Just Like That
Bonnie Raitt Lyrics
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Finally stopped at mine
Took a while before he knocked
Like all he had was time
Excuse me, ma'am, maybe you can help
The directions weren't so clear
I'm looking for Olivia Zand
They said I might find her here
Well, I looked real hard and asked him
What she's got, he's looking for?
Said there's somethin' I think she'd want to know
And I let him in the door
It's not like me to trust so quick
Caught me by surprise
But somethin' about him gave me ease
Right there in his eyes
And just like that, your life can change
If I hadn't looked away
My boy might still be with me now
He'd be twenty-five today
No knife can carve away the stain
No drink can drown regret
They say Jesus brings you peace and grace
Well, he ain't found me yet
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na
Sat down and took a deeper breath
And looked right in my face
I heard about the son you lost
How you left without a trace
I've spent years just trying to find you
So I could finally let you know
It was your son's heart that saved me
And a life you gave us both
And just like that your life can change
Look what the angels send
I lay my head upon his chest
And I was with my boy again
Well, I spent so long in darkness
I never thought the night would end
But somehow, grace has found me
And I had to let him in
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na
In Bonnie Raitt's "Just Like That," the singer tells the story of a stranger who comes to her door looking for Olivia Zand, whom he believes he might find there. The stranger seems familiar and trustworthy, and the singer lets him in. After the stranger takes a deep breath, he reveals that he has been searching for the singer for years because she lost her son, and his heart was given to him in a transplant. The singer and the stranger then embrace and rejoice at this miraculous connection, and the song ends with a sense of redemption and hope.
The lyrics of "Just Like That" offer a meditation on the power of chance encounters and the ways in which they can shape our lives. The stranger who comes to the singer's door changes her life completely, bringing her in touch with her lost son and offering her a sense of closure and healing. Through these details, the song suggests that our lives are constantly in flux, and that we never know when someone or something might come along and alter our course forever.
Overall, "Just Like That" is a powerful and affecting song that offers a poignant reminder of how interconnected our lives truly are. By telling this story, Bonnie Raitt offers a message of hope and healing that speaks to the universal human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I watched him circle 'round the block
I observed him moving in circles around my house
Finally stopped at mine
He finally came to a halt at my front door
Took a while before he knocked
He waited for some time before he knocked on the door
Like all he had was time
He seemed to have no hurry or pressing matters to attend to
Excuse me, ma'am, maybe you can help
He politely asked for my assistance
The directions weren't so clear
He found the directions he had to be unclear and difficult to follow
I'm looking for Olivia Zand
He was searching for a person named Olivia Zand
They said I might find her here
He was informed that he could find her at my place
Well, I looked real hard and asked him
I made a keen effort to search and inquired with him
What she's got, he's looking for?
I was inquisitive and wanted to know what he was seeking from Olivia
Said there's somethin' I think she'd want to know
He stated that he had important information that he believed Olivia would want to be aware of
And I let him in the door
I allowed him to come inside my house
It's not like me to trust so quick
I am generally not someone who trusts others easily or quickly
Caught me by surprise
But I was surprised by how easily I trusted him
But somethin' about him gave me ease
There was something about him that made me feel comfortable and at ease
Right there in his eyes
Perhaps it was visible in his eyes
And just like that, your life can change
Life can change in an instant
If I hadn't looked away
If I had not looked away at that moment
My boy might still be with me now
My son might still be alive and with me today
He'd be twenty-five today
He would be twenty-five years old today
No knife can carve away the stain
No physical force or material object can completely erase the pain or sorrow
No drink can drown regret
Alcohol or other substances cannot suppress or remove the feeling of regret
They say Jesus brings you peace and grace
Many people believe that God can bring them inner peace and kindness
Well, he ain't found me yet
But I have not yet found that peace or kindness
Sat down and took a deeper breath
We sat down and I took a deep breath
And looked right in my face
He looked directly into my eyes
I heard about the son you lost
He was aware of the fact that I had lost a son
How you left without a trace
He knew that I had disappeared without leaving any clues or leads
I've spent years just trying to find you
He had spent years searching for me
So I could finally let you know
So that he could finally inform me of something important
It was your son's heart that saved me
He had received a heart transplant from my deceased son
And a life you gave us both
Thus, it was my son's heart that had given both him and me a new lease on life
Look what the angels send
It was a truly miraculous gift
I lay my head upon his chest
I rested my head on his chest
And I was with my boy again
And in that moment, I felt like I was with my son again
Well, I spent so long in darkness
I had been lost and hopeless for a long time
I never thought the night would end
I had lost all hope and thought that my suffering would never end
But somehow, grace has found me
But, miraculously, grace had found me
And I had to let him in
And I had to allow this man into my life
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bonnie Raitt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vermicious Knid
As a transplant physician, I find this beautiful song heart wrenching. The unimaginable pain of the donor families is too often forgotten. This song reminds us that with their sacrifice may come redemption and grace. By capturing all of this in a 5 minute song is art at its highest level.
VIDEO VONRO
Well said
Phylicia Olukoju
Exactly. It captures the pain, emotions and more. I'm crying just listening to it
Kel A
It must be so hard,you want your patients to survive and thrive, but know that comes with the loss of someone else. Look after yourself and thank you for every thing you do.
Linda Beard
As a woman whose husband was at the top of the list for a heart transplant but didn't get it, I feel the pain of this song. To EVERY family that gives life to another, through their pain, you are our heroes. I know how painful it is to lose the person you love, but you make it possible for another to get that second chance at life. Thank uou. Thank you. Thank you. Because of you, a mother sees her child grow up. A wife sees her husband live. A child will grow up with that parent who they almost lost. What a beautiful song. It made me cry and smile.
mb smith
My sister was a heart transplant recipient more than 30 years ago. And it took me almost 27 years years to get the courage to find her donor family. Without knowing it, they had become part of the fabric of our family and part of our lifeās story. But meeting her donorās sister, albeit only through letters, opened my soul and filled it with with grace and compassion. This song is a gift.
Fred S.
Dear Bonnie, a few years ago my wife and I watched you open for James Taylor in Baton Rouge. We were mesmerized by your performance and became instant fans. My 18 year old son died on November 1, 2022, and when he was on life support we learned that he was an organ donor. Shortly after his death, Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac passed and I started to listen to her music again. Rumors has always been one of my favorite records. I ran across the song āSongbirdā and cried as I listened to it imagining my son in heaven. The Monday after the Grammys, my wife told me that you performed āSongbirdā. I couldnāt believe it. I went online looking for your performance, and I saw the headline that you won song of the year. I downloaded, āJust Like Thatā, and I openly wept as I listened to the words. I think I cried for over an hour. It was as if you wrote the song just for me and my wife. Miraculously, the same evening, I opened a letter written by a 55 year old man letting us know that he was the recipient of my sonās heart, and that he wants to meet me and my family to thank us for giving him a second chance at life. āJust like that my life changed. Look what the angels sent. Grace knocked on our door, and we let him inā
Thank you Bonnie. I wish there was a way we could meet you in person to let you know how deeply moved we are by your song.
Penny Parkin
I'm crying reading this...thank you for sharing your story and your son's life with others...
Wang Zhe
I am crying when reading your story. May you be peaceful and Strong!
Marsha Gifford
Amazing.... miracles.