Colton graduated Heritage Hall School in OKC. After leaving his hometown of Oklahoma City to attend Southern Methodist University, Colton began writing and performing songs in and around the Dallas pubs and coffee houses: “I would return to my college dorm room and have e-mails from kids across the country asking where to buy the album,” says Colton. Quickly Colton began recording songs on a shoestring budget for his ever-growing local fan-base and distant admirers. The self-titled demo became a local favorite and began making waves outside the Texas music scene. It wasn’t long before the CD fell into the hands of Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) who quickly asked Graham to support them on their 2002 fall tour. It would prove to be a friendship that would evolve over the next two years of touring and recording. The month long tour put Colton and his newly formed band in front of sold out audiences and fans they didn’t know they had. After the fall stint with Counting Crows and a signed record deal with Strummer Recordings/ Universal, dates with John Mayer, Maroon 5, Train, Dave Matthews, Guster, and Kelly Clarkson followed proving the band had the ability to connect with all types of listeners.
Take You Back
Graham Colton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't learn from my mistakes
I can't feel the water rising
A wave will always break
I want to take you back
Back to where we started before the lights had changed
Words we didn't get to say seem to hit the hardest
Now the hart you are defending has guards that I can't kill
Can't you see the happy ending?
I'll race you standing still
Did you think that you could be so far gone that I couldn't find you?
Did you think you could leave every little piece of me behind you?
Pictures in your head you won't forget reminding you of me
I want to take you back
Back to where we started before the lights had changed
Words we never get to say always hit the hardest
Now we'll never be
I want to take you back
Back to where we started before everything changed
Words I never got to say still hit me the hardest
Now just your memory is all that ever coming back to me
I know you're never coming back
I know you're never coming back
In Graham Colton's song Take You Back, he sings about how history seems to be repeating itself and how he is unable to learn from his mistakes. He compares his situation to a wave that will always break no matter how hard he tries to change it. The artist then goes on to express his desire to take his lover back to the beginning of their relationship, before everything changed, and he was unable to say what he needed to say to her.
The lyrics suggest that the artist is trying to reconcile with his lover, but she has moved on and has guards that he can't overcome. Colton expresses his frustration and sadness that he won't be able to reconcile his broken relationship with her, even though she continues to linger in his memories. The lyrics also suggest that the artist regrets not being able to say what he felt when he had the chance, and now it's too late.
Overall, the song is about missed opportunities, regret, and the pain of letting go of a relationship that had once meant the world to the artist. Colton's lyrics convey his deep emotions and the hurt that he feels from his failed relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Looks like history's repeating
It seems like I keep making the same mistakes.
I don't learn from my mistakes
I don't seem to be able to change or grow from my past experiences.
I can't feel the water rising
I'm not paying attention to the signs that something bad is about to happen.
A wave will always break
Just like a wave always breaking, my bad choices will always have consequences.
I want to take you back
I want to go back to when things were good between us.
Back to where we started before the lights had changed
Back to a time when the metaphorical lights representing our relationship were still bright and hopeful.
Words we didn't get to say seem to hit the hardest
I regret not expressing certain things to you and it's weighing heavily on me now.
Now just your memory is all that ever coming back to me
I can't move on from missing you and only have memories of you to hold onto.
Now the heart you are defending has guards that I can't kill
You've put up barriers to protect your heart from me and I can't break them down.
Can't you see the happy ending?
Can't you see that we could have been happy together if things had gone differently?
I'll race you standing still
I'll try my hardest to win you back, even if it seems impossible.
Did you think that you could be so far gone that I couldn't find you?
Did you purposely distance yourself from me, thinking I wouldn't be able to track you down?
Did you think you could leave every little piece of me behind you?
Did you think it was possible for you to move on from our relationship completely, without any lingering feelings or memories?
Pictures in your head you won't forget reminding you of me
I still hold a place in your memories and thoughts, even after all this time.
Now we'll never be
Our chance to be together is gone forever.
I know you're never coming back
I've come to accept that you're not going to return and I have to find a way to move on.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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