Jimmy Webb is responsible for writing numerous popular and Top 10 hits sung by a disparate group of artists, including Glen Campbell ("Galveston"); Art Garfunkel ("All I Know"); Donna Summer and many others.
Webb's father was a Baptist minister and a former Marine. His mother died when he was a teenager. His most popular songs were all composed when he was between 19 and 21 years of age.
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century.
He is noted for having written songs that were hits in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and is the only person to receive Grammy Awards in all three categories: music, lyrics and orchestration. Webb has also written the music for the animated film The Last Unicorn.
Webb is also a performer of his own music, although his solo output has never matched the commercial success of recordings of his work by other performers.
He was elected to the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986.
It Won't Bring Her Back
Jimmy Webb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looks like you need a friend So I will volunteer
Looks like you’re in a world of trouble Only one thing it could be
Ya’ gotta get a grip on it mister This is not the remedy and
It won’t bring her back And it won’t stop the pain
And it won’t make you feel any better soon
Keep drinkin’ that old Jack You’re gonna end up under a train
But it won’t bring your baby back It won’ t bring her back
You know it’s no disgrace To try and save some face
I did that very thing When I was in your place
I’m speakin’ from experience I knew the lady first
It’s hard work forgettin’ baby You can work up quite a thirst but
Drinkin’ is the worst
It won’t bring her back To go out rasin’ Cain
And you won’t find the answer in a cigarette
You can smoke the whole damn pack Create a never ending chain
You can buy yourself a heart attack but it won’t bring your baby back
It won’t bring her back
It won’t bring her back To drive yourself insane
She’s already busy with some other fool
Why don’t you cut yourself some slack Cause the truth is all in vain
You can carry on like a maniac But it won’t bring your baby back
It won’t bring your baby back It won’t bring your baby back
The lyrics to Jimmy Webb's song It Won't Bring Her Back are a warning to a man who is drowning in sorrow after losing his lover. The singer of the song is trying to offer his friendship and advice to the man, assuring him that although his pain is real, drinking and indulging in self-destructive behavior won't make him feel any better or bring his lover back. The song expresses that the loss of a loved one can be overwhelming, and coping with grief is a process that requires more than just numbing the pain with alcohol and cigarettes.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has experienced loss himself and is speaking from the perspective of someone who has gone through the same pain. He tries to encourage the man to face his grief and find a healthier way to process his emotions. He advises him not to go out and cause trouble or try to forget his lover through drinking, smoking, or reckless behavior. He encourages the man to take care of himself, understand that his lover is gone and won't be coming back, and eventually move on.
Overall, the song It Won't Bring Her Back is a poignant reminder that grief is a universal experience and that it's important to support each other during these times. It encourages people to look for healthy ways to cope with their emotions and to avoid turning to destructive behaviors to numb the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
What ya’ doin’ sittin’ here With closin’ time so near
As closing time approaches, why are you still sitting here? Looks like you could use a friend, so I offer to be that friend.
Looks like you’re in a world of trouble Only one thing it could be
It looks like you're going through a tough time, and there's only one thing that could be causing it.
Ya’ gotta get a grip on it mister This is not the remedy
You need to take control of your situation because your current actions are not helping you.
and It won’t bring her back And it won’t stop the pain
No matter what you do, it won't bring her back, and it won't ease your pain.
And it won’t make you feel any better soon Keep drinkin’ that old Jack
Drinking that Jack Daniels won't make you feel better anytime soon.
You’re gonna end up under a train You can lay down on the railroad track
If you keep drinking, you might harm yourself or worse, and even lying down on the tracks won't bring her back.
But it won’t bring your baby back It won’ t bring her back
No matter what you do, it won't bring her back.
You know it’s no disgrace To try and save some face
Trying to preserve your dignity in this situation is not a bad thing.
I did that very thing When I was in your place
I can relate to what you're going through because I've been there.
I’m speakin’ from experience I knew the lady first
I have experience in this matter, and I was also familiar with the person involved.
It’s hard work forgettin’ baby You can work up quite a thirst but Drinkin’ is the worst
It's challenging to forget someone you care about, but using alcohol to numb the pain is not the solution.
It won’t bring her back To go out rasin’ Cain
Acting out in destructive ways won't bring her back.
And you won’t find the answer in a cigarette
Smoking won't solve your problems either.
You can smoke the whole damn pack Create a never ending chain
You could smoke all day long, but it won't change the situation.
You can buy yourself a heart attack but it won’t bring your baby back
You might harm yourself in the process, but it won't change anything regarding the person you lost.
It won’t bring her back To drive yourself insane
Going crazy over the loss won't bring her back either.
She’s already busy with some other fool Why don’t you cut yourself some slack
The person you lost has moved on, so why don't you give yourself a break?
Cause the truth is all in vain You can carry on like a maniac
The truth won't change anything, and acting out won't solve the issue.
But it won’t bring your baby back It won’t bring your baby back
No matter what you do, it won't bring her back.
Contributed by Leah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.