Once Upon A Time
Beyond The Sea Lyrics
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A girl with moonlight in her eyes
Put her hand in mine
And said she loved me so
But, that was once upon a time
Very long ago
Once upon a time
Counting all the stars
And waiting for the dawn
But, that was once upon a time
Now the tree is gone
How the breeze ruffled through her hair?
How we always laughed
As though tomorrow wasn't there?
We were young
And didn't have a care
Where did it go?
Once upon a time
The world was sweeter than we knew
Everything was ours
How happy we were then
But somehow once upon a time
Never comes again
The song Once Upon A Time by Beyond The Sea is a bittersweet reflection on the ephemeral nature of life, love, and youth. The first two stanzas reminisce about a time when the singer was with a girl with "moonlight in her eyes" and how they used to sit together beneath a willow tree, counting stars and waiting for the dawn. The lyrics are a poignant reminder that time flies by quickly and that love and happiness are fleeting. The repetition of the nostalgic phrase "once upon a time" adds to the sense of wistfulness that permeates the song.
The third stanza reflects on the joy and innocence of youth. The singer remembers the way the breeze ruffled through the girl's hair, and how they would laugh as though tomorrow wasn't there. The carefree feeling of being young and in love is captured perfectly in this stanza. However, the last line of the stanza, "where did it go?", foreshadows the bittersweet ending of the song.
The final stanza flawlessly showcases the core theme of the song, that once upon a time never comes again. The world was sweeter then, and everything was theirs, but that happiness and love didn't last forever. The singer has now lost that girl with moonlight in her eyes, and all the memories he holds dear aren't enough to bring that time back to life. Hence, the song is a poignant reminder of how time flies by quickly, and how precious love and happiness are.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time
In the past, at a distant point in time.
A girl with moonlight in her eyes
A girl with bright and shining eyes who caught my attention and admiration.
Put her hand in mine
She expressed affection by holding my hand.
And said she loved me so
She verbally declared and demonstrated her love for me.
But, that was once upon a time
Those events occurred in the past and cannot be repeated now.
Very long ago
It was a distant memory that has aged and gone far away.
We sat beneath a willow tree
We enjoyed each other's company while sitting under a beautiful willow tree.
Counting all the stars
We took the time to enjoy the beautiful night sky and appreciate its vastness.
And waiting for the dawn
We anticipated the sunrise and the new day to come.
Now the tree is gone
The tree that we once sat under has either been cut down or has disappeared.
How the breeze ruffled through her hair?
The wind that flowed through her hair was beautiful and mesmerizing.
How we always laughed
We had many joyful moments where laughter filled the air.
As though tomorrow wasn't there?
We lived in the moment, without thinking of future responsibilities or worries.
We were young
We were in a period of youth where life was often carefree and full of possibility.
And didn't have a care
We were not burdened by adult responsibilities and concerns.
Where did it go?
The carefree period of time passed by quickly and is now lost in the past.
The world was sweeter than we knew
We were blind to the beauty of life around us as we did not fully appreciate it.
Everything was ours
We felt like everything in the world belonged to us and that everything was possible.
How happy we were then
In that moment in time we felt immense joy and happiness.
But somehow once upon a time
Even though those events happened in the past, they still have a significant impact on our lives today.
Never comes again
Despite our best efforts, we cannot recreate those exact experiences and moments again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Strouse, Lee Adams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind