Gladys Knight, born on May 28, 1944, developed her singing style while singing with her family at Baptist church functions. Though the group first released recordings in 1958, their career really got started when Motown founder Berry Gordy witnessed them perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1966 and felt very impressed. With a career following spanning decade after decade, featuring many hits, the group has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Seconds
Gladys Knight & The Pips Lyrics
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I missed him in the moment that it takes a door to open
All the plans that I had dreamed of
All the dreams that I was hoping for
Were shattered by the movement of the
Little hand that ticks away the seconds
That′s all it takes, it's seconds
And it seemed my hopes were fading
Nothing moved across the city
While I prayed he still was waiting there
Knowing that my life was riding on
The hand that ticks away the seconds
I′ve got more know than seconds
I've got myself a lifetime
I've got all the time I needed
I can sit here with this letter
Nothing else to do but read it
Nothing else to do but listen
While the ticking clock keeps ticking
Left my life with nothing else
No, nothing else but seconds
And all the men I′ve met since then
Seconds
in comparison,
Are like the straws you find in summer,
That's quickly blown away, ooh,
And all the dreams I've dreamed since then
Are like the weather changing,
Like the leaves in every season,
They're blown away, ooh.
Gladys Knight & The Pips's song "Seconds" is about missing someone by a small window of time, ultimately leading to a shattered dream. The lyrics paint a picture of a situation where the singer has missed an opportunity, and their plans and dreams are now broken. The song is evocative and emotional, touching on the frustration of missed chances and the fleeting nature of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Seconds, I missed him just by seconds
I was so close to catching him, but he slipped away from me in just a matter of seconds
I missed him in the moment that it takes a door to open
He was gone by the time I entered the room, it was just a matter of seconds
All the plans that I had dreamed of
I had envisioned all these beautiful hopes and ideas
All the dreams that I was hoping for
I was hoping for a future with him, full of love and happiness
Were shattered by the movement of the
But my hopes were destroyed by the swift movement of the
Little hand that ticks away the seconds
clock’s hands, showing me that time is passing by too quickly
That's all it takes, it's seconds
It's amazing how such a short amount of time can change everything
The rain has stopped the traffic
The weather has caused a standstill for everyone
And it seemed my hopes were fading
I thought my dreams were slipping away from me
Nothing moved across the city
No one was around to help me find him
While I prayed he still was waiting there
I kept telling myself he was still there, waiting for me
Knowing that my life was riding on
I was fully aware that my future depended on
The hand that ticks away the seconds
the clock’s hand ticking away time too fast
I've got more know than seconds
Now I have more time at my disposal than I did before
I've got myself a lifetime
I have my whole life ahead of me
I've got all the time I needed
There's no need to rush, I have as much time as I require
I can sit here with this letter
I can relax and take my time with this letter
Nothing else to do but read it
I have no other pressing tasks or responsibilities besides reading
Nothing else to do but listen
I can just sit here and listen to the clock ticking by
While the ticking clock keeps ticking
As the clock ticks away, time passes by in front of me unabated
Left my life with nothing else
Despite everything that's happened, there's nothing left for me
No, nothing else but seconds
All I'm left with now is time, and lots of it
And all the men I've met since then
Since that moment, I've met and talked with many different guys
Seconds
And yet, the memory of that pivotal moment still lingers in my mind for just a few seconds
Writer(s): Burt F Bacharach, Neil Simon
Contributed by Cameron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.