Between 1994 and 2004, Murphy charted a total of thirteen singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, one of which (1995's "Dust on the Bottle") reached Number One. In addition, he has co-written singles for other country artists, including "Living in Fast Forward", a Number One single for Kenny Chesney in 2006.
Greatest Show On Earth
David Lee Murphy Lyrics
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I've watched her close her eyes
When she kissed me
And I've heard her moan so low
And I've felt her hold me tight
With all her soul inside
In ways a woman only knows
You won't see one like her
In this whole world
She's given me some memories
A lifetimes worth
If she didn't love me
You can take my word
She put on the greatest show on earth
Lookin' back I can't believe
I couldn't see she needed me
But like a fool I let it end
And it should have been so clear
When I wiped away those tears
There's just some things you can't pretend
You won't see one like her
In this whole world
She's given me some memories
A lifetimes worth
If she didn't love me
You can take my word
She put on the greatest show on earth
Maybe I just saved myself
The pain and all the heartache
Of bein' just another face in the crowd
She made it look so real lord
It came to her so easy
It's one thing that I'll never doubt
You won't see one like her
In this whole world
She's given me some memories
A lifetimes worth
If she didn't love me
You can take my word
She put on the greatest show on earth
David Lee Murphy's song "Greatest Show on Earth" is a reflection on a past relationship that the singer has ended. The lyrics suggest that the relationship was passionate and intense, as he describes how he watched her close her eyes when they kissed, felt her hold him tight and heard her moan. He also suggests that the memories that the relationship created were "a lifetime's worth," but ultimately the relationship was unsustainable as he "let it end" despite needing her.
The chorus of the song talks about how "You won't see one like her / In this whole world", and Murphy seems to regret ending the relationship as he acknowledges that "If she didn't love me / You can take my word / She put on the greatest show on earth". The metaphor of the "greatest show on earth" suggests that the relationship was full of drama and spectacle, but also hints at the idea that the relationship was not entirely genuine.
The final verse complicates the singer's emotions towards the relationship, suggesting that maybe it was for the best that it ended, as he has saved himself "the pain and all the heartache." However, the final line of the song returns to emphasizing the tremendous impact the relationship had on him by suggesting that it is "one thing that I'll never doubt."
Overall, David Lee Murphy's "Greatest Show on Earth" is a bittersweet reflection on a past relationship that created intense emotions and memories, but ultimately could not be sustained.
Line by Line Meaning
I've watched her close her eyes
When she kissed me
I have seen her shut her eyes while kissing me
And I've heard her moan so low
I have heard her make low sounds
And I've felt her hold me tight
With all her soul inside
I have experienced her embrace me firmly with her entire being
In ways a woman only knows
She has shown me affection in a way known only to a female
You won't see one like her
In this whole world
She is unique and cannot be found elsewhere in the world
She's given me some memories
A lifetimes worth
She has granted me a plethora of memories that would last me forever
If she didn't love me
You can take my word
If she did not adore me, believe me
She put on the greatest show on earth
She performed an incredible act
Lookin' back I can't believe
I couldn't see she needed me
In hindsight, I cannot understand why I did not notice that she required me
But like a fool I let it end
And it should have been so clear
I foolishly let our relationship finish despite it being evident that we should have stayed together
When I wiped away those tears
There's just some things you can't pretend
When I wiped her tears, I knew something this genuine couldn't be faked
Maybe I just saved myself
The pain and all the heartache
Perhaps I saved myself from suffering and heartbreak
Of bein' just another face in the crowd
Of becoming just one of many in a group of people
She made it look so real lord
It came to her so easy
She made it seem realistic and straightforward
It's one thing that I'll never doubt
It is one thing that I will never question
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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