The Platters - Great Pretender Lyrics
Released: 01 Jan 1999
Lyrics
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such, I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I play the game but to my real shame
You've left me to dream all alone
Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Just laughing and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around
Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal
Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Just laughing and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around
(Still around)
Video
The Platters - The Great Pretender (1959) 4K
Meaning & Inspiration
The Platters' "The Great Pretender," a timeless ballad first gracing the airwaves in 1955 and later re-mastered and released in 4K in 2021, offers a poignant exploration of a soul burdened by pretense. While not overtly a Christian song, its themes resonate deeply with biblical narratives of authenticity and the cost of living a facade. The song paints a vivid picture of someone masking their true emotions, smiling when they are actually hurting, and projecting an image of strength and contentment that belies an inner turmoil. This echoes the cautionary words found in Proverbs 14:13, "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may cover over sorrow." The protagonist of "The Great Pretender" embodies this very struggle, living a life built on appearances rather than genuine connection.
The universality of this struggle is perhaps why the song continues to captivate. The lyrics speak of a desire for love and acceptance, but instead of vulnerability, the character resorts to artifice. This reminds us of the Lord's emphasis on inner transformation over outward show. Jesus himself addressed this in Matthew 23:27-28, comparing the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but full of decay within. "The Great Pretender" captures this spiritual malaise, the lonely existence of someone who is present but not truly *seen*. The act of pretending, while perhaps a survival mechanism, ultimately isolates the individual, creating a chasm between their outward actions and their inner state. The song, in its melancholic beauty, serves as a powerful, albeit indirect, reminder of the blessedness of a pure heart, as stated in Matthew 5:8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The narrative invites reflection on our own lives: are we presenting a genuine self to the world, or are we, like the great pretender, wearing a mask that prevents true communion with others and, by extension, with the divine? The enduring appeal of this song lies in its candid portrayal of a human condition that the Scriptures consistently urge us to overcome through honesty, humility, and reliance on a truth that transcends mere outward appearance.