power, my pleasure, my pain"
-he's still going to love her, and she is is power, his pleasure,and his pain...duh..
he simply described her as a rose "pleasure and pain" "every rose has its thorns"
"to me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny, yeah.won't you tell me is that healthy,baby"
-he addicted to her. addicted to her love, personality, spirit, everything. and he is asking her if it is healthy for him. because (referring to the "there is so much a man could tell you, so much he can say" lyric) that she is fooling around on him, and he is still madly and desperately in love with her... Is it healthy for him, or should he just let go?
and since most of the lyrics are repeated, you can just repeat what I wrote, if you read these lyrics the same as me, that is. I hope this helped some of you realize what this song means.
thank you. -
Umm... This is sort of random, but I think what he means by kiss from a rose is something that is both sweet and painful. A rose is sweet in appearance and fragrant, but it has thorns as well. So, by being kissed by a rose, he experiences a sensation of beauty and pain.
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Here's my interpretation of this song:
It's about drugs, or a specific drug in particular.
Firstly there's the obvious third line reference to drugs.
"Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill."
The song talks about a man who's life is grey, dull and depressing. Drugs cause a "light" to hit the "gloom".
The line "The more I get of you the stranger it feels" obviously means he's getting more and more stoned. Then there are the "Baby, to me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?" lines talking about an addiction to that drug.
However, I've probably gone completely over the actual meaning and am overanalyzing the song. -
First of all, it isn't "A Kiss from a Rose on the Grave", it is 'A Kiss from a Rose on the Grey'. With that said,
- 'There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea.
You became the light on the dark side of me.'
+ So there he was, a lone greying tower on the Sea. . .
He was lost, alone, misguided, a loner, the she found him(metaphorically) and changed his life for the better(the light) via LOVE(it is a love song, a waltz, but a love song as primarily).
____________________________________________________________
- 'Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill.'
+ A reference to the drug called Love. A drug that often provides highs and lows similar to addiction/abuse cycles.
___________________________________________________________
- 'But did you know,That when it snows, My eyes become large and The light that you shine can be seen.'
+ This song phrase could be interpreted in many ways, I offer two intrpretations, the first, I have trouble with(note1). The second, makes no physiological sense buts sounds excellent but sounds excellent when versed.
first. . . Snow is Cocaine, when he is on it, he has an enhanced sensory experience)or whatever), which enables his to see her Aura. I don't like that interpretation because Seal, from what I have read, seen, and believe, is not one to take or mix drugs. Just because he may make the allusion to Cocaine, doesn't mean he is a user, but that it doesn't sound right in light of what we know about The Man. The guy is a fitness freak, married to one of the only models I consider well grounded. He is a perfecctionist.
He has kids. These things lead me to believe he wasn't referring to cocaine. like I said, I don't care for this version.
NEXT, more palatable version. . .
When it snows on the grey (a grey is a area on the sea, think English channel, or better, North Sea, where the weather is inclement and even when the Sun does shine, it isn't a bright sun.) Introducing Snow, changes his perception much like that of a child. With this change, he feels as though he knows her(reference to aura)completely.
This is a poetic interpretation). When it snows, your eyes(pupils) contract. But I don't think Seal meant the eyes from an ocular perspective, but from a characteristic perspective. With that said, I vote for #2
__________________________________________________________
- 'Baby'
+ aka, Baby Girl, Lover, Sweetheart, her. . . but it may also be a reference to her age because later in the song, he comments that Now that your Rose is in Bloom may hold more meaning).
__________________________________________________________
- 'I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.'
+ Don't we all, nudge nudge say no more. What is a Kiss from a rose? Well, most of the time it would be a positive thing. One where the beauty of the Rose, the sweet fragrance sweet, the soft petals could be enjoyed. But every once in awhile, your goona catch a thorn in the lip.
Something very painful indeed. It is a restatement of drug called Love havings its uppps, but some downs.
___________________________________________________________
Another allusion to Loves similarities to Drugs. . .
'The more I get of you, Stranger it feels, yeah.'
___________________________________________________________
- And now that your rose is in bloom. A light hits the gloom on the grey.
+ I am not sure if this is an implication that he knew her before she became a woman, but maybe. . .
BUt now that she is a woman, its ON
__________________________________________________________
- There is so much a man can tell you,So much he can say.
+ He can't put into words what she is doing to him. It should say, There is ONLY so much a man can verbalize, but what would the fun be in that?
___________________________________________________________
- You remain, My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby
To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny.
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?
+ More Love is a Drug comparative
___________________________________________________________
...And if I should fall along the way
I've been kissed by a rose on the grave.
