All the Time
Barry Manilow (Karaoke) Lyrics

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All the time I thought
There's only me
Crazy in a way
That no one else could be
I would have given everything I own
If someone would have said "you're not alone"

All the time I thought that I was wrong

Wanting to believe but needing to belong
If I'd've just believed in all I had
If someone would have said "you're not so bad"

All the time, all the wasted time
All the years waiting for a sign
To think I had it all
All the time

All the time I thought
There's only me
Crazy in a way
That no one else could be
I can't believe that you were somewhere, too
Thinking all the time there's only you

All the time, all the wasted time
All the years waiting for a sign

To think I had it all
All the time

Overall Meaning

In this song, 'All The Time' by Barry Manilow, the singer reflects on a feeling of isolation and loneliness despite being surrounded by people. He feels like he is the only one with his thoughts and feelings, and that no one else could possibly understand him. He longs for someone to come and tell him that he's not alone, that he is not the only one who feels this way. He is willing to give up everything he owns just for the reassurance that he is not the only one.

However, as the song progresses, the singer realizes that he is not the only one after all. He comes to the revelation that there are others who feel the same way he does, who have the same struggles and fears. He can't believe that he was so lost in his own thoughts that he never realized that there were others who felt this way too. The song ends on a bittersweet note of regret for all the time wasted feeling alone, and a newfound sense of connection to others who share his struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

All the time I thought
I used to believe

There's only me
No one feels the way I do

Crazy in a way
I am delusional in my thoughts

That no one else could be
This is a unique problem that only I have

I would have given everything I own
I would have sacrificed anything

If someone would have said "you're not alone"
If someone would have reassured me, it would have made a big difference

All the time I thought that I was wrong
I used to doubt myself

Wanting to believe but needing to belong
I tried to convince myself to fit in with others

If I'd've just believed in all I had
If I had confidence in myself

If someone would have said "you're not so bad"
If someone would have reassured me of my abilities

All the time, all the wasted time
I spent so much time on this issue