By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Lyrics


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By the time I get to Phoenix
She'll be rising
She'll find that note
I left hanging on her door

And she'll laugh when she reads the part
That says, "I'm leaving"
Cause I've left that girl so many times before

By the time I make Albuquerque
She'll be working
She'll probably stop at lunch and to give me a call
But she'll hear that phone keep on ringing
Off the wall
That's all

By the time I make Oklahoma
She'll be sleeping
She'll turn softly in her sleep and call my name out low

And she'll cry just to think I'd really leave her
Though time and time I've tried to tell her so




She just didn't know
I would really go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap are a poignant tale of a man leaving a woman whom he has left many times before, despite the fact that she doesn't want him to go. The song starts with the man saying that by the time he reaches Phoenix, the woman he loves will be rising and find a note that he left behind on her door. The note informs her that he is leaving her once again, something that he has done many times before. He knows that she's going to laugh when she reads the note because she's seen it so many times before, but he is still determined to leave.


As the song continues, he sings about how he'll be in Albuquerque and she'll be at work, but she'll take a break to call him. However, she won't be able to reach him because he has left his phone off the hook. When he makes it to Oklahoma, he knows that she'll be sleeping and will softly call his name out in her sleep. He knows that she would be devastated if he actually left her, despite the fact that he's told her many times before that he was going to go. The woman just didn't know that he would really go.


The lyrics of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" are a powerful reminder of the pain that relationships can cause when one person wants to leave and the other person doesn't want them to go. Despite the fact that the man is leaving the woman, it's clear that he still loves her deeply and that the decision to leave wasn't an easy one for him.


Line by Line Meaning

By the time I get to Phoenix
After a long journey to Phoenix


She'll be rising
The sun will be rising in Phoenix


She'll find that note
She will discover the note I left for her


I left hanging on her door
Which was hanging on her door when I left


And she'll laugh when she reads the part
She will chuckle when she reads a certain section


That says, "I'm leaving"
Which says that I'm departing


Cause I've left that girl so many times before
Because I have done this multiple times in the past


By the time I make Albuquerque
After I have traveled to Albuquerque


She'll be working
She will be employed and working when I arrive


She'll probably stop at lunch and to give me a call
She will likely take a break from work to call me


But she'll hear that phone keep on ringing
However, she will hear the phone ringing constantly


Off the wall
Without pause or interruption


That's all
That's the only news I have for her


By the time I make Oklahoma
Once I arrive in Oklahoma


She'll be sleeping
She will be sleeping deeply


She'll turn softly in her sleep and call my name out low
She will murmur my name softly in her sleep


And she'll cry just to think I'd really leave her
She will weep at the mere thought of me departing


Though time and time I've tried to tell her so
Despite my repeated attempts to inform her


She just didn't know
It seems she was simply unaware


I would really go
That I would truly choose to leave once again




Contributed by John H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

cocatwoman7

Wow....Gary's voice gives me chills, on this and every song he does. What a voice!

francisco bolognesi

the great singers of that time even when they sang slowly their voices were unequaled

TalkingDogMusic

What a phenomenal voice! The range, the smoothness, and delivery are awesome.

Mike Evans

one of the great voices, ever

Anthony Hornby

Just love Garys voice

francisco bolognesi

the great singers of that time even when they sang slowly their voices were unequaled

Mike Evans

an underappreciated singer who had a great voice

MrGoldenthroat

The absolute best cover version of this marvelous tune ever done - though Glen Campbell's original version is and always will be the best!!

J T

Great version tho Jimmy Webb actually wrote it.

Kevin Goins

Actually the song's publisher Johnny Rivers cut the original version for his 1966 album, Changes. Rivers later pitched the song to Glen and the rest is history.

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