Biography
Prior to her music career, Tennison worked as a prison guard in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, in addition to performing in various Texas bands. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee and worked as a demo singer, eventually signing to Asylum Records in 1999. She recorded two albums on Asylum, both albums producing minor chart entries. In 2002, she moved to DreamWorks Records and recorded her Parading in the Rain album on that label. Although she has not recorded any albums since, she made an appearance on Leland Martin's 2006 single "Same Old Song and Dance" from his self-titled album.
What I Tell Myself
Chalee Tennison Lyrics
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He walked out of my life
Took every ounce of strength I had
Not to break right down and cry
Any other time I probably would
Oh, but there's no need for that
'Cause I'm sure he's not gone for good
Yeah, he's still comin' back
At least that's what I tell myself
To keep my heart from breakin'(well)
What else am I supposed to do
I can't bear to face the truth
I don't know where he is tonight
But I know when he turns out the lights
He won't be holdin' someone else
At least that's what I tell myself
I still remember our last kiss
And just how sweet it was
How he acted like he didn't care
Oh, but I know he still does
And right before he said goodbye
He took off his ring
Said, "I don't need this anymore"
Oh, but that don't mean a thing
At least that's what I tell myself
To keep my heart from breakin'(well)
What else am I supposed to do
I can't bear to face the truth
I don't know where he is tonight
But I know when he turns out the lights
He won't be holdin' someone else
At least that's what I tell myself
It's another sleepless night
Here in this lonely bed
I might not hold him anymore
But he don't love me any less
At least that's what I tell myself
To keep my heart from breakin'(well)
What else am I supposed to do
I can't bear to face the truth
I don't know where he is tonight
But I know when he turns out the lights
He won't be holdin' someone else
At least that's what I tell myself
The song "What I Tell Myself" by Chalee Tennison is a heart-wrenching tale of a woman struggling to come to terms with her lover leaving her. The opening line of the song, "Five months, three weeks, and two days ago he walked out of my life", sets the scene for the emotional turmoil the singer is experiencing. Despite knowing that he's not coming back, the woman is holding onto hope and desperately trying to convince herself that he's not gone for good. She tells herself that he'll come back, but the reality of the situation is that he's probably not.
The chorus of the song, "At least that's what I tell myself, to keep my heart from breaking", encapsulates the theme of the song. The woman is in denial, and the only thing keeping her going is the hope that he'll come back to her. She's finding it hard to face the truth of the situation, and the only way she knows how to cope is to hold onto this hope.
The second verse continues this theme, with the woman remembering the last kiss she shared with her lover. Despite his actions and words indicating that he was leaving for good, she clings onto the hope that he still cares for her. She tells herself that he won't be holding someone else and that he still loves her, even though the reality is he may have moved on.
Overall, "What I Tell Myself" is a poignant exploration of the conflicting emotions and thoughts that arise from heartbreak. The song captures the pain of loss and the struggle to come to terms with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Five months, three weeks, and two days ago
It's been roughly six months since he left.
He walked out of my life
He left and I haven't heard from him since.
Took every ounce of strength I had
It was really hard to keep it together.
Not to break right down and cry
I wanted to cry but didn't want to show any weakness.
Any other time I probably would
If this happened at any other time, I would have cried.
Oh, but there's no need for that
But I don't need to cry because I know he's coming back.
'Cause I'm sure he's not gone for good
I'm confident that he'll come back to me.
Yeah, he's still comin' back
I believe he will come back to me.
At least that's what I tell myself
This is the story I tell myself to make me feel better.
To keep my heart from breakin'(well)
I'm doing this to protect my heart from breaking.
What else am I supposed to do
I don't know what else to do.
I can't bear to face the truth
The truth is too painful to accept.
I don't know where he is tonight
I don't know where he is right now.
But I know when he turns out the lights
But I'm sure he's not with someone else.
He won't be holdin' someone else
I believe he still loves me and won't be with someone else.
I still remember our last kiss
I can't forget our last kiss.
And just how sweet it was
It was a very sweet moment.
How he acted like he didn't care
He acted like he didn't care when he left.
Oh, but I know he still does
But deep down, I know he still cares.
And right before he said goodbye
Just before he left me,
He took off his ring
He removed his wedding ring.
Said, "I don't need this anymore"
He said he didn't need the ring anymore.
Oh, but that don't mean a thing
But I don't think that it means he doesn't love me anymore.
It's another sleepless night
Another night where I'm unable to sleep.
Here in this lonely bed
Here, alone in my bed.
I might not hold him anymore
I can't hold him anymore.
But he don't love me any less
But I know he still loves me.
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENDAL MARVEL, NOAH ADRIAN GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind