Time Was
Chuck Berry Lyrics


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Time was when we had fun on the school yard swings
When we exchanged graduation rings
One lovely yesterday.

Time was when we wrote love letters in the sand
Or lingered over our coffee and
Dreaming the time away.
Picnics and hay rides, mid-winter sleigh rides thay were all apart
Hikes in the country and there's more than one tree oh where I place my heart.

Darling, every tomorrow will be complete




If our tomorrows are half as sweet
As all our time was then.

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are a reflection on the good times of the past. The singer is reminiscing about the enjoyable experiences they shared with someone special, likely a former lover or close friend. They recall a time when they had simple pleasures, such as swinging on a school yard swing and exchanging graduation rings. These fond memories are contrasted with the present, where they seem to have lost touch with the person and the carefree experiences they once shared.


The lyrics go on to describe other happy memories, such as writing love letters in the sand and daydreaming over coffee. These were moments where time seemed to stand still and nothing else mattered. The singer longs to return to these moments, to relive those carefree days of youth.


The lyrics suggest that the good times of the past could be replicated in the present or future. The singer believes that every tomorrow could be just as sweet, as long as they share it with the person they once had those happy experiences with. The song concludes by romanticizing the past but also expressing hope for the future.


Line by Line Meaning

Time was when we had fun on the school yard swings
There was a time when we'd have fun on the swings in the school yard


When we exchanged graduation rings
We exchanged graduation rings at some point during that time


One lovely yesterday.
It was a lovely yesterday filled with happy memories


Time was when we wrote love letters in the sand
There was a time when we would write love letters in the sand


Or lingered over our coffee and
We used to linger over our coffee while we talked


Dreaming the time away.
We would dream of what our future would bring during those moments


Picnics and hay rides, mid-winter sleigh rides thay were all apart
We enjoyed doing things like having picnics, going on hay rides, and even some mid-winter sleigh rides


Hikes in the country and there's more than one tree oh where I place my heart.
We also liked going for hikes in the countryside and there was even more than one tree that held a special place in our hearts


Darling, every tomorrow will be complete
My love, each and every tomorrow will be complete


If our tomorrows are half as sweet
If our future is at least half as sweet as our past


As all our time was then.
As those happy times of our past were




Contributed by Julian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Jack


on Little Marie (Alternate)

Yes, oh yes, Long Distance, I'll accept the charge, I'll pay
Which love one is calling me, I did not hear you say.
Both are deep within my hearth, her Mom and my Marie

It so good to hear your voice from Memphis, Tennessee

Oh, you mean so much to me, more than you'll ever know,
Surely, you have not forgot how much I love you so
If you would remember, Dear, and sometimes talk to me
Maybe that would reunite our home in Tennessee.

Last time I saw you, just before I had to leave
You did not want to see me off and promised not to grieve,
My hearth was tore apart as I looked back at my Marie
And there the peace is still remain with you in Tennessee.

I guess I should stop talking, after all you placed the call
But anyway that I can help, you know I'll help you all


Then she spoke and asked me to come back and see Marie
And live together in our home in Memphis, Tennessee.

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