The tall blonde songstress's self-titled album, 'Faith, ' sold four million copies worldwide. The album featured her hit single 'This Kiss, ' which topped the charts for three straight weeks and became her first crossover success, hitting number five on the pop charts. The album also featured 'Let Me Go, ' for which Faith received a Grammy nomination in the category of Best Female Country Vocal.
The Come Home Songfacts says that Come Home, Faith Hill's first song to be heard from her seventh studio album was penned by Ryan Tedder about a soldier friend of his who was serving overseas. Hill debuted the song on the CMA Awards on November 9, 2011 and it was made available for download shortly afterwards.
American Heart, the first official single from Faith Hill's seventh studio album was written by Jonathan Singleton and Jim Beavers and tells the story of a woman whom survives her struggles by her faith in the American dream. "It bleeds, it scars, but it shines when times get hard," sings Hill, "you can't break an American heart." The song was released to country radio, for airplay on October 1, 2012. (American Heart Songfacts)
When The Lights Go Down
Faith Hill Lyrics
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He'll be fillin' a pan with a broom in his hand
In some dive across town
He'll be wiping the bar, moppin' the floor
Countin' his tips, lockin' the doors
Wrestling the devil that tells him to pour another round
When the lights go down
But it's too late now
They were there for the fame, the flash and the thrill
For the drop of the name, the parties, the pills
As another star falls form the Hollywoody Hills without a sound
[Chorus]
When the lights go down and there's nothing left to be
When the lights go down and the truth is all you see
When you feel that hole inside your soul
And wonder what you're made of
Well we all find out
When the lights go down
When the lights go down
At the end of the day when this game that I play
Has gone another round
As I lay there alone on this big empty bed
With nothing but thoughts of you in my head
I think of the things that I wish I had said
When you were still around
When the lights go down and there's nothing left to be
When the lights go down and the truth is all you see
And I wonder if all my life's about the sum
Of all my fear and all my doubts
When the lights go down
[Chorus]
The song "When The Lights Go Down" by Faith Hill is a tribute to the fleeting nature of fame and Hollywood life, and delves into what happens when the high of being a star fades away. It's a melancholic look at the hidden struggles of people who are constantly in the spotlight, who are always under a microscope, with nowhere to hide. The first verse talks about a bartender in a dive bar, a man who's been at it for too long, his hands rough and calloused from his work, wrestling with his inner demons as he tries to serve his customers.
The second verse focuses on a woman, someone who's been a part of the glittery, glamourous world of Hollywood. But now, the party's over, the thrill is gone. She's left wondering if all of the fame and the flash was worth it, as she drives alone in her Mercedes Benz, realizing that it's too late to turn back time. The chorus is where everything comes together, laying bare the themes of the song, that when everything's said and done, we're all just human beings, struggling to find our place in the world, trying to figure out what we're made of.
The final verse shifts the focus to the singer herself, contemplating her life choices, her mistakes, and the things she wishes she'd said to a lost love. In a moment of vulnerability, she's left to ponder if all of her fears and doubts have led her to this moment in time, and she wonders what it all means. The song is a poignant reminder that when the lights go down, all that's left is the truth, and the truth can be a very scary thing.
Line by Line Meaning
When the lights go down
At night, when everything is quiet and still
He'll be fillin' a pan with a broom in his hand
A man will be cleaning up a dirty bar with a broom, picking up after customers who left it in disarray, wiping tables and clearing off counters, finishing the last of the day's work in a small, out-of-the-way establishment.
In some dive across town
This dirty bar is somewhere in a run-down area of the city.
He'll be wiping the bar, moppin' the floor
As the night wears on, this man continues to clean, making sure everything is spotless before leaving for the evening.
Countin' his tips, lockin' the doors
Before closing up shop for the night, this man takes stock of his earnings for the day and locks the doors securely behind him.
Wrestling the devil that tells him to pour another round
Although he's finished cleaning and ready to head home, the man is tempted to stay and drink, but he resists this urge to see his work through until the very end.
When the lights go down
Once the sun has set and the streets are quiet and empty
She'll be callin' her friends from her Mercedes Benz
A woman sits in her fancy car, calling her friends and acquaintances to join her in an upscale place she wants to go.
But it's too late now
Although she's eager to go out and have fun, she's hesitated too long, and now the night is too far along for her to enjoy herself.
They were there for the fame, the flash and the thrill
Her friends don't necessarily care about her or truly enjoy her company; they're only interested in the lifestyle she provides for them. They want the excitement and glamour of being seen and being popular.
For the drop of the name, the parties, the pills
Her friends are with her for the drugs and the parties, the access her car and social status provides, and they drop her name to get into clubs and other exclusive events.
As another star falls form the Hollywoody Hills without a sound
Another celebrity's career quietly comes to an end as they're swiftly replaced by the next hot new thing
[Chorus]
The main message and theme of the song
At the end of the day when this game that I play
When it's all said and done, and the day is over.
Has gone another round
Referring to her earlier line in the song, the “game” of life has finished another of its continuous rounds.
As I lay there alone on this big empty bed
All alone, in her spacious bed.
With nothing but thoughts of you in my head
Thinking about someone she's missing desperately or maybe even regrets the things she didn't say to them when she could.
I think of the things that I wish I had said
She regrets the missed opportunities to express herself, wishing she'd spoken her feelings more clearly or acted differently at times.
When you were still around
When this person whom she's thinking of was still here with her.
[Chorus]
Re-iterating the main message of the song.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, 3 RING CIRCUS MUSIC LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RIVERS RUTHERFORD, JEFFREY STEELE, CRAIG MICHAEL WISEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind