If God Only Knew
Beth Hart Lyrics


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Ain't no words to say the way
I feel It's like a bad dream but it's real
It seems like only yesterday
We were talkin' in the most familiar way

Now everybody knows the way I am
They all see right through my show
I aimed so high now I'm so low
I'm all dressed up got nowhere to go

If God only knew how I loved that man
I would have died for you
I guess he'll never understand
I loved you right or wrong

It was you all along
Heaven knows
That it's true hard as it's been
I'd do it all over again

Say goodbye to dreamin'
It's only water in my hands
So when you see me walkin' down that street
Don't ignore me if I speak





'Cause I knew you better than anyone else
I loved ya more than you could ever know yourself

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Beth Hart's song If God Only Knew convey a sense of loss, regret, and unrequited love. The singer-referent in the song is struggling to come to terms with a broken relationship with someone she loved deeply but was unable to keep. The opening lines suggest that the singer is overwhelmed by the magnitude of her emotions and cannot find the words to express them adequately. She describes her current state as a "bad dream" that has now become a reality.


The singer-referent then goes on to reminisce about the past, where she and the object of her love would converse with ease and familiarity. However, she acknowledges that things have changed, and everyone around her can now see through her façade. She has failed to live up to her own expectations and goals and now finds herself aimless and lost.


The most poignant lines of the song come in the chorus, where the singer-referent acknowledges that her love for this man was so powerful that she would have died for him. However, it seems that this love was never fully reciprocated, with "him" never fully understanding or appreciating her. Despite this rejection, the singer-referent affirms that her love for him was true and that it is something she would do over again, even with the pain it caused her. The song's overall theme is one of loss and missed opportunities, and the listener is left with a unique insight into the complexity of human relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

Ain't no words to say the way I feel
There are no words to describe the emotions that I am experiencing right now.


It's like a bad dream but it's real
The situation I'm in feels like a nightmare, but unfortunately it's actually happening.


It seems like only yesterday We were talkin' in the most familiar way
It feels like it was just yesterday that we were having heart-to-heart conversations.


Now everybody knows the way I am
Everyone is aware of my true nature.


They all see right through my show
People can see that the persona I put on is not who I really am.


I aimed so high now I'm so low
I aspired for great things, but now I find myself at rock bottom.


I'm all dressed up got nowhere to go
I'm putting on a front, but there's no real destination to my 'act.'


If God only knew how I loved that man
I wish that God could understand the depth of my love for that man.


I would have died for you
I was willing to sacrifice everything for you.


I guess he'll never understand
Unfortunately, he will never comprehend the intensity of my feelings for him.


I loved you right or wrong
I loved you unconditionally, regardless of whatever mistakes you may have made.


It was you all along Heaven knows
You were the one I loved all along, and I know this is true on a deep level.


That it's true hard as it's been
It may have been a difficult journey, but my love for you never faltered.


I'd do it all over again
If I had to do it all over, I would still choose to love you the way that I have.


Say goodbye to dreamin'
It's time to give up on any hopes or dreams I had regarding you.


It's only water in my hands
The love I had for you has been lost and washed away, like water slipping through my fingertips.


So when you see me walkin' down that street
If you happen to see me strolling by,


Don't ignore me if I speak
Please acknowledge me if I attempt to speak to you.


'Cause I knew you better than anyone else
I had a keen understanding of who you truly were.


I loved ya more than you could ever know yourself
I loved you more than you were even aware that you deserved to be loved.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN STUART JAMES SAVIGAR, GREGG W. SUTTON, BETH HART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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