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Broken strings — James Morrison & Nelly Furtado

This emotional duet by James Morrison and Nelly Furtado captures the pain of a fractured relationship with poignant lyrics and soaring harmonies. Featuring heartfelt vocals and a haunting melody, it stands as a timeless ballad of love, loss, and vulnerability.

General description

A soulful track by James Morrison that blends heartfelt lyrics, evocative melodies, and a powerful vocal duet with Nelly Furtado. Released in 2008, it became a standout ballad of the era, celebrated for its raw emotion, universal themes of heartbreak, and polished production.



Technical details

Technical details for Broken Strings by James Morrison and Nelly Furtado

Vocal spans:
— James: B♭ 2 — B♭ 4 (24 semitones)
— Nelly: D♭ 4 — C5 (11 semitones)



Lyrics

Verse 1 (James)
Let me hold you for the last time
It's the last chance to feel again
But you broke me, now I can't feel anything
When "I love you" rings so untrue
I can't even convince myself
When I'm speaking it's the voice of someone else

Bridge (James)
Oh, it tears me up
I tried to hold on, but it hurts too much
I tried to forgive, but it's not enough
To make it all okay

Chorus (James)
You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything
That your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell you something that ain't real
Oh, the truth hurts and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before?

Verse 2
(Nelly)
Oh, what are we doing?
We are turning into dust
Playing house in the ruins of us
(James w/ Nelly backing)
Running back through the fire
When there's nothing left to save
It's like chasing the very last train
When it's too late, too late

Bridge (James w/ Nelly backing)
Oh, it tears me up
I tried to hold on, but it hurts too much
I tried to forgive, but it's not enough
To make it all okay

Chorus (James w/ Nelly backing)
You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything
That your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell you something that ain't real
Oh, the truth hurts and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before?

Bridge (James w/ Nelly backing)
But we're running through the fire
When there's nothing left to save
It's like chasing the very last train
When we both know it's too late (too late)

Chorus (James w/ Nelly backing)
You can't play on broken strings
You can't feel anything
That your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell you something that ain't real
Oh, the truth hurts and lies worse
So how can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before?
Oh, you know that I love you a little less than before

Chorus (both in unison)
Let me hold you for the last time
It's the last chance to feel again

Songwriters: Fraser Lance Thorneycroft Smith / Nina Woodford / James Morrison Catchpole
Broken Strings lyrics © Sony/atv Music Publishing (uk) Limited, Bmg Rights Management (uk) Limited, Chrysalis Music Ltd


Original track



Karaoke



Dance/Electronic



Alternative/emo



EDM (electronic dance)



Acoustic (choral)



Acoustic (piano)



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