Unlike most boy bands, they formed independently and were later picked up by a record label, rather than being assembled by a label or a producer. They have sold over 10 million records worldwide and achieved eight top 40 singles in the U.S.
The group reunited for a one-time performance at Mixtape Festival in Hershey, PA in August 2012.
If She Only Knew
98 Degrees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I knew but couldn't say
If she could just see
The part of me that I hid away
If I could just hold her in my arms again
And just say I love you
But she's gone away, maybe she'd stay
If she only knew
If she could just feel
What I feel here in my heart
She'd know it was real
Pure and true right from the start
But I'm just a man who didn't understand
What she was going through
But she's gone away, maybe she'd stay
If she only knew
And how, how did I let her get away
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause love, love is so easy to feel
But the hardest thing to say
If she could just see (see)
What I see when I close my eyes (close my eyes)
All that I dream (dream)
Surely she would realize
But like a fool I waited much too long
To let her know the truth
She's gone away, maybe she'd stay
If she only knew
Won't you tell me, tell me
How, how did I let her get away (tell me)
'Cause I guess that love
Love is so easy to feel
But the hardest thing to say
Say, say, say, say
If she only knew
What I knew but could not say
If she could just see
The part of me that I hid away
If I could just hold her in my arms again
And just say I love you, I love you
She's gone away, maybe she'd stay
If she only knew, if she only knew
Maybe she'd stay but she ran away
Why she had to go away
'Cause of what I didn't say
Don't know what to do
oh God how I wish that she knew
The lyrics of 98 Degrees' song "If She Only Knew" talks about unrequited love and the regret that comes with it. The singer is in love with a woman who does not know how he truly feels. He wishes he could tell her how he feels, but for some reason, he cannot bring himself to do so. The song is about missed opportunities and the pain of not being able to express one's feelings.
The singer is hoping that if the woman knew how he felt, she would feel the same way about him. He believes that if she knew he loved her, she would never have left him. He is filled with regret because he did not express his love for her before she left. He is haunted by the thought that he could have saved their relationship if only he had been more open about his feelings.
The lyrics show the struggle of a person who wants to express their love but can't. The song is relatable to anyone who has ever loved someone and felt unable to express their feelings. It is also a cautionary tale about the importance of not delaying in expressing how you feel about someone.
Line by Line Meaning
If she only knew
The singer wishes that the subject of the song knew the feelings they had for her.
What I knew but couldn't say
The singer had deep feelings for the subject but was unable to express them.
If she could just see
The singer wishes that the subject could see a part of them that was hidden.
The part of me that I hid away
The artist kept certain parts of themselves hidden from the subject and regrets doing so.
If I could just hold her in my arms again
The artist longs to be close to the subject.
And just say I love you
The singer wants to share their feelings of love with the subject.
But she's gone away, maybe she'd stay
The subject of the song is no longer present and the singer believes that if they had done things differently, the subject would still be with them.
If she could just feel
The artist wishes that the subject could feel the emotions that they are experiencing.
What I feel here in my heart
The artist has strong feelings of love that are centered in their heart.
She'd know it was real
The artist believes that if the subject could feel what they feel, they would understand the depth of their love.
Pure and true right from the start
The singer is emphasizing that their love for the subject has always been genuine and true.
But I'm just a man who didn't understand
The artist admits that they made mistakes in their relationship with the subject.
What she was going through
The singer did not fully understand the subject's experiences and emotions.
And how, how did I let her get away
The singer is reflecting on their previous actions and wondering how they let the subject leave.
Cause love, love is so easy to feel
The singer acknowledges that experiencing love is easy and natural.
But the hardest thing to say
The artist believes that expressing their love for the subject was the most difficult part of their experience.
If she could just see (see)
The artist is emphasizing their desire for the subject to understand their feelings.
What I see when I close my eyes (close my eyes)
The singer sees the subject in their mind's eye when they close their eyes.
All that I dream (dream)
The singer has dreams and hopes for their relationship with the subject.
Surely she would realize
The artist believes that the subject would understand their feelings if they could see what the artist sees.
But like a fool I waited much too long
The artist acknowledges that they waited too long to express their love for the subject.
To let her know the truth
The artist regrets not being honest with the subject about their feelings.
Won't you tell me, tell me
The singer is asking for an explanation or understanding of how they let the subject go.
Maybe she'd stay but she ran away
The artist believes that if they had acted differently, the subject would have stayed with them instead of leaving.
Why she had to go away
The singer is confused about why the subject left.
Cause of what I didn't say
The singer believes that their failure to express their love for the subject caused them to leave.
Don't know what to do
The singer is uncertain about how to move forward without the subject.
oh God how I wish that she knew
The artist is expressing a strong desire for the subject to understand their feelings and the depth of their love.
Contributed by Hailey P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.