Arlo Guthrie (born 10th July 1947, Brooklyn, New York ) is an American folk… Read Full Bio ↴Arlo Guthrie (born 10th July 1947, Brooklyn, New York ) is an American folk singer who is the son of folk singer and composer Woody Guthrie and his wife Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a one-time professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company and founder of The Committee to Combat Huntington's Disease. He graduated from the Stockbridge School of Massachusetts in 1965, and briefly attended Rocky Mountain College.

His most famous work is Alice's Restaurant, a talking blues song that lasts eighteen minutes and twenty seconds (in its original recorded version; Guthrie has been known to spin the story out to forty-five minutes in concert). The song, a bitingly satirical protest against the Vietnam War draft, is based on a true incident. In the song, Guthrie was called up for a draft examination, and rejected as unfit for military service as a result of a criminal record consisting in its entirety of a single arrest, court appearance, fine and clean-up order for littering. In reality, Guthrie, though a carrier of the genetically inherited disease Huntington's chorea, was classified as fit (1A); however, his draft-lottery number did not come up.

I'll Be With You Tonight
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics

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words and music by Arlo Guthrie

It's okay if you're all right
It's good to be here with you tonight
Dressed in moonlight and faded jeans
It ain't no mystery, all it means is
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight

We'll be all right if it's ok
I know I'm crazy but I'm naturally that way
And by the look in your liquid eyes
It won't come as any big suprise but
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight

Everybody's in their own little world
And I've been dreaming about you girl
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight

I'm here with you, you're here with me
Ain't it wonderful just how good it can be
I don't imagine it gets much better than this
But whatever it was it just got crossed off my list
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight
Can't believe I'll be with you tonight

Everybody's in their own little world

And I've been dreaming about you girl
I can't believe I'll be with you tonight

Overall Meaning

The song I’ll Be With You Tonight by Arlo Guthrie is a love song that is beautifully crafted with simple yet profound lyrics. The opening lines of the song express that it is okay if everything is not all right because the singer is just happy to be there with the person he loves. He emphasizes that he is happy to be with the person tonight and will cherish the moment. The lyrics “dressed in moonlight and faded jeans” highlights the simplicity and naturalness of the moment shared.

The second verse of the song expresses the singer's craziness and natural way of being. He expresses how the person looking into his eyes would not be surprised to hear him say he cannot believe he will be with them tonight. It shows that he is overwhelmed by the moment shared with the person he loves. The lyrics “liquid eyes” describes the deep emotional state that he shares with the person.

In the third verse, the singer emphasizes the joy of being with the person he loves. He highlights the beauty of the moment shared and the joy that it brings to both of them. The lyrics “whatever it was it just got crossed off my list” further emphasizes the importance of the moment as it crosses off something on his list. The song expresses love in a pure and natural way.

Line by Line Meaning

It's okay if you're all right
I don't mind if you're doing well

It's good to be here with you tonight
I'm happy to be spending time with you tonight

Dressed in moonlight and faded jeans
Wearing just casual clothes in the moonlight

It ain't no mystery, all it means is
It's not complicated, it just means

I can't believe I'll be with you tonight
I'm excited to be with you tonight and can't believe it's happening

We'll be all right if it's ok
We'll be fine if you're okay with it

I know I'm crazy but I'm naturally that way
I'm aware that I'm a bit crazy, but that's just who I am

And by the look in your liquid eyes
From the way you're looking at me with your deep, emotional eyes

It won't come as any big suprise but
It's not a shock to me, but

Everybody's in their own little world
Everyone is focused on their own life

And I've been dreaming about you, girl
And I've been daydreaming about you, girl