McComas later attended college, but soon dropped out to move to Nashville, Tennessee. McComas briefly signed to Mercury Records, before he landed a deal with Lyric Street in 2001, charting the singles "Night Disappear With You" and "I Could Never Love You Enough". In 2003, he landed his first Top 10, "99.9% Sure (I've Never Been Here Before)" and the follow up "You're in My Head", a #21 hit on the country charts. Another single for Lyric Street, "The Middle of Nowhere", fell short of the Top 40, and Lyric Street dropped him not long afterward. He later signed to Katapult Records, where he released Back Up Again, his second album.
Back Up Again
Brian McComas Lyrics
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I guess I've always been
Cause I'll risk the chance of losin'
Just to have a chance to win
When I ran in to you
Turned out I lost a lot more
Than I knew I had to lose, yeah
You always wanted someone
I knew I couldn't be
Cause I learned long ago
It's hard enough just bein' me
So now you're out there runnin'
You've moved on in your mind
Forgot about the pain you left behind
It's been a long time
Yeah it's been a long, long time
You had me down for a while
Oh but I got back up again
Yes I did
I could tell you it was worth it
But that'd just be a lie
Cause you never gave enough of you
To make it worth the try
Now everything you told me
And all the plans we made
Are memories I'm just trying to chase away
Cause it's been a long time
Yeah it's been a long, long time
I had to get you off my mind
Yeah but I got back up again
I got back up again
So I picked up the pieces
Out here on my own
I learned to hold my bets till I know all the cards are shown
The clouds are finally clearin'
I think I see the sun
And I'm hopin' most of the hurtin's finally done, yeah
It's been a long time
Yeah it's been a long, long time
You had me down for a while
Yeah, but I got back up again
Yeah I got back up again
That's right
I got back up again
Yes I did
The lyrics of Brian McComas's song "Back Up Again" is about the struggle of moving on from a failed relationship. At the beginning of the song, the singer admits that he is a gambler; he takes risks to win but is also prepared to lose. He takes a chance with his ex-lover but ends up losing more than he thought he would. The odds were never in his favor, and the relationship didn't work out, but he keeps on persevering.
The chorus of the song highlights how it's been a long time since the singer went through his breakup, but he had finally managed to pick himself back up after being down for a while. The verses are about his journey of healing after the relationship ended. He admits that he wasn't the person his ex-lover wanted him to be, and that it's hard enough just being himself. He had to accept that the relationship wasn't worth it because he never received enough love from his ex-lover, and he is left with memories he's trying to move on from.
However, the singer had learned to pick up the pieces and move on. He had learned to hold his bets until all the cards were shown, which is a metaphor for not rushing into anything and evaluating things before making any decisions. He finds comfort in his journey of healing as the clouds begin to clear, and he starts to see the sun. The song's message is that even though relationships might end, one can always pick themselves up again and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
You might call me a gambler
I have always been one to take risks.
I guess I've always been
I'm naturally inclined to take chances.
Cause I'll risk the chance of losin', just to have a chance to win
I'll put myself on the line to see what I can gain.
And the odds were stacked against me when I ran in to you
I knew it was unlikely for us to work out, but I still tried anyway.
Turned out I lost a lot more than I knew I had to lose, yeah
I didn't realize how much it would hurt until it was over.
You always wanted someone I knew I couldn't be
I couldn't be the version of myself that you wanted me to be.
Cause I learned long ago, it's hard enough just bein' me
I realized a while ago that being myself is challenging enough.
So now you're out there runnin', you've moved on in your mind
You're over me and have moved on with your life.
Forgot about the pain you left behind
You're not thinking about the hurt you caused me.
It's been a long time, yeah it's been a long, long time
It's been a significant amount of time since we ended things.
You had me down for a while
I was hurting for some time after we broke up.
Oh but I got back up again, yes I did
But I was able to move on and get back on my feet.
I could tell you it was worth it, but that'd just be a lie
I can't say it was worth the heartache because it wasn't.
Cause you never gave enough of you to make it worth the try
You didn't put enough effort into our relationship for it to succeed.
Now everything you told me and all the plans we made are memories I'm just trying to chase away
I'm trying to forget all the hopes and dreams we had together.
So I picked up the pieces out here on my own
I had to move forward alone and rebuild myself.
I learned to hold my bets till I know all the cards are shown
I've learned to be patient and wait until I have all the information before taking action.
The clouds are finally clearin', I think I see the sun
Things are starting to look up for me, and I'm feeling optimistic.
And I'm hopin' most of the hurtin's finally done, yeah
I'm hoping that most of the pain is behind me now.
Yeah, but I got back up again, that's right
But I was able to overcome the pain and rise above it.
I got back up again, yes I did
I was able to move on and become stronger as a result.
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