JIm Lauderdale is a Nashville showman in the grand tradition. He's also one… Read Full Bio ↴JIm Lauderdale is a Nashville showman in the grand tradition. He's also one of the city's finest songwriters, as the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, Mark Chestnut, Vince Gill and George Strait will be glad to attest. Beyond Music Row, Lauderdale is well known in bluegrass and jamband circles. He recorded two albums with the legendary Ralph Stanley, one with Donna the Buffalo and he collaborated with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter on Headed for the Hills, his 2004 release on Dualtone Records.

I Will Wait for You
Jim Lauderdale Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been waiting by the way
Chill of night and heat of day
I can't even count the hours
Wasted in these ivory tower

When in doubt and deep despair
Call for me, I will be there
If I cannot come myself

Please, don't call on no one else

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

Blood red birds sing in the sky
Sun is spinning, my oh my
Stuck up on this barren hill
Pray for rain, it never will

I will tell you once again
Case you didn't hear before
You won't find a better ride
No one else will love you more

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

If how I love you is a crime
I will gladly do my time
Count the days until parole
With silver chalk marks on my soul

I will wait on burning sand
Wade to you through rivers and
Make your every dream come true
If that is given me to do

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

Seven horses dressed in gray
Come to bear my heart away
Nothing ventured, nothing lost
I would rather pay the cost

Set my reason on the line
Wreck my health and lose my mind
Grit my teeth, ignore the pain
Smile at loss and count it gain

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

When I first saw you long ago
There was nothing else to know
I was yours, you were mine
Whatever else came down the line

Once upon a wintertime
Sun broke through the clouds to shine
Summers come and summers go
Can't say where but this I know

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

I will wait for you in the morning
I will wait for you in the dawn
I will wait for you, my darling

I will wait for you 'till I'm gone
I will wait for you 'till I'm gone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jim Lauderdale's song "I Will Wait For You" are about unwavering devotion and commitment to a loved one. The singer of the song has been waiting for a long time, through good times and bad, and has never given up hope that their beloved will return. They express their unwavering commitment by promising to wait for their love in the morning, in the dawn, and until they are gone.

The lyrics also contain a sense of longing and despair. The singer describes waiting through both the chill of night and the heat of day, suggesting that the waiting has been both endless and grueling. They are stuck in an "ivory tower" and "barren hill," symbolizing their isolation and loneliness. Even so, they promise to wait, no matter what, and to love their partner more than anyone else could.

In the final verse, the singer declares that they were always meant to be with their partner. They knew it from the moment they saw them, and nothing could change that. They are willing to endure any hardship, even if it means sacrificing their own health and sanity, in order to wait for their love.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been waiting by the way
I have spent a lot of time in the same place, waiting for something to happen

Chill of night and heat of day
I have been waiting in all types of weather and at all times of day

I can't even count the hours
I have been waiting for so long that I have lost track of the time

Wasted in these ivory tower
I have been waiting in a place of isolation and privilege, but it has been unproductive

When in doubt and deep despair
If you ever feel uncertain or troubled

Call for me, I will be there
Reach out to me and I will be there to help

If I cannot come myself
If I am unable to come to you physically

Please, don't call on no one else
Do not seek help from anyone else, as I want to be the one to help you

Blood red birds sing in the sky
The world is alive and vibrant, but also bloody and harsh

Sun is spinning, my oh my
The world is constantly changing and full of surprises

Stuck up on this barren hill
I am trapped in a difficult situation with no way out

Pray for rain, it never will
I am hoping for a solution that will never come

I will tell you once again
I want to remind you

Case you didn't hear before
In case you missed my earlier message

You won't find a better ride
I am the best option for you

No one else will love you more
I love you more than anyone else ever could

If how I love you is a crime
If loving you is considered wrong

I will gladly do my time
I am willing to accept the consequences of my love for you

Count the days until parole
I will wait patiently for my release from the consequences of my love

With silver chalk marks on my soul
My love for you has left a permanent mark on my being

I will wait on burning sand
I am willing to endure great hardships and pain for you

Wade to you through rivers and
I am willing to overcome any obstacles to be with you

Make your every dream come true
I want to make all of your hopes and aspirations a reality

Seven horses dressed in gray
A symbol of death and mourning, representing my willingness to sacrifice everything for you

Come to bear my heart away
I am willing to give you everything, even if it means losing a part of myself

Nothing ventured, nothing lost
If I take a risk, I could either gain or lose something

I would rather pay the cost
I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions

Set my reason on the line
I am willing to give up my logic and rationality for the sake of love

Wreck my health and lose my mind
I am willing to compromise my well-being and sanity for you

Grit my teeth, ignore the pain
I will endure immense pain and discomfort for you

Smile at loss and count it gain
Even if I lose everything, I will still be happy because of my love for you

When I first saw you long ago
From the moment I first saw you

There was nothing else to know
I knew that I loved you instantly

I was yours, you were mine
We belonged to each other from the beginning of our love story

Whatever else came down the line
Regardless of what obstacles we faced in our relationship

Once upon a wintertime
In the past, during a cold and difficult time

Sun broke through the clouds to shine
Despite the challenges we faced, there were occasions of happiness and brightness

Summers come and summers go
Time passes quickly, and seasons change rapidly

Can't say where but this I know
I cannot predict the future, but I know that I will always love you

I will wait for you in the morning
I will be here for you when you wake up

I will wait for you in the dawn
I will be here for you when the day begins

I will wait for you, my darling
I will wait for you, because you are precious to me

I will wait for you 'till I'm gone
I will be here for you as long as I am able to

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT C. HUNTER, JIM LAUDERDALE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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