Point of No Return
Gene McDaniels Lyrics
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I didn't need you so
It would have been so easy then
For me to turn and go
But now there's no leaving you
I know that for a fact
I'm at the point of no return
And for me there'll be no turning back
I told myself you'd always be
A habit I could break
But now a day without your kiss
Would be so hard to take
You just can't get off a train
That's moving down the track
I'm at the point of no return
And for me there'll be no turning back
Once I could have said goodbye but that was at the start
Now I think I'd rather die than be the one to say, we'll part
Maybe you will break my heart
Or maybe you'll be true
No matter what the future brings
I've got to see it through
Maybe your love for me is nothing but an act
I'm at the point of no return
And for me there'll be no turning back
Yeah, for me there'll be no turning back
In Gene McDaniels's song "The Point of No Return," the lyrics reflect on the singer's realization that he has come to a point of no return in his relationship. He expresses his previous feelings of not needing his partner and how easy it would have been to leave at that time, but now he acknowledges that leaving is not an option. He admits that he once believed he could break the habit of being with his partner but now he cannot imagine living without them. The metaphor of a train moving down a track is used to symbolize the inevitability of the direction their relationship is going, and he confesses that even though things may not turn out as he hopes, he is willing to see it through until the end.
The second verse highlights the singer's fear of saying goodbye and the idea that he would rather die than be the one to initiate a breakup. He reveals that he is unsure whether his partner's love for him is genuine or just an act, but he has come to accept that he is at the point of no return and there is no turning back for him.
The song's somber and melancholic tone conveys the singer's feelings of helplessness and certainty that he cannot change the course of the relationship. These emotions are accentuated by the lush, string-heavy orchestration and McDaniels's emotive vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
You know that once upon a time
I recognize that there was a time when I didn't require your love
I didn't need you so
I was self-sufficient and could survive without your love
It would have been so easy then
In the past, it would have been easy for me to leave you
For me to turn and go
I could have decided to leave without a second thought
But now there's no leaving you
I cannot leave you now, it's impractical
I know that for a fact
I am sure beyond doubt that leaving isn't an option
I'm at the point of no return
I have come too far, too deep into this relationship to be able to change it
And for me there'll be no turning back
There is no option for me to retreat now
I told myself you'd always be
I made myself believe that you could be easily replaceable
A habit I could break
I thought I could let go of the memories and the feeling with ease
But now a day without your kiss
I realize that every moment without you would be unmanageable
Would be so hard to take
I'm not confident I can live without you
You just can't get off a train
Like a train on a track, I cannot abandon this path
That's moving down the track
This relationship is advancing, and I will stay the course
Once I could have said goodbye but that was at the start
Leaving could have been easy at the beginning, but not now
Now I think I'd rather die than be the one to say, we'll part
The thought of saying goodbye now is painful and unbearable, and I cannot even imagine doing it
Maybe you will break my heart
I hope that you don't disappoint me and hurt me, but I can't guarantee it
Or maybe you'll be true
You might stay true to me, and my love for you could be reciprocated
No matter what the future brings
I'm not afraid of the future, and I'm willing to deal with whatever comes
I've got to see it through
I must remain committed to seeing this relationship through
Maybe your love for me is nothing but an act
Your love for me might be a facade, and I might be deceived
I'm at the point of no return
I am too far, too deep into love to be able to change things now
And for me there'll be no turning back
I've gone too far and have too much invested to abandon this relationship now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lewis A. Martinee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind