Breaking Down the Lyrics: Diamonds (leave with you)

Sam Smith — “Diamonds”

*** “Have it all, take our memories off the wall. All the special things I bought…. They mean nothin’ to me anymore! But to you, they were everything we were — they meant more than every word. Now I know just what you loved me for.” ***

So there’s probably a lot here we can relate to, instinctively. We’ve probably all had that moment ending a relationship… the things need to be separated, but you don’t care, because you want your lives separated as quickly as possible.

Of course, he takes it a step further, indicating that the “special things [he] bought” were what the other guy cared more about. If you’re not up on pop culture, Sam Smith came out in the middle of his career (before this)… so yes, we can safely say it’s about a man.

It could be said shared belongings were the only thing the guy cared about. When he says “to you, they were everything we were,” I think two possible meanings ultimately mean the same thing!

Maybe there never was a we, as there was nothing behind the material. So the “memories on the wall” were the only things that even represented what we were supposed to be.

Or, the way I always interpreted it: to the other guy, those things were what made up the we. To Sam, those things were just one small thing (probably the smallest thing of all, in the tapestry)… but to his partner, they were in fact everything.

“Meant more than every word” and “I know just what you loved me for…” these clearly point to the idea that the guy wanted material gain from him.

*** “Take all the money you want from me. Hope you become who you want to be. Show me how little you care, how little you care! You dream of glitter and gold — my heart’s already been sold. Show me how little you care, how little you care!” ***

So, first off… everything we suspected is confirmed. Just take the money, just more money, from me. So the guy didn’t care about anything else, and Sam just wants him gone.

The next line, however, breaks up the theme. Or should I say one of the two elements of it break the theme.

“Hope you become who you want to be.” On its face, this is well-wishing. No matter how the guy was as a partner, maybe he had a noble ambition. It would be only right, then, to wish him well becoming his best self.

Of course, there’s the other element. Many people think the phrase “Have a nice life” is one of the rudest things to say. But why? Maybe because it’s the best way to say the “worst” thing. Which is really “I won’t be in your life any longer.”

It might be downright sour in this case! Because with the first line, it could mean “Take my money and try to do something good with it. Hope you be whoever the F you want to without me.”

And it would be difficult to take it any other way as this goes on. “Glitter and gold” and “my heart’s been sold,” both pointing to being stabbed in the back. Or rather, the heart!

And the “bridge line,” shall we call it, spells it out. Show me how little you care.

*** “My diamonds leave with you. Never gonna hear my heart break, never gonna move in dark ways…. Baby, you’re so cruel! My diamonds leave with you. ## Material love won’t fool me. When you’re not here, I can’t breathe! I think I always knew… my diamonds leave with you.” ***

Am I the only one who thought it was my diamonds stay with you? According to internet searches, I’m not. Funny how, in the right context, using one opposite word or the other means practically the same thing.

Diamonds stay with you, wherever you go. The only difference using leave seems to be emotional. It has the mental picture of them leaving him, flying away forever.

Now, hear my heart break? An unusual notion. Maybe it’s like a secret. You suspect this thing, but everything changes when you actually hear it. So, Sam won’t let him see (or hear) this vulnerable moment.

“Move in dark ways,” brings it to a spooky place. It implies not only bleeding him dry, but sinister intent. If the guy has dark ways, Sam will make sure they’re not operating in his own life. This is emphasized by calling him cruel.

Unfortunately, men can be the most shallow and cruel in relationships. And, elephant in the room… at least half of gay men are no exception. We might feel it’s not true as we tend to be peaceful with women, and can sometimes need protection from straight men. But we can be just a cruel to each other as partners.

So, on the other side, we need to protect our heart.

And how can you “always know” a relationship will take away a special part of yourself? Maybe only as that voice that tells you as you’re getting in to be careful. And he did qualify I think… which so many of us say that in retrospect. I think I always knew. Diamonds, heart, growth, healing.