Born in Hope Valley, Rhode Island, with his parents Mr. & Mrs. William Gilman Jr., Gilman first received notice as a performer at age seven, attracting the attention of a local vocal coach, Angela Bacari, who later became his manager. Eventually he met with Ray Benson (of Asleep at the Wheel) who helped him record demos, including "Roly Poly". Two months later he was signed by Sony Music Nashville.
His 2000 debut album, One Voice, had a very widely-played single that crossed over well into top 40 airplay. The album reached multi-platinum status, and earned a Grammy nomination. Generally touted as a child prodigy, Gilman appeared on various talk shows. Classic Christmas (which was certified gold) was released later in the year.
He released Dare to Dream (certified gold) on Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Epic Records in 2001, and in 2003 released Music Through Heartsongs, an album inspired by the poetry of Mattie Stepanek. Later in 2003, he performed at a benefit for The Station nightclub fire. In May 2005, he released Everything and More, his first album since his voice changed.
Billy's latest album, self-titled, was released in September 2006 on the Image Entertainment label. The first single off the upcoming album, Southern Star, heralds a return to his country music roots. Billy is scheduled to begin working on his next album with Eddie Galan and Andrew Lane of Trilogy Productions.
Almost Love
Billy Gilman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get you girl?
I want to buy you
The whole wide world
All I got is a letter jacket
And a mood ring
Sometimes I see you
Standing in the hall
A thing at all
Deep inside I'm
Writing you poetry
Yes I am
I almost love you
I can almost feel your kiss
Almost promise my heart
But my promise is
More like a wish
Ooh, I don't know
What all this means
But girl, I can't get you
Out of my dreams
Every time that we get close
It's almost
Yesterday I saw you
On the hood of a car
With an older guy he
Was playing his guitar
You gave him your smile
I could have cried
But I just froze
Should I stand up to him?
Should I pick a fight?
Should I get you to run away
With me tonight?
I don't know how to get there
Or where we'd go
Don't you know
I almost love you
I can almost feel your kiss
Almost promise my heart
But my promise is
More like a wish
Ooh, I don't know
What all this means
But girl, I can't get you
Out of my dreams
Every time that we get close
It's almost
In love
It's almost
The right stuff
It's almost
The flight of a
Pure white dove
It's almost
True love
I almost love you
I can almost feel your kiss
Almost promise my heart
But my promise is
More like a wish
Ooh, I don't know
What this all means
But girl I can't get you
Out of my dreams
Every time that
We get close
It's almost
Love
It's almost
The right stuff
It's almost
The flight of a
Pure white dove
True love
It's almost
Oooh love
It's almost
The right stuff
It's almost
The flight of a
Pure white dove
It's almost
True love
Yeah
The song "Almost Love" by Billy Gilman tells the story of a boy who is infatuated with a girl and wants to give her the world, but all he has is a letter jacket and a mood ring. He sees her standing in the hall but can't seem to find the courage to speak to her, instead he writes her poetry. He almost loves her and can almost feel her kiss, but his promise is more like a wish. Every time they get close, it's almost love but never quite there.
The lyrics describe the dilemma and indecisiveness of young love. The boy is conflicted about whether or not he should confront the other guy who was playing the guitar with the girl, or if he should convince her to run away with him. The girl is seemingly out of reach, almost too perfect for him. He can't get her out of his dreams, but in reality, he can't seem to make a move. The use of "almost" throughout the song emphasizes the idea that the love is not yet complete, and leaves a space for the possibility of the young couple falling hopelessly in love in the future.
Overall, "Almost Love" is a relatable song for anyone who has ever experienced the ambiguity and uncertainty of young love.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I gonna
Get you girl?
I am trying to express my affection for you and wondering what I can do for you to show it.
I want to buy you
The whole wide world
I wish to provide you with everything you need or desire in life.
All I got is a letter jacket
And a mood ring
I do not have much in terms of material possessions to offer you.
Sometimes I see you
Standing in the hall
And I can't say
A thing at all
I get intimidated by your presence and struggle to express my feelings.
Deep inside I'm
Writing you poetry
Yes I am
I express my love for you through written words and poetry which comes straight from my heart.
I almost love you
I can almost feel your kiss
Almost promise my heart
But my promise is
More like a wish
Ooh, I don't know
What all this means
But girl, I can't get you
Out of my dreams
Every time that we get close
It's almost
I am drawn to the possibility of falling in love with you, dreaming of a future together, but I am unsure if it can turn into reality. Every time we get close, it feels like we're on the verge of love but it's not quite there yet.
Yesterday I saw you
On the hood of a car
With an older guy he
Was playing his guitar
You gave him your smile
I could have cried
But I just froze
I feel a sense of jealousy and sadness when I see you spending time with someone else, but I don't know how to react or express my emotions.
Should I stand up to him?
Should I pick a fight?
Should I get you to run away
With me tonight?
I am contemplating whether I should confront the other guy, fight for you or ask you to run away with me, but I am unsure of the consequences and how it would change our relationship.
I don't know how to get there
Or where we'd go
I am uncertain about our future and where our relationship might take us.
In love
It's almost
The right stuff
It's almost
The flight of a
Pure white dove
It's almost
True love
Love is a delicate emotion and requires the right elements and circumstances to flourish, almost like the perfect combination of the 'right stuff,' the pure and serene flight of a white dove, before it can turn into true love.
Oooh love
It's almost
The right stuff
It's almost
The flight of a
Pure white dove
It's almost
True love
The idea of love and finding the right person seems like a distant, almost unattainable concept, but it keeps me hopeful and longing for true love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOUGLAS, HUMMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind