Don't Think Twice It's Alright
Jesse Daniel Smith Lyrics
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If you don't know by now
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
Cuz' It'll never do anyhow
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
But don't think twice, it's all right
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road.
But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and make me stay
But we never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right.
So long, honey bee
Where I'm bound, You know I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, babe
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right
Jesse Daniel Smith's song "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" is a poignant tune that speaks to the inevitability of circumstance and the challenges of relationships. The song is an expression of heartache and acceptance as the singer seems to be leaving a lover behind. The opening verse sets the tone of the song, indicating that there is no point in pondering over why he's leaving. The lack of communication is highlighted when the singer remarks that they never talked too much anyway.
The second verse mentions the "dark side of the road," which could be interpreted as the path of life the singer is forced to go down. The lines "I wish there was somethin' you would do or say / To try and make me change my mind and make me stay" suggest that the singer is somewhat conflicted over his decision. He's hoping to be persuaded to stay, but he also knows that some things just can't be changed.
The song ends with a sense of finality, "So long, honey bee / Where I'm bound, You know I can't tell / But goodbye's too good a word, babe / So I'll just say fare thee well." The character acknowledges that the relationship may not have been perfect, but no one was particularly wrong either. They just didn't have much to say to each other, and maybe that's okay. The song beautifully encapsulates the complexities of relationships and shows that sometimes it's best to simply let go.
Line by Line Meaning
It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
There's no point in pondering why things went the way they did, since you should know by now.
If you don't know by now
There's no use in trying to figure out the reason behind our past circumstances and what happened between us.
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
There's no point in dwelling on the past as it won't change the present situation.
Cuz' It'll never do anyhow
Thinking about what could have been or should have been won't change the fact that we have to go our separate ways now.
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
At the earliest moment possible, I'll be leaving.
Look out your window and I'll be gone
When you wake up or finally realize I am gone, you'll find that I've left.
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
The reason why I'm leaving is because of you and the situation we've been in.
But don't think twice, it's all right
Don't feel guilty or regretful for the way events unfolded. All is well now.
It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
There's no point in turning on your lamp or lightswitch so that I could see in the dark.
That light I never knowed
I never needed or cared to know the layout of your home or to see it in the light.
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
You cannot shed a light on our past, tarnished relationship, and expect to benefit or change the outcome.
I'm on the dark side of the road.
I am committed to moving forward, down an unexpected and unfamiliar path, without knowing what lies ahead.
But I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
I would like it if there was something that you could say to keep me from leaving.
To try and make me change my mind and make me stay
Your words could make me reconsider leaving and change my decision to stay here.
But we never did too much talkin' anyway
Our lack of effective communication contributed to our current situation, but this late in the game, it's too late to fix things.
So don't think twice, it's all right.
Don't be too hard on yourself or keep dwelling on our failed relationship. Everything will eventually work out the way it was meant to be.
So long, honey bee
Farewell, my dear.
Where I'm bound, You know I can't tell
I don't know where fate will take me next, so I cannot tell you where I am going.
But goodbye's too good a word, babe
Saying goodbye is too final and formal a way of ending things.
So I'll just say fare thee well
I'll simply bid you farewell and hope for the best in our futures.
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
I'm not saying you didn't treat me well or with kindness.
You could have done better but I don't mind
Although there were times when you could have made better choices, I don't hold it against you.
You just kinda wasted my precious time
Overall, our relationship didn't lead anywhere productive or fulfilling, and I consider my time in it valuable yet wasted.
But don't think twice, it's all right
Despite our shortcomings, don't feel guilty or regretful for anything that happened between us.
Contributed by Kylie N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.