Flip a Coin

Written by Joey Kelly

Performed by The Kelly Family

Released: January 26th, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lyrics

 

 

01 I recall a friend of mine

02 With a tear in my eye

03 I stand all alone here at the altar

04 He's out

05 I'm left with a problem now

06 I'm here on earth left with the pain

07 Look what you've done

08 You should have called

 

09 Flip a coin, flip a coin, flip a coin

10 Yeah heads I win, tails you loose

11. Flip a coin, flip a coin, flip a coin

12. Yeah heads I win, tails you loose

 

13. Sorry I coudln't help

14. Take it back

15. Sorry I didn't help

16. Well f*** you, you could have called

17. What about us what about me

18. What about the years I spend

19. pampering your a**

20 Running here running there

21. "Oh I'm so great, I'm so great,

22. I'm fine, I'm fine"

23. You lied

24. You promised to give your family a break

25. From your blows

26. Look at the sad faces

27. you've left behind now

28. I let you down?

29. No you let me down

30. I got a family to feed

31. You got a little kid yourself

32. You know what I mean?

33. You were supposed to stay

34. No one gave you the right to

35. take your life that way

 

Refrain

 

36. Halle halle halle

37. Halle halle hallelujah

38. I feel hate, I feel pain

39. I feel cold I feel ashamed

40. Where's the father you

41. you should have been to your

42. daughter?

43. Sad news, sad days

44. Where are you now?

45. Talk to me come on talk to me

46. I know you can hear me

47. Why brother why?

 

Refrain

 

48. Halle halle halle

49. Halle halle hallelujah

 

Analysis of Flip a Coin

 

Joey Kelly, who wrote the lyrics, dedicated the song to his friend Pat who committed suicide. The speaker's rage can be heard through his voice. Mostly throughout the song the speaker is in pain and feels hate. "I feel hate, I feel pain" (line 42). The speaker reminisces about his friend, and the sentiment came from his heart, "with a tear in my eye" (line 02). His friend never came to him with his problems; therefore the speaker is upset and does not understand why. "Why brother why? (line 47).  They seemed to have been very close, but still the friend did not put his sorrow into the speaker's hands maybe out of fear of being different, or not wanting to bother him with his problems. Now the speaker is left alone and carrying the burden of anger, guilt and pain.

 

"I'm left with a problem now

I'm here on earth left with the pain

Look what you've done

You should have called" (line 05-08)

 

The speaker sings about his pain, the pain that he has been left with, not many people have the courage to talk about a subject like suicide. The speaker sends a message to those that might think about committing suicide. The family and friends left behind will be the ones left with the guilt, anger, and pain.  

 

Pathos is the strongest appeal in Kelly's lyrics, which can be heard through his tone. The speaker sings that he is sorry, but then turns around and blames the friend for not calling him.

 

"Sorry I couldn't help

Take it back

Sorry I didn't help

Well f*** you, you could have called" (line 13-16)

 

The speaker sings about the failures his friend faced, and shows anger that the friend did not consider the family left behind before commiting suicide. The friend left a little kid with no one to take care of her, but  now the speaker must see her a sad face, just like his other friends. The refrain "Halle halle halle, Halle halle hallelujah", praise God and seem to lift the pain. 

 

The lyrics evoke others to think before they act. If more people would listen to these lyrics and and realize the destructive force a suicide brings on the survivors, there would not be that many suicides. The lyrics also show to suicidal people, what will happen to their family members and friends if they would leave them all behind, and they encourage them to ask a friend for help.

 

Work Cited

 

Joey Kelly. "Flip a Coin". MP3 Lyrics. 02 Dec. 2008. 

     <http://www.mp3lyrics.org/k/kelly-family/flip-a-coin/>

 

 

Kelly, The Family. "Flip a Coin". You Tube. 14 July 2007. 02 Dec. 2008. 

     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOpPjh_VVEY>

 

 

Page originated by Sandra Golaszewski

 

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