Georgia On My Mind
Bee Spears; Bobbie Nelson; Booker T. Jones; Chris Ethridge; Jody Payne; Mickey Raphael; Paul English Lyrics
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And what did it do
I just kept right on goin'
Until it got right to you
Can't trust it one minute
It's worst than a child
This old face without conscience
And it's driving me wild
I try to keep my mind busy
With thoughts of today but
In terrible memories
Seem to lure it away
My lonely heart wonders
If there'll ever come a day
When I can be happy
But I can't see no way
Cause I let my mind wander
The song "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles was released in 1960 and has since become a classic in American popular music. The lyrics describe the singer's struggle to control his mind, which keeps wandering back to memories of a past love. The opening lines suggest the mind as an uncontrollable force, leading the singer towards the object of his affection: "I let my mind wander/And what did it do/I just kept right on goin'/Until it got right to you." The metaphor of the mind as a child further emphasizes the singer's struggles with conscious thought.
Throughout the song, the singer tries to distract himself from thoughts of his past love by focusing on the present, but memories of his past continue to haunt him. He expresses his longing for happiness but is unable to see a way out of his current state: "My lonely heart wonders/If there'll ever come a day/When I can be happy/But I can't see no way." The song is a poignant expression of the pain of lost love and the difficulty of moving on from it.
Line by Line Meaning
I let my mind wander
I allow my thoughts to wander aimlessly without any control or direction.
And what did it do
My mind started to drift and think about various things.
I just kept right on goin'
I continued to let my mind wander without stopping it.
Until it got right to you
Eventually, my thoughts led me to think about you.
Can't trust it one minute
My mind is unreliable and difficult to trust because it changes quickly and constantly.
It's worst than a child
My mind is more unpredictable and challenging to control than a child's behavior.
This old face without conscience
My mind is not guided by morals or principles, creating an emptiness that is difficult to fill.
And it's driving me wild
My uncontrolled thoughts are overwhelming, causing immense stress and anxiety.
When I let my mind wander
Each time I allow my mind to drift aimlessly, I lose control over my thoughts and emotions, leading to a lack of focus or direction.
I try to keep my mind busy
I attempt to occupy my thoughts throughout the day to prevent them from wandering aimlessly.
With thoughts of today but
I focus on current events or important topics to stay engaged in the present.
In terrible memories
Despite my attempts to stay present, my mind is constantly plagued by painful memories of the past.
Seem to lure it away
These negative memories attract my thoughts and shift my focus from the present to the past.
My lonely heart wonders
I feel incredibly lonely and long for happiness, but I am unsure if it will ever come.
If there'll ever come a day
I question whether there will ever be a time where I can find happiness and inner peace.
When I can be happy
I hope for a day where my mind is not plagued by negative thoughts, and I can experience genuine happiness.
But I can't see no way
However, I cannot envision a path to achieving this because my thoughts are so difficult to control.
Cause I let my mind wander
The root cause of my unhappiness and lack of inner peace is my inability to control my wandering mind.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLIE NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind