ONCE UPON A TIME
Haley Klinkhammer Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Is this real?
Is it pretend?
Can you feel the difference?
What's a difference?

Is it darkness for give up your mind?
Makin you believe that you're wasting your time
You're not wasting your time

In a world of happy endings
In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

In a world where good always wins
In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

Have you been waiting all of your life?
But someone else to come and put up a find feel
For someone to find feel

Maybe it's your turn to save yourself
To turn that story around
It save everyone else
You go from zero to hero

In a world of happy endings
In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

In a world where good always wins
In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

Maybe a kiss won't break the curse
Magic might only make it worth
But if you've got nothing to believin
Just put your faith and the unknown
And if your heart is found a home
Even if it is beyond our reason
And you find yourself

In a world of happy endings
In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

In a world where good always wins




In a world where everything turns on right
It turns on right.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Haley Klinkhammer's song "Once Upon a Time" explore the idea of fairy tale expectations versus reality. The song questions whether life is just pretend or whether there is a realness to it. It asks whether one can feel the difference between the two. The line "What's a difference?" implies that sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between reality and pretense.


The song speaks to the idea of darkness, of feeling lost or like one is wasting time. It is easy to feel that way when comparing one's own life to the tidy, happy endings of fairy tales. The line "Maybe it's your turn to save yourself, to turn that story around, and save everyone else" suggests that it is possible to take control of one's life and change the narrative. The message seems to be that we can all be heroes in our own lives.


The chorus emphasizes the idea of happy endings, where everything turns out right. This is a stark contrast to the previous verses that hinted at despair and uncertainty. The repetition of the line "In a world where good always wins," seems to suggest that things may not always be good but that it is up to us to make them good.


Overall, the song seems to be a call to action for listeners to take control of their own stories, to believe in magic and happy endings, even when things seem impossibly difficult. It encourages listeners to have faith in the unknown and to find their own happiness, rather than waiting for someone else to do it for them.


Line by Line Meaning

Is this real?
Questioning the reality of the situation


Is it pretend?
Wondering if it's all just a fantasy


Can you feel the difference?
Asking if there's any discernible contrast between reality and fantasy


What's a difference?
Implying that there may be no difference between reality and fantasy


Is it darkness for give up your mind?
Asking if succumbing to darkness means losing one's mind


Makin you believe that you're wasting your time
Suggesting that giving up and giving in to darkness is a waste of time and leads to despair


You're not wasting your time
Encouraging the listener to not give up and to not waste their time on despair


In a world of happy endings
A portrayal of a world where everything turns out well in the end


In a world where everything turns on right
A universe where everything is going according to plan


It turns on right.
Affirming that everything is going smoothly


In a world where good always wins
Depicting a world where good triumphs over evil


Have you been waiting all of your life?
Asking if the listener has been waiting for someone else to come and save them


But someone else to come and put up a find feel
Imagining the scenario where someone comes and rescues the listener, putting up a 'find feel'


For someone to find feel
Elaborating on the idea of being rescued or saved by someone else


Maybe it's your turn to save yourself
Suggesting that the listener can take charge and save themselves instead of waiting for someone else


To turn that story around
Encouraging the listener to change the narrative, to rethink their situation and take control


It save everyone else
Implying that taking action and saving oneself can spare others from the struggle as well


You go from zero to hero
Implying that the listener can turn around their life and become a hero of their own story


Maybe a kiss won't break the curse
Asking if true love's kiss will be enough to solve the problem


Magic might only make it worth
Suggesting that even if magic exists, it still may not be enough to solve the problem


But if you've got nothing to believin
If there's nothing else to believe in


Just put your faith and the unknown
Encouraging the listener to have faith in the unseen or unknown


And if your heart is found a home
If the listener feels at home and in their element


Even if it is beyond our reason
Even if it defies logic or reason


And you find yourself
If the listener finds themself in this situation




Contributed by Emma P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions