May 2010 saw the release of her new album, Lifted of the Ground.
While I Was Waiting
Chely Wright Lyrics
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I was a little early, i had a little time
I sat up at the bar talking to a stranger
It seemed a safe thing to do
While i was waiting, while i was waiting for you
He said that i was pretty, then he turned back to his beer
And something about this stranger was subtle and sincere
And our one dance turned into two
While i was waiting, while i waiting for you
When you walked in the door
When you walked up to him
When you took my hand and said that you were cutting in
This stranger from Memphis was very polite
He said you sure do have a lovely wife
Wife, he thought i was your wife
Well that's what got me thinking, it's like someone slammed the door
You just want to girlfriend, i want so much more
You ask me what's the hurry? you say let's take our time
Well i say our time it just flew
While i was waiting, while i was waiting
For you to pop the question, for you to make your move
I turned into someone new
While i was waiting, while i was waiting for you
The song "While I Was Waiting" by Chely Wright is a story about a woman who is waiting for someone she loves, presumably a man, who hasn't yet proposed to her. As she waits, she meets a stranger at a bar and dances with him. The stranger proves to be a gentleman and compliments her. Later when her love interest arrives, the stranger assumes she is already married. The meeting with the stranger causes the woman to re-evaluate her feelings for her love interest and the status of their relationship. She realizes that she wants more than just a girlfriend and that she had changed while waiting.
The woman in the song begins by feeling comfortable talking to strangers while she's waiting for her love interest, who is running late. She is offered a compliment by a man from Memphis who, despite growing up in a city famous for blues music, did not care for that type of music. The two dance together while she is waiting, but she is eventually interrupted by her love interest, who cuts in. The stranger explains that he assumed she was married to the man, and this causes the woman to reevaluate her relationship with her love interest. The song ends with her singing that she changed while waiting for him- that she realized she doesn't want to be his girlfriend forever and that she wants more.
Line by Line Meaning
I fumbled with a napkin, i had a glass of wine
I was anxiously waiting for you while sipping my wine and trying to keep myself busy by fiddling with a napkin.
I was a little early, i had a little time
I arrived earlier than expected, giving me some extra time to kill.
I sat up at the bar talking to a stranger
I struck up a conversation with a person I didn't know at the bar to pass the time.
It seemed a safe thing to do
I felt comfortable talking to this stranger and didn't feel any sense of danger.
While i was waiting, while i was waiting for you
I was waiting patiently for your arrival.
He said that i was pretty, then he turned back to his beer
The stranger complimented me on my looks before going back to drinking his beer.
And something about this stranger was subtle and sincere
The stranger's demeanor was genuine and subtle in his approach.
He said he grew up in Memphis but he didn't like the blues
The stranger shared a bit about himself, mentioning he grew up in Memphis but wasn't a fan of blues music.
And our one dance turned into two
We ended up dancing together, and it turned into another dance.
When you walked in the door
Upon your arrival at the bar
When you walked up to him
When you approached me and the stranger I was talking to
When you took my hand and said that you were cutting in
You interrupted our dance and asked to cut in for a dance with me.
This stranger from Memphis was very polite
You noticed the gentleman I was dancing with was polite.
He said you sure do have a lovely wife
The stranger mistook me for your wife and complimented me while we were talking.
Wife, he thought i was your wife
The stranger believed that we were a married couple.
Well that's what got me thinking, it's like someone slammed the door
At that moment, something clicked in my mind and I had a sudden realization.
You just want a girlfriend, i want so much more
I understood that you were only interested in a casual relationship, while I wanted a more serious commitment.
You ask me what's the hurry? you say let's take our time
You questioned my urgency and suggested taking things slowly.
Well i say our time it just flew
But for me, time had flown by while waiting for you to commit to a serious relationship.
While i was waiting, while i was waiting
Throughout the time when I was eagerly waiting for your commitment.
For you to pop the question, for you to make your move
Since I was expecting a proposal or a more significant step towards a serious relationship from you.
I turned into someone new
During the waiting period, I had a change of heart and became a different person than who I was before.
While i was waiting, while i was waiting for you
Emphasizes that the whole song is an account of what happened while the singer was waiting for her partner's commitment.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GORDON BRADBERRY, GORDON FRANCIS BRADBERRY, ROXIE LEA DEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind