From the year 2001 to 2004, Cyrus starred in the television show Doc. The show was about a country doctor who moved from Montana to New York City. In late 2005, he also began to co-star in the Disney Channel series, Hannah Montana, with daughter Miley Cyrus. The show has been on the air for three seasons.
The I'm American Songfacts reports that Billy Ray Cyrus’ twelfth studio album, I'm American is a collection of patriotic songs. It was initially scheduled to be released in November 2010, but after being pushed back numerous times, it finally came out on June 28, 2011.
Without You
Billy Ray Cyrus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you were mine
And I was dying to be with you
Now you've gone away
And I'm in this place
But your memory hasn't moved
The shadow you cast just grows larger than life
How can the past cut two hearts like a knife?
[Chorus]
I can't walk away
But how can I stay?
Any way I step I lose
My back's to the wall
I stumble and fall
Trying to live my life without you.
You weren't a saint
So what are these chains
You hold on both of us
You give it your best
But you can't forget
And my love's not strong enough
To put out a fire that someone else lit
Or walk in the footprints that never will fit.
[Chorus: x2]
In his shoes
In his shoes
The lyrics to Billy Ray Cyrus's song Without You describe the struggle of a person who is trying to move on from a failed relationship. The person remembers the time before they were with their former partner and how they were desperate to be with them. However, now that their partner has gone away, they find themselves stuck in a place where they cannot escape the memories they shared together. The shadow of their former partner looms over their life and they are unable to let go of the past.
The chorus of the song captures the internal conflict the person faces - they cannot walk away from their past, but staying in it is equally difficult. They are caught in a limbo where any decision they make leads to a loss. They stumble and fall while trying to live their life without their former partner. The second verse of the song talks about the dysfunction in their relationship. The partner wasn't perfect, but the person finds themselves chained to the memories they shared. The song ends with a plea to step into the former partner's shoes and understand their perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember the time
Reflecting on the past when you weren't in a relationship with someone
Before you were mine
Before you became my significant other
And I was dying to be with you
You really wanted to be in a relationship with this person
Now you've gone away
The person has left you
And I'm in this place
You're still in the same situation you were before
But your memory hasn't moved
You can't forget about the person
The shadow you cast just grows larger than life
The longer you go without the person, the more impact they have on your life
How can the past cut two hearts like a knife?
The past hurts both parties involved
I can't walk away
You can't simply leave the situation
But how can I stay?
You also can't stay in the same situation that's making you unhappy
Any way I step I lose
No matter which decision you make, it'll lead to undesired results
My back's to the wall
You feel trapped with no way out
I stumble and fall
You're struggling to make the right decision
Trying to live my life without you.
You're attempting to move on from the relationship
You weren't a saint
The person you were in a relationship with had flaws
So what are these chains
Why are you still emotionally attached even though the situation wasn't perfect?
You hold on both of us
The situation affects both parties involved
You give it your best
You try your hardest to move on
But you can't forget
The person is unforgettable
And my love's not strong enough
Your love isn't enough to fix the situation
To put out a fire that someone else lit
You can't fix a problem that you didn't create
Or walk in the footprints that never will fit.
You can't force yourself to be someone you're not for the sake of the relationship
[Chorus: x2]
Repeating the chorus to emphasize the theme of the song
In his shoes
Putting yourself in the other person's position
In his shoes
Further emphasizing the idea of empathizing and understanding the other person
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jude Cole, Billy Cyrus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind