Crossroads
Don McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Nothing to remember
Nothing to forget
And I've got nothing to regret
But I'm all tied up on the inside
No one knows quite what I've got
And I know that on the outside
What I used to be, I'm not anymore
You know I've heard about people like me
But I never made the connection
They walk one road to set them free
And find they've gone the wrong direction
But there's no need for turning back
'Cause all roads lead to where I stand
And I believe I'll walk them all
No matter what I may have planned
Can you remember who I was?
Can you still feel it?
Can you find my pain?
Can you heal it?
Then lay your hands upon me now
And cast this darkness from my soul
You alone can light my way
You alone can make me whole once again
We've walked both sides of every street
Through all kinds of windy weather
But that was never our defeat
As long as we could walk together
So there's no need for turning back
'Cause all roads lead to where we stand
And I believe we'll walk them all
No matter what we may have planned
In Don McLean's song "Crossroads," the singer reflects on the emptiness the he feels inside and how he has nothing specific on his mind. He explains that he has no past regrets or memories to hold on to, but deep inside, he feels as though he is tied up mentally. The lyrics describe how the world views him differently from who he once was, indicating a change of character or a change of circumstances relevant to his life.
Towards the end of the first verse, the singer mentions people like him but has never made a connection with them. The following lines further elaborate that these people walk a path to set themselves free but end up going the wrong direction. While they may feel lost or uncertain, the singer believes that all roads lead to where he currently stands in his life. He will persistently walk them all, despite the plans he may have, to take him where he needs to be.
In the second verse, the singer becomes more personal, asking if someone remembers who he once was or if they can still feel his pain. He pleads for this person to "lay your hands upon me now and cast this darkness from my soul." The last few lines talk about how the singer and this person have walked different paths but have always managed to stay together. No matter what life has in store, the singer believes they will continue to walk every road.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got nothing on my mind
I am blank, I have no thoughts or ideas
Nothing to remember
I have no recollections of past events in my mind
Nothing to forget
I haven't gone through any terrible experiences that I need to forget
And I've got nothing to regret
I have no remorse or guilt for anything I may have done in the past
But I'm all tied up on the inside
Emotionally, I am disturbed, anxious and troubled within
No one knows quite what I've got
I am struggling with my own internal issues, which are not known to anyone else
And I know that on the outside
From others' perspective, It is perceived or assumed that I am fine and have no problems
What I used to be, I'm not anymore
I am no longer the same person I used to be due to changes in circumstances and myself
You know I've heard about people like me
I have heard of people who share similar experiences and emotions like me
But I never made the connection
I was unable to relate or establish a connection with them
They walk one road to set them free
Those people follow a path in life to seek liberation from their turmoil
And find they've gone the wrong direction
But they end up in a situation worse than before which leads them backwards rather than providing relief
But there's no need for turning back
There is no need to not continue moving ahead
'Cause all roads lead to where I stand
Every path in life has led me to this point in life with who I am today
And I believe I'll walk them all
I am willing to take every path in life, no matter the obstacles or consequences
No matter what I may have planned
I am open to life as it comes, without any preconceived notions of my future
Can you remember who I was?
Do you remember the person I used to be?
Can you still feel it?
Can you still sense the energy or essence of what I used to be?
Can you find my pain?
Are you able to observe the distress I am undergoing?
Can you heal it?
Are you capable of giving me the kind of healing and support I need?
Then lay your hands upon me now
If you are, please reach out and help me now.
And cast this darkness from my soul
Remove the negativity within me, that is filling my soul with obscurity
You alone can light my way
Only you can guide me, showing me a path towards enlightenment
You alone can make me whole once again
You can be the one who can help fix those broken pieces of my life
We've walked both sides of every street
Together, we have endured situations that have been both good and bad
Through all kinds of windy weather
We have sustained together through challenging situations
But that was never our defeat
We never gave up on each other despite those situations
As long as we could walk together
As long as we had each other, we were resilient
So there's no need for turning back
There's no point in looking back, but instead we must look forward
'Cause all roads lead to where we stand
As we traveled through our journey through life, we arrive at the present where we stand today
And I believe we'll walk them all
We will continue to walk every path life has to offer, no matter how hard it may be
No matter what we may have planned
We may not have it all figured out, but we will continue our travels through life with each other by our side.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Don McLean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
''Crossroads is written for the piano. the interesting thing is that there are so many biblical references - 'light my way' and the laying on of hands.''
Bob Brookens
An absolutely breathtaking song, in my experience. Don't listen to it once; listen again. ...and again.
Felix Javier
And again , and again and again, and again, and again ...
David Law UK 1
I saw Don in concert locally way back in the 70s. The memory finally inspired me to tackle this wonderful and inspiring song. It's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ZXfDe69X4 DL, Staffordshire, UK.
morgaffi
"There's no need for turning back, 'cause all roads lead to where I stand..."
How does a 25-year-old write a line like this that takes a lifetime to understand?
David Law UK 1
I saw Don in concert locally way back in the 70s. The memory finally inspired me to tackle this wonderful and inspiring song. It's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2ZXfDe69X4 DL, Staffordshire, UK.
Phil
Divine Inspiration.
Gordon Gardiner
Absolutely!
Edward Byrne
One of the most emotive songs I've ever heard. For me the way we evaluate our lives, looking back at the mistakes we've made that we cannot undo. It's told in almost a biblical style, we are our own judge of chances missed. I saw a documentary of the making of this album, Don was so full of himself, so confident he was about to make one of the greatest albums of his generation and he wasn't going to let outside influences ruin his creativity.
Michael Smith
Well, he was right.
TomMorran
This song is like clearly about Jesus lol. I'm not a devout Christian or anything, but this song is clearly about embracing God and Jesus and trusting in them for the path. I know he's like seemingly kind of iffy with it, but raised devoutly Catholic. Probably biblical reference in his song writing often.