B.J. Thomas - I Want Everyone To Cry Lyrics

BJ Thomas - I'm so lonesome I could cry (Hank Williams)

I Want Everyone To Cry Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration

The song "I Want Everyone To Cry" by B.J. Thomas delves deep into the raw pain of heartbreak and loss. The narrative begins by reflecting on a love that the speaker felt was uniquely profound, stating that "Nobody could love anybody like she loved me." This sets the stage for the immense impact of the separation that followed. The speaker immediately takes responsibility for the breakup, confessing, "I hurt her," and emphasizing the severity of his actions by adding, "Hurt her so badly." This acknowledgment of fault underscores the depth of his subsequent suffering. The departure of the loved one leaves him in a state of utter despair, describing his emotional nadir as being "low as I've ever felt." He has exhausted conventional means of grief, having "cried till there's nothing else," indicating a point of emotional depletion where tears no longer suffice as an outlet for his pain. This intense emotional state leads him to believe he now requires external assistance to cope, stating, "Now I'm gonna need some help."

The chorus presents a striking and unusual plea: "I want everyone who hears this song to cry." This is not merely an expression of personal sorrow, but a direct call for collective empathy. The speaker hopes that by sharing his grief on a grand scale, involving the entire world, it might somehow aid his recovery, expressing this hope with the line, "Maybe I'll get over her / If the whole world helps me try." This wish for widespread emotional mirroring highlights the overwhelming nature of his pain and a yearning for validation or relief through shared suffering. The instruction for listeners to avoid showing "one dry eye" by the time the song concludes reinforces the intensity of his desire for this collective outpouring of sorrow.

In the second stanza, the speaker preemptively dismisses common consolations, rejecting the notion that time will heal his wound and lead him to forget the person he lost. He firmly states, "That's not true," emphasizing the perceived permanence of his feelings. He reveals his desperate attempts to move on have been unsuccessful, having "tried every angle I know to." This admission of failure in coping reinforces the depth of his struggle. The subsequent invitation, "If you want to / Wait till the lights are low / Nobody has to know / So come on / Let the teardrops flow," softens the demand from the chorus slightly, offering a more intimate, private setting for listeners to connect with his sorrow. It acknowledges that expressing such deep emotion might be a private act for many, yet still encourages the release of tears as a shared experience, even if unseen by others.

The repeated chorus drives home the central theme: the overwhelming nature of the speaker's grief and his extraordinary request for a universal display of sympathy. The final repetitions reiterate the hope that shared sorrow might somehow lighten his burden and accelerate his healing process. The song, through these lyrics, portrays a person consumed by regret and sorrow, whose pain is so profound that it extends beyond his personal capacity to bear, leading him to seek a connection with others through the shared experience of crying. It is a powerful depiction of heartbreak and the desperate, perhaps unconventional, ways in which one might seek solace and recovery when feeling completely broken and alone. The raw honesty of the lyrics offers a window into the devastating impact of lost love and the complex human need for empathy and understanding in times of immense suffering.