Meaning of "If Teardrops Were Diamonds" by Dwight Yoakam

"If Teardrops Were Diamonds" delves into the concept of emotional value and the immense price that love can extract. By comparing tears to diamonds and heartaches to rubies, the song suggests that these emotional experiences have a significant worth. The idea that the narrator's tears alone could pave every highway and their heartaches alone could build a mountain reinforces the idea that their pain is vast and overwhelming. It highlights the magnitude of their emotional suffering as they face the consequences of being in a relationship that went wrong.

The lyrics also touch on the loneliness that accompanies heartbreak. The line "If sad thoughts were emeralds and the world turned green" emphasizes the narrator's intense emotional state. They imply that if their sad thoughts were visible to others, the whole world would be consumed by the color green, symbolizing envy and perhaps also alluding to the concept of being stuck in a cycle of sadness.

Overall, the lyrics of "If Teardrops Were Diamonds" explore the profound emotional impact of love gone wrong. The use of precious gemstone metaphors enhances the depth of the narrator's pain and the vastness of their emotional experience. It serves as a reminder of the significant toll that failed relationships can take on an individual's well-being, emphasizing the universal nature of heartbreak and longing for connection.