'Til I Make It On My Own
Dottie West Lyrics


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I'll need time to get you off my mind
I may sometimes bother you, try to be in touch with you
Even ask too much of you, from time to time
Now and then, Lord, you know I'll need a friend
And 'till I get used to losing you, let me keep on using you,
'Til I can make it on my own

I'll get by, but no matter how I try
There'll be times that you'll know I'll call
Chances are my tears will fall
And I'll have no pride at all, from time to time
But they say, oh, there'll be a brighter day
But 'til then I lean on you, that's all I mean to do,
'Til I can make it on my own

Surely someday I'll look up and see the morning sun
Without another lonely night behind me
Then I'll know I'm over you and all my cryin's done
No more hurtin' memories can find me

But 'til then, Lord, you know I'm gonna need a friend




'Til I get used to losing you, let me keep on using you
'Til I can make it on my own.

Overall Meaning

The song 'Til I Make It On My Own by Dottie West is a poignant ballad about the struggle to move on after a break-up. The singer acknowledges that she needs time to get over her ex-lover, and although she may occasionally reach out and ask too much of him, she promises to lean on him until she can stand on her own two feet again. The emotions in the song are raw and authentic, with the singer admitting that there will be times when she has no pride at all, but also believing that there will be a brighter day ahead.


The song speaks to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and is struggling to move on. We all need someone to lean on during tough times, and sometimes the only person we can turn to is the one who hurt us in the first place. However, the song also touches on the importance of healing and learning to stand on your own. The singer knows that eventually, she will be able to make it without her ex-lover's help, but in the meantime, she is grateful for his friendship and support.


Line by Line Meaning

I'll need time to get you off my mind
It will take some time for me to stop thinking about you


I may sometimes bother you, try to be in touch with you
I might contact you occasionally and it could be annoying for you


Even ask too much of you, from time to time
I could ask for too much from you sometimes


Now and then, Lord, you know I'll need a friend
Occasionally, I'll need someone to talk to and support me


And 'till I get used to losing you, let me keep on using you,
Until I am over you, please let me rely on you


'Til I can make it on my own
Until I am strong enough to handle things by myself


I'll get by, but no matter how I try
I will manage to keep going, but it won't be easy


There'll be times that you'll know I'll call
You can expect me to reach out to you sometimes


Chances are my tears will fall
There's a good possibility that I'll cry


And I'll have no pride at all, from time to time
Occasionally, I'll feel ashamed and defeated


But they say, oh, there'll be a brighter day
People say things will eventually get better


But 'til then I lean on you, that's all I mean to do,
But until then, I'll rely on you for emotional support


'Til I can make it on my own
Until I can handle things without needing anyone's help


Surely someday I'll look up and see the morning sun
One day, I'll wake up and feel happy and hopeful


Without another lonely night behind me
Without having to experience another night of loneliness


Then I'll know I'm over you and all my cryin's done
At that point, I'll realize that I'm finally over you and won't cry anymore


No more hurtin' memories can find me
I won't be haunted by painful memories anymore


But 'til then, Lord, you know I'm gonna need a friend
Until I reach that point, I'll continue to rely on you as a friend


'Til I get used to losing you, let me keep on using you
While I'm still struggling to cope with losing you, please allow me to depend on you for support


'Til I can make it on my own.
Until I become strong enough to handle things independently




Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Sherrill, George Richey, Tammy Wynette

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@mjlirette9297

Very fortunate to have had the chance to grow up in the 70s and early 80s and have the privilege of listening to Miss Dottie West, Kenny Rogers constantly!

@janiceowens4066

I bet they're both in heaven singing together

@shirleydrake1602

What a loss these two were!

@sezwah1414

Yes, BUT...AHA, they are STILL HERE, they WERE MUSIC< thus they ARE MUSIC, and we can still be with them, at the touch of key! Push of a button!!!

@robbie0884

PURE CLASS! This is real music folks! This music so takes you down memory lane! πŸ’œ

@marypatterson3866

Oh how I yearn to hear live music like this again.

@jockcook3207

This was written by Tammy Wynette and love it as a duet.

@kennykool100

Heavens a prettier place with Dottie in it. We also share the same birthday. Miss you Dottie!

@TheBlueDogMan

That grit in Ms. West voice at 1:55 just sells me completely on this performance.

@thomasmagnum3588

Absolutely! And then look at the way Kenny smiles at her just five seconds later , like β€œdamn, she nailed it again!”

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