Although the lyrics are pretty when read (as a poem), they get lengthy at times, and the music is average. As one of the latest JC's songs, it is not his best work. I don't know if my opinion will change after I listen to it more often.
The lyrics in the first verse are wordy. Although the title is "You Don't Have To Be Alone", which explains why the listener should pick up the phone, he writes that he (the singer) is the one with the foolish pride. Shouldn't he be the one to call if he puts his pride aside? *One person said it might be that he's calling her and asking her to pick up the phone. Another said it might be that she knows he's foolishly proud, so she should make the first move and call him. Both make sense, but to me, it still sounds like 'if you don't want to be alone, call me'.
The lyrics of the chorus are okay. They are pretty basic (e.g. "your eyes are red because you cried").
The second verse is better lyrically than the first. It is tighter and doesn't seem as wordy when sang.
In this song, the music is actually better than the lyrics itself.
The vocal arrangements (music) are nicely done for the second chorus. However, they seem out of place for the first chorus; it seems they couldn't find a place to stick the other singers, so they gave them "echoes".
Grade (on a 5-point scale):
Lyrics: 3.4 **
Music: 3.6
Overall: 3.5
Lyrics:
I don't know when we fell apart
The love that we had was like a work of art
I used to see heaven in your eyes
Now angels are falling from your skies
Things we said were so wrong
And I haven't held you for so long
My foolish pride turns me inside
Why did we tell all those lies
You can reach for the phone
You don't have to be alone
Chorus:
Outside the wind, it seems so cold (cold)
Your heart is frozen like the snow (snow)
And there's no one home to keep you safe and warm
Your eyes are red because you cried (cried)
You fell asleep by the fire side (fire side)
But there's one thing you should know
On this Christmas, baby
You don't have to be alone
And I only had one wish on my list (oh)
For me, you would be the perfect gift (oh yeah)
There's nothing colder than an empty home (empty home)
And holidays were never meant to be alone (to be alone)
The smiles we gave when our hearts were saved
By each other's love and warmth
That's subsided now, no happiness around
If I can only find a way to your heart
Chorus
You don't (no, no) have to be alone
You don't have to (no, no) all alone at all (on Christmas)
You don't (you don't) have to be alone
(you don't have to be alone)
You don't have to be
Chorus
[end]
