After signing a contract with the Atlantic Records label Lava Records in 1994, his first major-label album, Honor Among Thieves, was issued in 1995. His second album, Misguided Roses, spawned I'll Be, a major single in 1998. Two more albums (Messenger and Far from Over) followed, but at the end of 2001, he split from Lava. In 2003 he released a collection of acoustic versions of songs both old and new called The Austin Sessions via ATC Records, a Nashville-based independent record label (at which McCain was the first artist signed following its creation in 2001). Mid-2004 saw the arrival of his first studio album in three years, entitled Scream & Whisper, which was released on another indie label, DRT Entertainment.
He has released two DVDs to date. The first was through ATC records in late 2002, called Mile Marker: Songs and Stories from the Acoustic Highway, and it consisted of interviews, live performances, and other material. The other was in late 2004, Tinsel & Tap Shoes. It was his first live concert DVD, recorded at The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
A new CD was released in April, 2006 titled, Lost in America. Edwin recently signed a contract with Vanguard Records. This album (#8) is said to be a true "rock 'n roll" collection.
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Sorry To Be A Friend
Edwin McCain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking for songs in a bottle
Talking with strangers who don't know my pain
Blurry eyed and burned out
Choking on more than I can swallow
Crack in a little voice called out my name
She said ~ Whatever happened to you
And I guess all my fears were true
The words were all gone the time's been too long
But I deserve to know what happened to my friend
Staring in her face
I see a past that still haunts me
The road where we split up is paved with the things I didn't say
We had wonderful times, but terrible timing
Now just leave her alone, I'll just be in the way
She said whatever happened to you
You took the coward's way out again
And I guess all my fears were true
The words are all gone, the time's been too long
But it's not too late to say I'm sorry to a friend
I'm sorry to a friend
Sorry to a friend
Like a stone in a stream
Life smoothes all our edges
'Til we barely make a ripple any more
But those times in my life will live with me forever
But we're not the same people that we were before
And I'm sorry for the smiles we missed and the times that I blew it
I've got so much to tell you
I don't know where to start
Maybe I'll find a way maybe you'll help me do it
'Cause friends like us should not be apart
And I'm sorry to a friend
Well now I'm sorry
The first stanza of the song "Sorry to a Friend" by Edwin McCain Band depicts the singer on the edge, looking for a way out. He is lost and hurting, turning to strangers who have no idea what he is going through. The singer feels like he's choking on too much, but still, he keeps pouring more in. In a moment of desperation, he hears a voice calling out his name. It's his friend whom he hasn't seen for two years, and the singer is taken aback with guilt knowing that he didn't acknowledge her presence sooner. He is afraid of what his friend might say, of what she thinks of him.
The second stanza describes a broken friendship that was once beautiful. The singer reminisces about the good times, but admits that he didn't say the things he should have, and now it's too late. The singer's friend accuses him of taking the coward's way out and being too afraid to face her. However, the singer believes that it's never too late to make amends and apologize. In the final verse, the singer expresses a deep regret for missing the smiles and good times with his friend. He hopes that his friend can help him find a way to make things right and bring back their friendship.
Overall, "Sorry to a Friend" is a heartfelt song about the importance of recognizing when we have wronged someone and taking responsibility for our actions. The lyrics also underscore the idea that sometimes it's possible to repair a broken friendship with sincere apologies and a willingness to listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' on the edge
Feeling lost and hopeless, unsure of where to turn.
Looking for songs in a bottle
Trying to drown out my pain with alcohol and drugs.
Talking with strangers who don't know my pain
Desperately seeking connection with others, but feeling like nobody truly understands what I'm going through.
Blurry eyed and burned out
Feeling exhausted and drained, like I've been running on empty for too long.
Choking on more than I can swallow
Feeling overwhelmed by the weight of my emotions and struggles.
Crack in a little voice called out my name
Suddenly being confronted by someone from my past who remembers me and wants to connect with me.
She said ~ Whatever happened to you
Asking me where I've been and why I've been out of touch for so long.
It's been two years where have you been
Wondering why I disappeared and why I didn't keep in touch with the people who cared about me.
And I guess all my fears were true
Realizing that my actions have hurt others and caused them to worry about me.
The words were all gone the time's been too long
Feeling like it's been too long since I've talked to this person and not knowing where to start or what to say.
But I deserve to know what happened to my friend
Feeling guilty for not keeping in touch and wanting to make amends by reconnecting with this person.
Staring in her face
Confronted with the reality of my past and the person I used to be.
I see a past that still haunts me
Remembering the good times I had with this person, but also feeling haunted by the mistakes I made and the things I didn't say.
The road where we split up is paved with the things I didn't say
Regretting the things I left unsaid and the conversations I never had with this person before we drifted apart.
We had wonderful times, but terrible timing
Reflecting on the good times I shared with this person, but feeling like we were never quite able to make things work between us.
Now just leave her alone, I'll just be in the way
Feeling like it's too late to make things right and like I'll only make things worse if I try to reconnect with this person.
She said whatever happened to you
Asking me to explain my actions and my disappearance, wanting to understand what went wrong.
You took the coward's way out again
Being accused of running away from my problems and abandoning the people who cared about me.
But it's not too late to say I'm sorry to a friend
Realizing that it's never too late to try to make things right and to apologize for my mistakes.
Like a stone in a stream
Recognizing that life has a way of smoothing out our rough edges over time, but also remembering the things that have shaped us and made us who we are.
Life smoothes all our edges
Understanding that life has a way of changing us and shaping us over time, even when we don't realize it.
'Til we barely make a ripple any more
Feeling like I've become insignificant and like my life doesn't matter as much as it used to.
But those times in my life will live with me forever
Remembering the highs and lows of my past and how they've shaped me over time.
But we're not the same people that we were before
Realizing that time changes all of us and that we can never go back to the way things used to be.
And I'm sorry for the smiles we missed and the times that I blew it
Apologizing for the times when I let this person down and missed out on opportunities to connect with them and share in their happiness.
I've got so much to tell you
Wanting to catch up with this person and share everything that's happened in my life since we last spoke.
I don't know where to start
Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things I want to share and not knowing where to begin.
Maybe I'll find a way maybe you'll help me do it
Hoping that this person will be patient with me and help me find a way to reconnect and bridge the gap that's formed between us.
'Cause friends like us should not be apart
Believing that true friendships are worth fighting for and that we shouldn't let distance or time keep us from reconnecting with the people we care about.
And I'm sorry to a friend
Offering a heartfelt apology for my past actions and behavior, hoping to make amends and rebuild our friendship.
Well now I'm sorry
Repeating my apology and emphasizing how much I regret my past mistakes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWIN COLE MC CAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind