May 2010 saw the release of her new album, Lifted of the Ground.
Tomorrow Is a Long Time
Chely Wright Lyrics
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If tonight was not a crooked trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart a-softly poundin'
Only if she was lyin' by me
I can't see my reflection in the water
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I can't remember the sounds of my own name
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear her heart a-softly poundin'
Only if she was lyin' by me
Would I lie in my bed once again
There's beauty in that silver, singin' river
There's beauty in that rainbow in the sky
But none of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
Yes and only if my own true love was waitin'
If I could hear her heart a-softly poundin'
Only if she was lyin' by me
Would I lie in my bed once again
Would I lie in my bed once again
"Tomorrow Is a Long Time" is a poignant and introspective song by country artist Chely Wright. The lyrics express a sense of longing and yearning for a lost love. The opening lines set the tone, suggesting that the present moment feels endless and uncertain, like an "endless highway" and "crooked trail." The idea of time being stretched out is further emphasized in the next line, with the sentiment that tomorrow seems like a long time away.
The chorus reflects the emotional weight of the singer's situation. It conveys the idea that if the singer's true love was with them, loneliness and longing would hold no meaning. Their happiness and sense of completion would come from being reunited with their beloved. The desire for the presence and closeness of their true love is reiterated in the second verse, with imagery of hearing the beloved's heartbeat and lying together in bed.
The third verse adds to the introspective and melancholic atmosphere of the song. The singer feels disconnected from themselves, unable to see their reflection, speak, hear their own footsteps, or even remember their own name. This conveys the depth of their emotional emptiness and the profound impact of their separation from their true love.
The final lines of the song bring a contrast between external beauty and the beauty the singer remembers in their true love's eyes. The beauty found in nature, like a silver river or a rainbow, pales in comparison to the beauty they experienced when looking into their beloved's eyes. It emphasizes the significance and irreplaceability of their lost love.
Overall, "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" is a heartfelt reflection on the absence of love and the deep yearning for connection and wholeness. It captures the longing and emotional turmoil of a person who feels incomplete without their true love.
Line by Line Meaning
If today was not an endless highway
If today wasn't filled with uncertainty and emptiness
If tonight was not a crooked trail
If tonight didn't feel like a journey filled with obstacles and confusion
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
If the future didn't seem so distant and uncertain
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all
Feeling lonely and isolated would have no significance or impact on you
Yes and only if my own true love was waiting
Only if the person I truly love was there, patiently expecting me
If I could hear her heart a-softly poundin'
If I could listen to the gentle rhythm of her heartbeat
Only if she was lyin' by me
Only if she was lying beside me, close and intimate
Would I lie in my bed once again
Would I find solace and comfort in my own bed once more
I can't see my reflection in the water
I am unable to perceive my own reflection in the water, unable to understand myself
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I am unable to express my emotions, especially those that mask my pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I am unable to hear the reverberation of my own presence, my own existence
I can't remember the sounds of my own name
I am unable to recall the familiarity and significance of my own identity
There's beauty in that silver, singin' river
There is a captivating and enchanting quality in that shimmering river, as it sings its gentle song
There's beauty in that rainbow in the sky
There is a remarkable beauty in that rainbow, stretching across the sky
But none of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
However, none of these things, nor anything else, can compare or match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
That I remember vividly in the eyes of the person I truly love
Yes and only if my own true love was waitin'
Only if my beloved was patiently waiting for me
If I could hear her heart a-softly poundin'
If I could perceive the gentle heartbeat of my beloved
Only if she was lyin' by me
Only if she was lying close to me, by my side
Would I lie in my bed once again
Would I finally find solace and comfort, being able to rest in my own bed once more
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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