Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton & Will Jennings

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 18 June 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

YOU(singular) REMEMBER ME, me-WONDER,
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
STILL RELATED SAME QM
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
MY ATTITUDE STRONG.
PATIENT LOOK-FORWARD MEET.
WHY? IF FAIL, KNOW+
ME CAN'T LIVE HEAVEN.

WILLING TWO-OF-US HOLD-HANDS,
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
WILLING HELP SUPPORT ME,
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
ALL-DAY ALL-NIGHT ME #DO-DO?
(2h)SEARCH RIGHT WAY BEHAVE.
WHY? IF FAIL, KNOW+
ME CAN'T STAY HEAVEN.

SOMETIMES FEEL DEPRESSED.
SOMETIMES FEEL OPPRESSED. (pause)
TIME CAN BREAK MY HEART.
FORCE-me ME BEG HAVE-MERCY-ON-me,
PLEASE HAVE-MERCY-ON-me.

(musical interlude)

HAPPEN LEAVE THIS WORLD,
FEEL AT-PEACE WILL.
WE CRY, NO-MORE. WHY?
HAPPY IN HEAVEN.

YOU(singular) REMEMBER ME, me-WONDER,
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
STILL RELATED SAME
HAPPEN TWO-OF-US MEET HEAVEN?
MY ATTITUDE STRONG.
EVERDAY PATIENT LOOK-FORWARD MEET.

WHY? IF FAIL, KNOW+
ME CAN'T LIVE HEAVEN. (Repeat this paragraph)


Notes: "Tears in Heaven" is a heartfelt ballad written and performed by Eric Clapton about the pain he felt following the 1991 death of his four-year-old son, Conor, who fell from a 53rd-story window in his mother's New York City condominium. - WIKIPEDIA.

me-WONDER - [1], PO > temple, FO up, FT circles around temple. I just added the "me" to show what it means contextually.

MEET - This is the one person meets one person son, rather than the multiple MEETING.

HEAVEN - (2h)[B], POs down, FOs ><, hands are held high, circle around each other and then separate.

SAME - (2h)[1], POs down, FOs away, hands meet from a little distance.

QM - [1], PO away, FO up, curls and uncurls while tracing the shape of a question mark.

HOLD-HANDS - Hold hands together as in WEDDING and swing them to and fro.

BEHAVE - (2h)[B], POs down, FOs away, sweep from side to side antisymmetrically.

OPPRESSED - DH [B], PO down, FO > NDS, pushs down on [S], PO > DS, FO away, which is held against chest.

(pause) - There is a significant pause in the middle of this verse that should be observed rather than rushing on to the next part in sign.

HAVE-MERCY-ON-me - (2h)[open 8], POs > signer, hands move in vertical circles normal (perpendicular) to the chest. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Mercy - 2.

AT-PEACE - (2h)[V], POs away, FOs up, are held at shoulder level.

NO-MORE - (2h)[B], POs down, cross at wrists, then uncross moving horizontally and emphatically. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - don't.

Lyrics:

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven
I'll find my way
Through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay
Here in heaven.

Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please,
begging please.

(instrumental)

Beyond the door,
There's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven.

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Will it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,

'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven. (2x)

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo see Eric Clapton perform this, go to Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven.

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