"Despair, regret, and tenderness...

[infinity42]

Hello everyone. I have a question in regards to a song I heard recently.

Here is the quote:
"Despair, regret and tenderness is what I feel for you."

I wanted to ask the about use of "is" in that sentence. Would the "is" not be replaced with "are" because it lists more than one emotion?

If any of you can help, thank you so much for your time and cooperation.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes, you are right.

As we never stop saying, song lyrics should not be taken as examples of correct grammar.

 

[Tdol]

If the person is feeling them simultaneously and cannot divorce or separate them, then I think it is OK to see them as one thing, though using are is more logical. Songs are about feelings rather than mathematical logic, and songwriters rarely spend too much time worrying about what the grammar police would think. In addition to that, they are governed by sound and tune and often sacrifice grammar for the demands of the music.