Once Upon A Time
Cheryl Dilcher Lyrics
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And leave tomorrow morn
Take the pictures off the wall
California's warm
You know this town is beautiful
But I've been here much too long
Don't know why I'm hangin round
Guess that I've been dreamin
This town is just too small
And there's not that much to do
I just entertain myself by singin songs of you
I've been missin someone that I've never really had
Got to pick the pieces up, stop all this pretendin
Once upon a time I thought we made it
Once upon a time I thought you cared
Oh how I believed that you were mine
But that was once upon a time
Silence can be louder than
Your simple nursery rhymes
Can't sing under water
Can't stop the hands of time
Yesterday was today's tomorrow in disguise
And I can't stop you from changin
Guess that I'll be leavin
Once upon a time I thought we made it
Once upon a time I thought you cared
Oh how I believed that you were mine
But that was once upon a time
In Cheryl Dilcher's song "Once Upon A Time," the singer is contemplating leaving her current town behind and starting a new life in California. She feels like she's been in this town for too long and there's not much to do. She entertains herself by singing songs about someone she misses, someone she's never really had. The singer reminisces about a time when she thought they made it and believed that he cared, but now she realizes that was just once upon a time. The silence between them is louder than the nursery rhymes, and she can't stop him from changing. So she's decided to move on and pick up the pieces.
The lyrics of the song depict the emotions of longing and disappointment in a relationship, which are relatable to so many people. The singer is uncertain of her future and wants to leave behind a life that is not fulfilling anymore. She knows that change is inevitable and has to accept it.
The lines, "Yesterday was today's tomorrow in disguise," suggest that the past memories of happiness and hope can sometimes deceive us. Even though everything might seem perfect at one point, it can all fall apart the next. The chorus emphasizes the idea that things change, and once upon a time, what was true can become untrue.
Line by Line Meaning
Think I'll go and pack my bags
I am planning to leave this place.
And leave tomorrow morn
I will be leaving this place in the morning.
Take the pictures off the wall
I am getting ready to move out of this place.
California's warm
I am heading to a warmer place - California.
You know this town is beautiful
I acknowledge that this town is beautiful.
But I've been here much too long
I have been living in this town for a long time, and it is time to leave.
Don't know why I'm hangin round
I am not sure why I am still staying in this town.
Guess that I've been dreamin
I have been dreaming of a better life somewhere else.
This town is just too small
This town is too small for me, and there is not much to do here.
And there's not that much to do
I am finding it difficult to keep myself occupied in this town.
I just entertain myself by singin songs of you
I pass my time by singing songs about someone I miss, who I have never really had.
I've been missin someone that I've never really had
I have been longing for someone who has never been mine.
Got to pick the pieces up, stop all this pretendin
I need to move on from this unrequited love and stop pretending that it will work out.
Once upon a time I thought we made it
There was a time when I believed we had something special.
Once upon a time I thought you cared
I used to believe that you cared for me.
Oh how I believed that you were mine
I used to believe that we had a relationship.
But that was once upon a time
However, that was all in the past.
Silence can be louder than
The silence between us is more powerful than
Your simple nursery rhymes
The simple words you said to me.
Can't sing under water
I cannot sing when I am drowning in my own sadness.
Can't stop the hands of time
I cannot turn back time and change what has happened.
Yesterday was today's tomorrow in disguise
The future I thought I had with you turned out to be a false hope.
And I can't stop you from changin
I cannot stop you from changing your mind about me.
Guess that I'll be leavin
I have decided to leave and move on from this situation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, LEIGH HARLINE, NED WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rachel Payne
So many memories. She wrote some beautiful yet gritty songs. RIP Cheryl