Maybe It Was Memphis
Pam Tillis Lyrics
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Katydid sing like a symphony
Porch swing swayin' like a Tennessee lullaby
Melody blowing through the willow tree
What was I supposed to do
Standing there lookin' at you
A lonely boy far from home
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Southern summer nights
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Read about you in a Faulkner novel
Met you once in a Williams play
Heard about you in a country love song
Summer night beauty took my breath away
What was I supposed to do
Standing there lookin' at you
A lonely boy far from home
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Southern summer nights
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Maybe it was Memphis (Memphis)
Maybe it was Southern summer nights (Southern summer nights)
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Every night now since I've been back home
Lie awake drifting in my memory
Think about you on your mama's front porch swing
Talking that way so soft to me
What was I supposed to do
Standing there lookin' at you
A lonely boy far from home
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Southern summer nights
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Maybe it was Memphis (Memphis)
Maybe it was Southern summer nights (Southern summer nights)
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
Oh, you know it sure felt right
Oh, maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
But it sure felt right
The song "Maybe It Was Memphis" by Pam Tillis is a beautiful love song that reflects on a moment of tenderness shared between two people in a Southern summer night. The melody and lyrics transport the listener to a misty moonlit setting, where the chirping of katydids and the swaying of a porch swing together create sweet music. Tillis reflects on meeting someone far from home and feeling lost - questioning what she was supposed to do in that moment. However, in the midst of the confusion, something felt right. The song goes on to suggest that maybe it was Memphis, Southern summer nights, or perhaps simply the person she was with that made her feel so at peace.
The lyrics also reference notable figures of Southern literature and theater, including William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams. This reinforces the idea that the setting of the encounter that Tillis sings about is a quintessentially "Southern" one - characterized by an abundance of literature, music, and the allure of fleeting moments between people who know they may never meet again.
Line by Line Meaning
Lookin' at you through a misty moonlight
Observing you through a hazy moonlight
Katydid sing like a symphony
The sound of the katydid resembled that of a symphony
Porch swing swayin' like a Tennessee lullaby
A reference to the gentle and calming sound of the porch swing moving back and forth
Melody blowing through the willow tree
The wind carried a soothing melody through the willow tree
What was I supposed to do
Standing there lookin' at you
A lonely boy far from home
He was unsure of what to do when he first saw her, feeling lonely and far from home
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Southern summer nights
Maybe it was you, maybe it was me
But it sure felt right
He's unsure of what exactly it was that made him feel so right, but it could have been the city of Memphis, the warm Southern summer nights, or their connection together
Read about you in a Faulkner novel
Met you once in a Williams play
Heard about you in a country love song
Summer night beauty took my breath away
He's saying that he's encountered her in many different forms of art and media, but seeing her in person on a beautiful summer night left him breathless
Every night now since I've been back home
Lie awake drifting in my memory
Think about you on your mama's front porch swing
Talking that way so soft to me
Now that he's back home, he can't stop thinking about her and their conversation on the porch swing
Oh, you know it sure felt right
Oh, maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
Maybe it was Memphis
But it sure felt right
Repeating the chorus again as a final sentiment, still uncertain of exactly what made him feel so right, but confident that it was a combination of the setting and their connection together
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ximresal
Hello, operator? Where can I get a ticket back to the 90s?
@bradshore4893
Jusus. I wish I could go back
@mikeb.2925
Do they even have operators anymore? We're too old!
@notgonnatellyou8559
Grab one for me while you're at it, would you?
@brianjoseph3708
grim reaper " booth three good luck"
@jhofer1013
90s country music rocks
@MissBoagJunior89
One of the most underrated ladies on the planet.
@arapahosundancer
Got that right jack
@lindamorris1070
I totally agree
@JDoomhauer87
I rate her 10 for 10