William J. Gaither (born March 28, 1936) is an American singer and songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴William J. Gaither (born March 28, 1936) is an American singer and songwriter of southern gospel and Contemporary Christian music. He has written numerous popular Christian songs with his wife, Gloria. Besides performing solo and with his wife, Gaither has appeared as part of the Bill Gaither Trio, the Gaither Vocal Band, and as a part of his "Homecoming" groups.

Gloria Gaither (b. March 4, 1942) is a songwriter for gospel music, along with her husband, Bill Gaither. She also sang in the Bill Gaither Trio, one of the most influential groups in recent Christian music.

I Couldn't Begin to Tell You
Bill & Gloria Gaither Lyrics

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I can't begin to tell you
How much you mean to me.
My world would end
If ever we were through.

I can't begin to tell you
How happy I would be
If I could speak my mind

Like others do.

I make such pretty speeches
Whenever we're apart.
But when you're near
The words I choose
Refuse to leave my heart.

So take the sweetest phrases
The world has ever known
And make believe
I've said them all to you.

I make such pretty speeches
Whenever we're apart.
But when you're near
The words I choose
Refuse to leave my heart.

So take the sweetest phrases
The world has ever known.

And make believe
I've said them all to you.

Overall Meaning

Bill & Gloria Gaither's song "I Couldn't Begin to Tell You" is a love song that expresses the difficulty in finding the right words to express one's feelings for someone. The song begins with the singer expressing how much the person they love means to them, going as far as to say "My world would end if ever we were through". However, they struggle to find the right words to express their happiness and admiration for the person they love.

The singer acknowledges their own inability to express their feelings, admitting that they make "pretty speeches" when they are away from the person, but struggle to find the right words when they are together. The song ends with the singer urging their loved one to take the "sweetest phrases the world has ever known" and to believe that they have said them all to them.

Overall, this song showcases the common struggle of finding the right words to express love and admiration for someone. It's a heartfelt ballad that resonates with anyone who has ever struggled to find the right words to express their true feelings towards someone.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't begin to tell you
It's difficult for me to express in words

How much you mean to me.
The extent of my feelings for you is immeasurable

My world would end
My life would lose its meaning

If ever we were through.
If we were to separate

How happy I would be
I would feel overjoyed

If I could speak my mind
If I could truly express my feelings

Like others do.
In the same way that others can

I make such pretty speeches
I can say beautiful things

Whenever we're apart.
When we're not together

But when you're near
However, when I'm with you

The words I choose
The things I want to say