englishFolk Rock

She's Leaving Home Lyrics

by Billy Bragg

13 views • Published on Oct 2, 2026

She's Leaving Home Lyrics

Wednesday morning at five o'clock as the day begins Silently closing her bedroom door Leaving the note that she hoped would say more She goes down the stairs to the kitchen clutching her handkerchief Quietly turning the backdoor key Stepping outside she is free (We gave her most of our lives) (Sacrificed most of our lives) (We gave her everything money could buy) She's leaving home after living alone For so many years Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing gown Picks up the letter that's lying there Standing alone at the top of the stairs She breaks down and cries to her husband, Daddy our baby's gone Why would she treat us so thoughtlessly How could she do this to me (We never thought of ourselves) (Never a thought for ourselves) (We struggled hard all our lives to get by) She's leaving home after living alone For so many years (bye bye) Friday morning at nine o'clock she is far away Waiting to keep the appointment she made Meeting a man from the motor trade (What did we do that was wrong) (We didn't know it was wrong) (Fun is the one thing that money can't buy) Something inside that was always denied For so many years (bye bye) She's leaving home Bye, bye

Meaning of She's Leaving Home

“She’s Leaving Home” is a poignant lament about a young woman’s escape from a suffocatingly possessive and self-absorbed family. The song portrays a heartbreaking scene of a mother quietly departing, driven by a desperate need for autonomy and happiness – something her parents, consumed by their own struggles and sacrifices, failed to provide. Bragg’s message is one of critical reflection on the dangers of prioritizing material wealth over emotional connection and individual fulfillment. Through simple, direct lyrics, he exposes the devastating consequences of a family’s inability to recognize its daughter's burgeoning identity and desires. The repeated “bye bye” underscores the finality of her departure and the profound loss felt by those left behind, highlighting the tragic irony that money couldn’t buy her happiness or their understanding.

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