- This actually may be a legitimate reference to drug addiction as if is often called Falling down, or Falling Off, by addicts. . . Or, could just be more allusive wording.
___________________________________________________________
A very well drawn love story embedded in a Waltz
ANy additional thoughts out there?
sincerely,
bufo -
Greetings. I present to you my interpretation on Seal's song, "Kiss from a rose". I'm not a big fan of him. Heck it's the only song I know from him because of the Batman movie. A friend told me that this song's lyrics were really great, so I thought of interpreting it so I get to understand it too. Take note that my analysis is undergone as a whole. I connect each line to the whole song before judging if it's correct. There are millions of meanings, and this is mine...
1.
Let me start of by knowing the persona. In my opinion, he's dead. And it's not only because "grave" is mentioned, but by how it was done so. Look at this line:
"I've been kissed by a rose on the grave,
I've been kissed by a rose"
These says that he's been kissed on the grave. And I don't think one should be nowhere but the grave if he says so. The man is dead, period. In another line:
2.
"There is so much a man can tell you,
So much he can say."
There is a longing to talk, and to speak his feelings. But that's the most he can do, say that he has much to say. It seems that he wished that he had spoken with his receiver before he died.
Now, using the idea that he is dead, we can deduce something from the first line:
3.
"There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea.
You became the light on the dark side of me.
Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill."
This line describes the graveyard of the man. His gravestone is but a greying tower among the sea of dead people. No one gives a damn about this one gravestone that gets aged and weathered by nature. But don't worry, he said "there used to be", which implies that One day, after many years, someone has noticed his gravestone, and thus not a greying tower "alone" on the sea anymore. Whoever this newcomer is, she was living proof that the man is not a face in the dark, or someone who is unknown. In the next line, the man realizes a new meaning of love. It's a high, not a pill. Meaning, love is not something that only appears when your loved one appears. You don't love a person just because you're seeing him, dating him or touching him. It is a high that sustains even after the loved one dies.
Now, what is the man's reaction on this? Look at this stanza:
4.
"You remain, My power, my pleasure, my pain.
Baby, to me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?"
All right, this is where I'm blanked. I'm not sure of this part. But let me rephrase that the receiver is someone who has not met the man for a long time. It seems that something happened that separated the two. The first line is a bit funny. It's like he's saying, "Oh you make me strong and you always comfort me. HOWEVER, don't forget that you did this and this and that and what..." The next two lines, he tells the receiver that she has become an addiction, perhaps a deep relationship together. Then, blames the receiver that she should have known that it won't do him good.
When we look at the line:
5.
"...And if I should fall, at all
I've been kissed by a rose."
This further emphasizes that the man was devastated, and in the end gets offered by a rose by the receiver when he has died. Hm? What about his giving a rose to the man? Let's look at the Chorus:
6.
"Baby,
I might compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grave.
Ooh,
The more I get of you
Stranger it feels, yeah.
And now that your rose is in bloom,
A light hits the gloom on the grave."
It may not literally mean a rose, because he said,"I compare you". A kiss from a rose on the grave can be seen as a person offering a flower to the dead. We see the vanity of offering something beautiful to someone who can't appreciate it anymore. Perhaps, the man doesn't need the receiver's love anymore, and yet she still comes every time to visit.
So, how about the part that "your rose is in bloom"? It stuck me quite a while and I have only one explanation for this. A rose's stem when planted on the ground, grows into a new rose right? I'm not sure. The same goes here. After the kiss from the rose, which also means the receiver's start of visiting, the rose gets implanted underground by time. The rose blooms, shedding a constant light on the man's grave, a constant assurance that the man is not alone. And the man will never be alone for as long as the rose lives.
The last and remaining stanza of the song gave me headaches. I put it last because I consider it the most vague in the entire song. Look at this stanza:
7.
"But did you know,
That when it snows,
My eyes become large and,
The light that you shine can be seen."
Again, I can only assume. I don't know what snow has to do with roses. In my assumption, this part tells two things. "My eyes become large." Isn't this line pretty weird? But by delving deeper, I sense that there's a change in mood. A while ago, he's quite annoyed at the girl for being a pain (Look at number 4). But now, his eyes widen in anticipation just to see the girl. Why? Because it's snowing...And during winter, plants will die, including the rose. It doesn't literally mean winter, but rather, it means that the receiver is nearing her death. And by widening his eyes can he only see the fading flicker of her life, the one and only person who ever cared for him.
All right, I know that my interpretation is pretty warped. I know, you know, that all your interpretations will likely be different. But that's my style, and I like it. Also, you might find a lot of flaws because I rushed this in three hours. I've no plans of editing it because I'm lazy. I hope you were enlightened though.
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