Just Once
Ingram James Lyrics
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But I guess my best wasn't good enough
Cause here we are
Back where we were before
Seems nothin' ever changes
We're back to being strangers
Wondering if we ought to stay
Or head on out the door
Just once
Can't we figure out what we keep doin' wrong
Why we never last for very long
What are we doin' wrong
Just once
Can't we find a way to finally make it right
To make the magic last for more than just one night
If we could just get to it
I know we could break through it
(Hmm hmm)
I gave my all
But I think my all may have been too much
Cause Lord knows we're not gettin' anywhere
Seems we're always blowin'
Whatever we've got goin'
And it seems at times with all we've got
We haven't got a prayer
Just once
Can't we figure out what we keep doin' wrong
Why the good times never last for long
Where are we goin' wrong
Just once
Can't we find a way to finally make it right
To make the magic last for more than just one night
I know we could break through it
If we could just get to it
Just once
I want to understand
Why it always comes back to goodbye
Why
Can't we get ourselves in hand
And admit to one another
We're no good without each other
Take the best and make it better
Find a way to stay together
Just once
Can't we find a way to finally make it right
Make the magic last for more than just one night
I know we could break through it
If we could just get to it
Just once
Whoa oh, we can get to it
Just once
The song "Just Once" by James Ingram speaks of a couple who can never seem to quite make it work. The singer expresses their frustration at constantly finding themselves back where they started, wondering if they should stay or go. The chorus is a plea to figure out what they are doing wrong and to make the magic last for more than just one night. They ask to understand why it always ends in goodbye, and to find a way to stay together.
The lyrics convey a deep sense of longing for an end to the pattern of failed relationships. The singer bemoans the fact that despite giving their all to the relationship, they seem to be getting nowhere. They express their desire to understand what keeps going wrong and to find a solution that will last. This repeated refrain shows the singer's desperation, but also their resilience in continuing to try.
Overall, "Just Once" is a song about the struggles and difficulties of love, but also about the hope and determination to make it work in the end. It speaks to the universal experience of wanting something to last, even when it seems impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
I did my best
I tried my hardest
But I guess my best wasn't good enough
But unfortunately, my best wasn't sufficient
Cause here we are
As a result, we're in this situation
Back where we were before
In the same place we were in previously
Seems nothin' ever changes
It appears that nothing ever gets better
We're back to being strangers
We've become strangers once again
Wondering if we ought to stay
Questioning if we should continue like this
Or head on out the door
Or just leave each other
Can't we figure out what we keep doin' wrong
Can't we discover what we're doing incorrectly
Why we never last for very long
Why we can't maintain our relationship for an extended period
What are we doin' wrong
What are we doing incorrectly
Can't we find a way to finally make it right
Can't we discover a method to make it work properly
To make the magic last for more than just one night
To keep the allure alive for something more than a brief period
If we could just get to it
If we could only attain it
I know we could break through it
I believe we could overcome this obstacle
I gave my all
I genuinely put in all of my effort
But I think my all may have been too much
However, I believe my effort may have been excessive
Cause Lord knows we're not gettin' anywhere
Because, God knows, we're not making any progress
Seems we're always blowin'
It appears that we're continually wasting
Whatever we've got goin'
Whatever we've managed to build
And it seems at times with all we've got
At times, it appears we've tried everything we can
We haven't got a prayer
We have no chance of succeeding
Just once
If only once
Where are we goin' wrong
Where are we making mistakes
Why the good times never last for long
Why the happy moments can't last for an extended period
I want to understand
I desire understanding
Why it always comes back to goodbye
Why it constantly ends with saying goodbye
Why
For what reason
Can't we get ourselves in hand
Can't we get our act together
And admit to one another
And acknowledge to each other
We're no good without each other
We aren't valuable without one another
Take the best and make it better
Take the best aspects and improve upon them
Find a way to stay together
Discover a method to remain together
Whoa oh, we can get to it
We can accomplish it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind