Tip of My Tongue
Hiatt John Lyrics

An empty house
The lack of love or communication between the singer and their partner, now separated.

Is the only thing standin'
The only physical reminder of their relationship.

Between our lives
The two separate lives of the former couple.

And the speed of sound
The rapidity with which everything has fallen apart, despite the artist's attempts to hold on.

Some words flew out
The artist's careless and impulsive verbal actions.

And made a crash landin'
The devastating impact of the singer's words on their relationship.

No love survived
The ultimate destruction of the love that once existed between them.

Not a trace could be found
The complete absence of any remaining love or connection between the artist and their former partner.

I broke your heart
The artist's realization that they have caused their partner great emotional harm.

With the back of my mind
The artist's actions were not deliberate or premeditated, but rather thoughtless and careless.

From the tip of my tongue
The singer's hurtful words, which came out without consideration or thought.

To the end of the line
The ultimate result of the artist's actions, which has ended their relationship.

I walked away
The singer's decision to end the relationship, however unwillingly.

And you stood there tremblin'
The emotional vulnerability of the singer's former partner, who remains in a state of shock and heartbreak.

Like a leaf
The frailty and fragility of the singer's former partner's emotional state.

In the autumn chill
The time of year in which the relationship ended, characterized by loss and decay.

Now this house won't say no
The artist's former home, which remains as a symbol of their love but no longer offers any comfort.

What I'm still rememberin'
The singer's lingering memories of their relationship, and the regret that they feel for their actions.

Three angry words
The few thoughtless words that ended their relationship.

And a love that they killed
The loss of a once-great love, now destroyed by the artist's actions.

You couldn't say how much it hurt you
The depth of pain that the artist's partner is experiencing, which they are unable to fully articulate.

And I couldn't see the damage I'd done
The artist's ignorance of the harm that their words had caused their partner.

Till I watched the greatest love I've known
The realization of the magnitude of the love that the singer has lost.

All come down to a slip of the tongue
The small, careless action that caused the destruction of their relationship.

Well, I'd take it back
The singer's regret and desire to undo their words and actions.

But time won't let me
The inevitability of time passing, and the inability to undo past actions.

No, time just takes
The gradual slipping away of what once was, and the inability to hold onto it.

You further away
The increasing emotional distance between the artist and their partner.

I watched you pack
The artist's heartbreak at watching their partner leave.

A house full of memories
The physical space that the singer and their partner shared, and the emotional memories that fill it.

Where did you go
The singer's confusion and distress at the loss of their relationship.

Lord, what did I say?
The artist's realization that their thoughtless words were the cause of their heartbreak.