Don Cornell was a popular Italian-American balladeer from the early 1940s (… Read Full Bio ↴Don Cornell was a popular Italian-American balladeer from the early 1940s (with the Sammy Kaye orchestra) to his last nationally-charted song in 1958, "Play Some Music For Broken Hearts", which appeared in the Cashbox magazine top 100. Along the way, million or near-million sellers included "I Came Here To Talk For Joe", "I'm Yours", "It Isn't Fair" and "Hold My Hand".

For All We Know
Don Cornell Lyrics

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For all we know
We may never meet again
Before we go
Make this moment live again
We won't say goodbye
Until the last minute
I'll hold out my hand
And my heart will be in it

For all we know
This might only be a dream
We come and we go
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Tomorrow was made for some
Oh, but tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know

Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Don Cornell's song "For All We Know" convey a message about seizing the moment and appreciating every opportunity that comes our way. The first stanza speaks of the uncertainty of life and the possibility that we may never get the chance to see someone again. The second stanza likens life to the ripples in a stream, indicating that it is transient and fleeting. The chorus urges the listener to embrace the present and love wholly and completely without hesitation because tomorrow may never come. The song ultimately encourages the audience to live in the present and cherish each moment as if it were their last.

The theme of "For All We Know" was particularly fitting for the time period in which it was released. The song was recorded in 1950, a time marked by post-war optimism and social change. The lyrics resonate with an audience who have just come through a period of great uncertainty and upheaval. The song became immensely popular and established Cornell as a prominent crooner of the time. It has since been covered by several other artists and used in movies, including the 1970 film titled "For All We Know".

Line by Line Meaning

For all we know
Despite not knowing what the future holds, we must cherish the present moment

We may never meet again
We should relish this moment as it may be the only time we have together

Before we go
Before we leave this moment behind and move on with our lives

Make this moment live again
We must make this moment memorable and unforgettable so it lives on in our memories

We won't say goodbye
We do not want to part ways just yet

Until the last minute
We will stay together until the very end

I'll hold out my hand
I will offer comfort and support until the end of this moment

And my heart will be in it
I am truly invested in making sure this moment is special

This might only be a dream
We may wake up and realize this moment was only temporary

We come and we go
People enter and exit our lives like ripples in a stream

Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
We leave an impression in people's lives, but eventually fade away like a ripple in a stream

So baby, love me, love me tonight
There's no time like the present to show your love and affection for someone

Tomorrow was made for some
Tomorrow may bring new opportunities for other people, but not for everyone

Oh, but tomorrow
Despite the uncertainty of tomorrow

But tomorrow may never, never come
We should not put off until tomorrow what we can do today, as tomorrow is never guaranteed

For all we know
We must live in the moment, as we do not know what the future holds

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: J Fred Coots, Samuel M Lewis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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