Thinking Of You
Bill Fox Lyrics
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It gets me pondering of a thousand many things
Gets me longing for ocean wings
'Til I'm thinking only of you
The singer stares out at the crowd
Without restraint, she speaks out loud
That it's over 'tween herself and the man at the keys
Indie-record associates walk
Finding others with whom they can talk
To discuss the elements in the music that they here
While I'm thinking of you
Do I wanna do a 7-inch?
Somebody asks me from the deacon's bench
And I tell him - pick any track, man, you know that it's yours
But I'm thinking of you
I really love to hear her sing
Next year she'll be selling rings and plastic jewlery
Like she did a year ago
But I'm thinking of you
Thinking only of you
The lyrics of Bill Fox's song, "Thinking of You," capture the thoughts and emotions that the singer experiences while listening to the voice of the woman he loves. The opening verse reveals that her singing creates a swirling vortex of thoughts within him. The imagery of "pondering of a thousand many things" implies that the voice is evocative and full of meaning for the singer. He is filled with yearning for the freedom and boundlessness of the ocean ("ocean wings"), but the object of his longing is not the ocean itself, it is the woman whose voice he hears.
The next verse provides a glimpse into the context of the performance, as the singer observes the woman on stage breaking up with someone who may have been accompanying her on the piano. Even though the singer is physically present at the show and surrounded by other indie-music industry types, he is entirely focused on his own thoughts about the woman. The juxtaposition of the other attendees chatting away about the music with the solitary, obsessive thought patterns of the singer creates a sense of loneliness and isolation.
The final verse adds a wistful note to the song, as the singer reflects on how the woman's life trajectory will soon take her away from music and into the selling of trinkets. It is as though the world is full of distractions that pull the singer away from his idealized vision of the woman, but he is steadfastly determined to maintain his focus on her even as she moves on. The haunting refrain of "thinking only of you" reinforces the feeling of isolation that the song generates, while allowing the listener to feel the intensity of the singer's passion.
Line by Line Meaning
I really love it when she sings
The singer's voice brings me immense joy
It gets me pondering of a thousand many things
The music provokes deep reflection within me
Gets me longing for ocean wings
Listening to the music makes me yearn for adventure
'Til I'm thinking only of you
My thoughts become consumed with thoughts of you
The singer stares out at the crowd
The performer gazes out into the audience
Without restraint, she speaks out loud
The performer fearlessly shares her thoughts with the audience
That it's over 'tween herself and the man at the keys
The performer announces that her romantic relationship with the piano player has ended
And I'm thinking of you
My focus remains on thoughts of you
Indie-record associates walk
People in the independent music industry stroll about
Finding others with whom they can talk
Industry insiders seek out peers to chat with
To discuss the elements in the music that they here
They analyze and converse about the musical components they hear
While I'm thinking of you
Meanwhile, my mind is still preoccupied with thoughts of you
Do I wanna do a 7-inch?
I consider whether I want to release a certain type of vinyl record
Somebody asks me from the deacon's bench
Someone inquires about the record from their seat in the religious sanctuary
And I tell him - pick any track, man, you know that it's yours
I respond that he has free choice of whichever track he prefers
But I'm thinking of you
My thoughts remain consumed with thoughts of you
I really love to hear her sing
The singer's voice brings me immense joy (repeated from earlier in the song)
Next year she'll be selling rings and plastic jewelry
The performer will begin selling costume jewelry as a career next year
Like she did a year ago
This mirrors her previous career shift last year
But I'm thinking of you
My thoughts persistently revolve around thoughts of you
Thinking only of you
I am consumed solely by thoughts of you
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Quinn Myers
strong "You Ain't Going Nowhere" vibes
Sergej Lovrekovic
<3 thank you
Doug Duncan
Greatest American songwriter? Maybe...