I Was There
Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens Lyrics
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I was there
When love crashed and burned
I was there
I was there when love came around with sweet, warm kisses
I was there when it burned into desire
I was there when it ran into a raging river
I was there
I was there
When love came around
I was there
And one thing for certain
I did all the hurtin'
At love's final curtain
I was there
Solo
I was there when love came in like a living tornado
I was there when it blew out of control
I was there when something quickly turned
Into nothing
Just a hopeless, helpless dream gone up in smoke
These lyrics recount the singer's presence throughout a love story. They begin by stating that the singer was present "when love crashed and burned." This intimate knowledge of the relationship sets the tone of the song as an introspective reflection on what went wrong. Then, the singer remembers the beginning of the relationship, when love felt warm and sweet, and how it transformed into a powerful desire.
The singer then recounts how love ran into a raging river, a metaphor for a difficult time or obstacle, and turned into a wildfire, indicating the passion that consumed their relationship. The singer takes responsibility for the heartache and pain caused by the relationship's end by singing, "And one thing for certain, I did all the hurtin' at love's final curtain."
The song's solo provides a moment for contemplation, where the singer can reflect on the memories of the relationship. In the final verse, the singer remembers how love arrived like a "living tornado," but suddenly turned into nothing but a "hopeless, helpless dream gone up in smoke." The song's focus on the singer's presence throughout the relationship highlights their deep emotional involvement as well as their regrets at the relationship's end.
Line by Line Meaning
I was there
I witnessed and experienced the events that followed
I was there
I was present throughout these moments
When love crashed and burned
When what we thought was love fell apart and failed miserably
I was there
I watched it all happen
I was there when love came around with sweet, warm kisses
I was present when love began with tender and welcoming kisses
I was there when it burned into desire
I watched the passion between us ignite and grow hotter as time passed
I was there when it ran into a raging river
I was there when we encountered obstacles that we couldn't overcome
And then turned into a runaway wildfire
I witnessed our love spiraling out of control and taking on a life of its own
When love came around
When we fell in love
And one thing for certain
There's no denying
I did all the hurtin'
I caused all the pain and suffering
At love's final curtain
When our relationship ended
I was there
I was present until the end
I was there when love came in like a living tornado
I saw our love enter our lives with a powerful and unpredictable force
I was there when it blew out of control
I observed our love becoming unmanageable and uncontrollable
I was there when something quickly turned into nothing
I witnessed our love transform from something meaningful into nothingness
Just a hopeless, helpless dream gone up in smoke
Our relationship became a lost, impossible chance that had vanished into thin air
Lyrics © PANZER MUSIC
Written by: BUCK OWENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seanoreilly5410
"You put a tone of respect in your voice when you say 'Bakersfield', son!"
@raymondcomeau8780
Ça c'est BEAU(THANK YOU!
@karenlindsay8936
GrEaT SoNG Thankyou for sharing 🎸🎵👍🏻
@elainesmith7136
Great song been there when it happened to me
@fivecitydirttracker4776
10-26-2020 Covid19 high risk, back doing Chemotherapy for Colo-rectal cancer.
Buck & Dwight = smiles, gratitude and, the opportunity to be a good example of how to walk thorough life's shitty breaks. No matter, music is "the" best medicine. ✌ & good fortune to all who read my two cents here. Smile.......say hello to all.