Elske DeWall is a Elske de Walle, a Dutch singer-songwriter from Veenwouden… Read Full Bio ↴Elske DeWall is a Elske de Walle, a Dutch singer-songwriter from Veenwouden. Elske started playing piano when she was 7 years old, switched to saxophone and ended up playing guitar. She scored a record deal at Universal Music in 2007 with her first demo. She then released her first album, entitled Balloon Over Paris. The album is recorded in the Kaleidoscope Sound studio in New Jersey with producer Randy Crafton (a.o. Room Eleven and Dayna Kurtz).

Elske writes her songs on a guitar or a piano. Her songs are full of soul, with influences from roots, gospel, folk and modern country.

www.elskedewall.com

Only One
Elske Dewall Lyrics

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I pretend i'm listening when they talk to me
I put on a happy face so no one sees
The way I feel

If I could find a million ways to say that i'm alright

The room grows darker every minute of the day
you seem farther from the place you used to lay

your hand in mine

I could find a million ways to say that i'm alright
I could say a hundred prayers to help me sleep at night
I could find a pair of hands to hold my heavy heart
But there's only one you're the only one
I wish for tonight

I leave a candle burning by the window pane
the lonely light leaves me yearning for those brighter days
with your hand in mine

I could find a million ways to say that i'm alright
I could say a hundred prayers to help me sleep at night
I could find a pair of hands to hold my heavy heart
But there's only one
I could find a million ways to say that i'm alright
I could say a hundred prayers to help me sleep at night
I could find a pair of hands to hold my heavy heart
But there's only one

you're the only one
I wish for tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elske Dewall's "Only One" are a poignant expression of loneliness and the desperate need for companionship. The opening lines are particularly striking, as they highlight the singer's ability to put on a facade of happiness and engagement, even though she is struggling internally. The use of repetition, such as the repeated phrases of "I could find a million ways to say that I'm alright" and "you're the only one," underscores the singer's sense of isolation and the intense yearning she feels for connection with another person.

The imagery in the song is particularly powerful, with lines like "the room grows darker every minute of the day" and "the lonely light leaves me yearning for those brighter days" conveying a sense of hopelessness and despair. Yet there is also a glimmer of hope in the lyrics, particularly in the repeated refrain that there is "only one" person that the singer wishes for, emphasizing the power of human connection and the possibility of finding solace in another person.

Overall, "Only One" is a moving testament to the human need for love and companionship, and the ways in which we try to cope with loneliness in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

I pretend i'm listening when they talk to me
I put up a façade of being attentive and interested when others talk to me, when in reality my mind is elsewhere.

I put on a happy face so no one sees
I conceal my true emotions from others by wearing a cheerful expression, so that they can't see how I'm truly feeling inside.

The way I feel
My genuine emotions that are hidden from others through my facade.

If I could find a million ways to say that i'm alright
If I could come up with a plethora of verbal affirmations to convince myself and others that I'm doing well.

The room grows darker every minute of the day
Time keeps passing and the situation keeps getting worse, causing everything to appear darker and more hopeless.

you seem farther from the place you used to lay
I feel more disconnected from you as time goes by, like you are slipping away from me.

your hand in mine
The physical touch and emotional connection that I miss and long for.

I could say a hundred prayers to help me sleep at night
I could resort to any number of religious or spiritual rituals to ease my anxiety and allow me to rest.

I could find a pair of hands to hold my heavy heart
I could seek out any number of individuals to help support me emotionally and lift the weight off my heart.

But there's only one you're the only one
Despite all these potential sources of support, there is only one person who truly matters and who I long to be with. That person is you.

I leave a candle burning by the window pane
I keep a candle burning in the hopes that it will serve as a beacon, attracting the person I long to be with to return to me.

the lonely light leaves me yearning for those brighter days
The flicker of light from the candle only serves to accentuate the darkness and my feelings of loneliness, reminding me of happier times with my loved one.

But there's only one you're the only one
Despite all these potential sources of support, there is only one person who truly matters and who I long to be with. That person is you.

you're the only one I wish for tonight
You are the only person who I so intensely desire to be with, particularly on this night.

Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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