As Tears Go By

The speaker watches children playing in the evening and feels separated from their happiness. The children seem cheerful, but their smiles “are not for me.” The repeated image of sitting and watching as tears pass suggests quiet sadness and a sense of time moving on. The ending adds a reflective note: the speaker recognizes that the children’s new games resemble things they once did.

“Riches can’t buy everything” means that money or material success cannot provide whatever the speaker longs for. The wish to hear children sing may point to a desire for simple joy or connection. Rain falling on the ground is the only sound the speaker hears, contrasting with the lively children and making the scene feel lonely.

The lyrics leave the cause of the sadness unclear. The speaker may feel lonely, nostalgic, or simply aware of growing older; these readings can fit together. Watching children repeat familiar activities suggests that life continues across generations, while the speaker remains on the sidelines. The tears may be literal, but the phrase can also imply that sadness passes quietly, like time itself.