Donaldson had been composing and recording since 1964. He rocketed to popularity in 1971 with his winning entry in the annual Jamaican Festival Song Competition, "Cherry Oh Baby". He went on to win the festival again in in 1977, 1978, 1984 and 1993. The "Cherry Oh Baby" has been very popular, and has been covered more than thirty times, including covers by The Rolling Stones and UB40.
Out of Reach
Eric Donaldson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And here I am thinking wilder things about you
By the time you are ready
Maybe it will be too late, I guess
Just out of reach you are
A million miles away
Just out of reach you are
Oh, I wish, uh, I could find
I, was enough, to make you understand
But how can I do it
When you refuse, to even listen to me
Maybe I will never see you
I can't even touch your hands
But how can I forget
I love you, oh so much
Just out of reach you are
A million miles away
I've got to get to you
Just out of reach you are
Oh yeah, oh, oh, ah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Now I know I've got to get you
I got to, got to, got to get you
Singing, I know I've got to get you
I got, I got, I got to get you
Oh, oh, oh yeah
The lyrics of Eric Donaldson's song Out of Reach express the desperation and longing of the singer for someone who is physically and emotionally distant. The opening lines of the song reveal the singer's dilemma: while the subject of the song is asleep, they are consumed by their thoughts and desires, which seem to be getting more intense with time. They fear that by the time the person they love is ready to listen to them, it will be too late because they would have moved on from their present emotional state.
The repeated refrain "just out of reach" emphasizes how far away the singer feels from the person they love. They feel like they are on completely different planes of existence, with the distance between them measured in millions of miles. However, despite this distance, the singer's love remains strong and unwavering, as expressed in lines such as "how can I forget, I love you, oh so much."
The final lines of the song are a call to action, with the singer realizing that they need to take bold steps to reach the person they love. The repetition of the phrase "I've got to get to you" reinforces the urgency and determination of the singer to bridge the gap between them and the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe you are there sleeping
I imagine that you are asleep right now.
And here I am thinking wilder things about you
Meanwhile, I am fantasizing about you and my thoughts are becoming more and more extreme.
By the time you are ready
If and when you become interested in being with me.
Maybe it will be too late, I guess
It might be too late for us to connect romantically by then, though I can't be sure.
Just out of reach you are
You are unattainable, as if you are just beyond my grasp.
A million miles away
You seem impossibly distant from me.
Oh, I wish, uh, I could find
I wish I could find a way to convince you to give me a chance.
I, was enough, to make you understand
If only my words and feelings were sufficient to make you comprehend my intentions.
But how can I do it
However, I am uncertain how to make you see how much I care.
When you refuse, to even listen to me
You seem uninterested in hearing me out or considering what I have to say.
Maybe I will never see you
It is possible that we will never meet.
I can't even touch your hands
Not only am I unable to be with you romantically, I cannot even physically touch you.
But how can I forget
Despite the challenges and obstacles, I cannot stop loving you.
I love you, oh so much
My feelings for you are intense and deep.
I've got to get to you
I am determined to try my best to connect with you.
Oh yeah, oh, oh, ah, oh yeah
I am feeling a mix of emotions about the prospect of being with you.
Now I know I've got to get you
I am more confident now that I need to pursue a relationship with you.
Singing, I know I've got to get you
I am expressing my desire for you through song.
I got, I got, I got to get you
I am emphasizing the importance of achieving my goal of winning your affection.
Oh, oh, oh yeah
My feelings for you are strong and urgent.
Contributed by Jackson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anthony Durotolu
I want to supply the lyrics of Out of Reach by Eric Donaldson
@innocentquarshie9668
Man this reminds me of growing up in Ghana with my older reggae loving siblings