Stone was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and learned guitar at the age of five from his mother, also a country singer. As a teenager, he performed in skating rinks in his hometown and later moved on to playing area bars while working long hours as a mechanic during the day.
It took Stone several years to be “found” by his soon-to-be manager who helped him finally land a record deal with Epic. His self-titled debut was released in 1990 and broke him in a big way with the despairing lead single "I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)," which shot into the country Top Five. Stone landed three more Top Ten hits from the album, including "Fourteen Minutes Old," "These Lips Don't Know How to Say Goodbye," and his first number one, "In a Different Light."
He quickly completed a follow-up album, I Thought It Was You, for release in 1991, which solidified his persona as country music’s suave song stylist and became his second straight million-seller on the strength of three Top Five hits: the title track, "Come In Out of the Pain," and a second number one in "A Jukebox With a Country Song."
Stone’s third album, 1992’s From the Heart, spun off one hit after another: "Warning Labels" and "Made for Lovin' You" went Top Ten, while "Too Busy Being in Love" and "Why Didn't I Think of That" topped the charts.n 2004, Doug Stone started a new chapter in his career and his life. After a brief hiatus from recording, a renewed interest in Doug's music by fans and radio made Doug one of the highlights at the 2004 Country Radio Seminar (CRS). The week of CRS, Doug joined Lofton Creek Records and reunited with a member of his former management team, Martha (Taylor) Borchetta who worked with Doug in the 90s.
Stone’s first album with Lofton Creek Records, In A Different Light, re-releases the original title track and “Why Didn’t I Think of That” from Stone’s library of hits. The album also contains Stone’s version of timeless classics as he artfully blends the traditional spirit of “Only You,” “Tell It Like It is,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “Crazy Love” with that famous Doug Stone style. The eight original songs on this album will both tug on heartstrings and invoke smiles—a task that only Stone can perform with such style and grace. With this new album, Lofton Creek Records is honored to place Doug Stone back in the spotlight.
I Thought It Was You
Doug Stone Lyrics
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To a stranger yesterday
When she turned around
I said "I'm sorry"
And just walked away
From a distance
She had that look
And for a second or two
Took a moment to catch my breath
Try to brace myself
Still don't have a clue
On how to leave your memory behind
After all this time
I hear there's one special love in each life
And I must look like a fool
I thought it was you
I still drive by your house
Taking trips down memory lane
We had our future worked out
At least we did on that old porch swing
Today in my rear view mirror
I saw an old Malibu
Girl I thought it was you
Took a moment to catch my breath
Try to brace myself
Still don't have a clue
On how to leave your memory behind
After all this time
I hear there's one special love in each life.
And I must look like a fool
I thought it was you
Am I really a fool?
I thought it was you
I thought it was you
Why couldn't it be you?
In Doug Stone's song "I Thought It Was You," the singer is haunted by memories of a past love. Throughout the song, he recalls different moments where he mistakes someone else for his former lover and is left grappling with the reality that their relationship is over. He opens with a story of how he recently called out her name to a stranger before realizing it wasn't her, emphasizing the extent to which she still weighs heavily on his mind. He is unable to move on from her, as evidenced by his continued drives past her house and reflections on their plans for the future. Even as he recognizes that he may look foolish for holding on to a love that has since ended, he cannot help but hold out hope that it might somehow still be her turning around to look at him or driving the car behind him.
The lyrics delve deeply into themes of lost love, longing, and the difficulties of moving on. The ambiguity of the final lines "Am I really a fool? / I thought it was you / I thought it was you / Why couldn't it be you?" encapsulates the internal conflict that the singer is experiencing. On the one hand, he recognizes that he may seem foolish for holding on to a love that has ended, but on the other, he cannot help but feel hopeful that they might still reunite. The song is a poignant reflection on the indelible mark that love can leave on a person, even long after it has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
I called your name out loud
I verbally uttered your name with a loud voice
To a stranger yesterday
It happened on the day before today to a person I don't know
When she turned around
When the stranger faced me
I said "I'm sorry"
I apologized
And just walked away
I left without further interaction
From a distance
Being far away
She had that look
She had a similar appearance to yours
And for a second or two
For an incredibly short moment
I thought it was you
I believed it was you
Took a moment to catch my breath
I required a brief moment to get my breathing under control
Try to brace myself
I tried to prepare myself
Still don't have a clue
I still don't know what to do
On how to leave your memory behind
I am unsure of how to forget about you
After all this time
Even with the passage of a significant amount of time
I hear there's one special love in each life
I have heard that everyone has one unique love during their life
And I must look like a fool
I probably appear foolish
I still drive by your house
I still pass by your residence in my vehicle
Taking trips down memory lane
Remembering the past and reminiscing
We had our future worked out
We had our future plans made
At least we did on that old porch swing
We talked about it on the porch swing
Today in my rear view mirror
In the reflecting surface at the back of my car today
I saw an old Malibu
I spotted an old model of a Chevrolet Malibu
Girl I thought it was you
I believed it was you, girl
Am I really a fool?
I wonder if I am truly foolish
Why couldn't it be you?
I wish it had been you instead
I thought it was you
Again, I believed it was you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRISON, MENSY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind