The Nightmare Before Christmas - Jack Lament (Lyrics)

Jack Lament
A song from The Nightmare Before Christmas
Directed by Henry Selick

Turn On the Subtitles for the Lyrics (and Enjoy)

Lyrics
There are few can who deny, at what I do I am the best
For my talents are renowned far and wide
When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night
I excel without ever even trying

With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms
I have see grown men give out a shriek
With a wave of my hand and a well-placed moan
I have swept the very bravest off their feet

Yet year after year, it's the same routine
And I grow so weary of the sound of screams
And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King
Have grown so tired of the same old thing

Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones
An emptiness began to grow
There's something out there, far from my home
A longing that I've never known

I'm a master of fright and a demon of light
And I'll scare you right out of your pants
To a guy in Kentucky, I'm Mister Unlucky
And I'm known throughout England and France

And since I am dead, I can take off my head
To recite Shakespearean quotations
No animal nor man can scream like I can
With the fury of my recitations

But who here would ever understand
That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin
Would tire of his crown, if they only understood
He'd give it all up if he only could

Oh, there's an empty place in my bones
That calls out for something unknown
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears

[daret]

Jack's lament really epitomizes the idea that you can have everything (fame, fortune) and still feel empty.

[nukacolanut]

“Jack...I know how you feel...”

Sally is literally one of the sweetest characters in any animated movie that I’ve ever seen. Such a doll!!! 😆😆😆

[brendonwertz]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Danny Elfman's work on this film? He wrote the music AND played the voice of Jack so well

[TheTJSparkes]

“Jack...I know how you feel...”

Sally is an angel 🤧

[Lore-mycs]

Now that I’m older, I can can actually hear and understand the lyrics. And it makes the song SO MUCH BETTER

[adoor]

Can we take a moment to appreciate the orchestra they are so amazing

[omnagia]

I love how he has one line about his empty tears before gently hugginh himself. I can only imagine him feeling so empty, a few tears rolling down his face as he lifts his legs onto his chair and curls into a ball. Not to mention he has to put on a smile for his townsfolk, and can't even THINK about letting them down, because it's not an option. It's not something he could even imagine, because it never crosses his mind he would or could let them down. He just does his effortlessly makes them happy. No wonder he feels so lonely. The big scary skeleton gentleman cries.

[alondrita]

The line:
"But who here would ever understand that the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin would tire off his crown? If they only understood, he'd give it all up if he could."
Gave me so many shivers. Being a ruler isn't all sparkles and riches, which really makes me feel so much pity for jack. Imagine not being able to step down, living the same thing EVER DAY for the rest of your eternal life.

[emalia]

I get shivers at 2:56 like ohmygod this is such an underrated song + scene in the movie. The designer part of my brain is crying when I watch this

[SmoothCriminal]

1:33 I played Jack in a school play once, when I had to sing this song, someone started crying after finishing this line. I'll never forget it.

[jeddicus]

This is probably my favorite song from this movie. So much emotion is packed into this song, and it sets up the whole movie so brilliantly. Im usually not a fan of musical movies, but this is one of, if not the best one ive ever seen

[valeriagarcia]

can we just take a moment to appreciate the uniqueness of the voices and how catchy the songs are ?

[mxgross]

0:32 I always loved Jack's ghost dog Zero. Who ever came up with the idea of a ghost dog with a red, shining nose was a genius.

[shaylachartrand]

“The fame and praise come year after year, does nothing for these empty tears.”
I get how you feel dude.

[legendofzeldafan-nkbv]

I love the part when jack sings a longing that I've never known. it's very sad, yes, but, still, I love that part.

[legendofzeldafan-nkbv]

I also like the part when he sings "and I grow so weary of the sound of screams".

[legendofzeldafan-nkbv]

this song is very sad, but beautiful.

[hmdrake]

Still one of the BEST Halloween movies.

[xtrullorgd]

Lyrics:
Jack: There are few who deny, at what I do am the best,
For my talents are renowned far and wide.
When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night,
I excel without ever even trying.
With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charm,
I have seen grown men give out a shriek!
With a wave of my hand and a well placed moan,
I have swept the very bravest off their feet!

Yet year after year, it's the same routine,
and I grow so weary of the sound of screams.
And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King
Have grown so tired of the same old thing.

Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones,
An emptiness began to grow.
There's something out there, far from my home
A longing that I've never known.

I'm a master of fright, and a demon of light
And I'll scare you right out of your pants!
To a guy in Kentucky, and Mr Unlucky
And I'm known throughout England and France
And since I am dead, I can take off my head
To recite Shakespearean quotations.
No animal nor man can scream like I can,
With the fury of my recitations.

But who here would ever understand,
The Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin
Would tire of his crown? If they only understood,
He would give it all up if he only could.

Oh, there's an empty place in my bones,
That calls out for something unknown.
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears.

Sally: (spoken) Jack, I know how you feel...

[huntercool]

This song really does explain that even if someone is extremely good at something and their talent for it is unmatched it doesn’t necessarily mean that it makes the person who is gifted with it happy. I myself have seen this before and people really do get tired with being praised for the same old thing over and over again.