Amy Winehouse redefined jazz and soul music in the 2000s with her rich, smoky voice and raw, honest lyrics drawn from her life experiences.
Her album “Back to Black” showed the world her incredible talent with songs that spoke about love, addiction, and pain in a way that felt deeply personal yet universal.
While we lost her too soon in 2011, her music and influence continue to touch millions of people, inspiring countless artists who came after her.
About the Song
The song captures the raw pain of heartbreak as Amy mourns a failed relationship, watching her ex-lover return to an old flame while she’s left drowning in darkness and despair.
The song became one of Winehouse’s signature tracks, perfectly showcasing her ability to transform personal anguish into timeless soul music.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 27 October 2006 |
| Album | Back to Black |
| Writers | Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson |
| Producers | Mark Ronson |
| Record Label | Island Records |
Back to Black Lyrics by Amy Winehouse
Verse 1
He left no time to regret
Kept his dick wet
With his same old safe bet
Me and my head high
And my tears dry
Get on without my guy
You went back to what you knew
So far removed
From all that we went through
And I tread a troubled track
My odds are stacked
I’ll go back to black
Chorus
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
I go back to us
Verse 2
I love you much
It’s not enough
You love blow and I love puff
And life
Is like a pipe
And I’m a tiny penny rollin’ up the walls inside
Chorus
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
Bridge
Black, black, black, black
Black, black, black
I go back to
I go back to
Chorus
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to
We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black
Live Performance of the Song
Back to Black: Live at Other Voices, 2006
Back to Black: Glastonbury 2007
Back to Black: Live on Island Records UK
Similar Songs like Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
- Tears Dry on Their Own – Carries the same soul-heavy heartbreak theme, blending Motown influences with Amy’s powerful vocals as she processes the end of a relationship
- Love is a Losing Game – Shares the melancholic jazz arrangement and raw emotional vulnerability about love’s painful disappointments
- You Know I’m No Good – Features similar retro-soul production and brutally honest lyrics about self-destructive relationship patterns
- Wake Up Alone – Explores loneliness and heartache with the same jazz-influenced style and deeply personal narrative
- Just Friends – Examines complicated relationships with matching 60s soul influences and confessional storytelling
- Some Unholy War – While less explicitly about heartbreak, it carries the same emotional weight and vintage soul arrangement that defined Back to Black’s sound
- In My Bed – Though from her first album, it deals with similar themes of troubled romance with soul and jazz elements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Back to Black based on a true story?
Yes, Back to Black was written about Amy’s ex-boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil, who left her to return to his previous girlfriend. This real heartbreak inspired the song.
What kind of music is Back to Black?
Back to Black is a soul and R&B song with strong influences from 1960s Motown music, blending deep emotional lyrics with a classic retro sound.
