When My Love Crosses Over
John Hiatt Lyrics


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Made a pact
Lying there on our backs
Swearing to every star that the sky did hold
Promising our love was true
Promising to see it through
Then we headed due southwest across the Muscle Shoals

We slid down a riverbank in the pouring rain
Giving thanks for the strength just to carry on through the fog and the cold
There at the water's edge
She tugged my arm, and I nodded my head
Just one more step, and that river took ahold

When my love crosses over, I'm coming over, too
To cross that mighty river that's before us to the new western world
Mountains high and plain unfurled
Desert stretching out to touch the Californias

We said we'd never look back
We never have, and that's a fact
That Mississippi washed us clean down to the bone
The journey's been long, my friend
Hell, you never know what state you're in
Yeah, but the unknown is always the unknown

I lost track of you awhile
But you were waiting for me with a smile
Made me feel like a little child with a brand-new view
Let's do it all over, babe




It'd just be another trip we made
When my love crosses over, I'm coming too

Overall Meaning

The song "When My Love Crosses Over" tells the story of a couple making a pact to stick together and cross the "mighty river...to the new western world" no matter what obstacles they may face. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of their journey, complete with sliding down riverbanks in rainstorms, traveling through deserts to reach the Californias, and ultimately, the unknown. Through it all, the couple never looks back and remains committed to each other.


The opening lines of the song suggest a sense of certainty and conviction as the couple makes their pact beneath the stars. The imagery of promising their love was true and swearing to every star that the sky did hold conveys a sense of intense commitment and passion for each other. This is reinforced by the lines promising to see it through.


As the couple makes their journey, the lyrics convey a sense of adventure and excitement, but also the challenges and uncertainties of travel. The pouring rain, fog, and cold are just some of the obstacles they face. Nevertheless, the couple bravely pushes on, never looking back, and seeing the journey through to the end.


The final lines of the song suggest a sense of reunion and renewal, as the singer is reunited with his beloved and feels like a "little child with a brand-new view." The song's message is one of love and commitment, encouraging listeners to stick together and see each other through life's challenges.


Line by Line Meaning

Made a pact
We made a promise to each other.


Lying there on our backs
We were lying down next to each other.


Swearing to every star that the sky did hold
We promised to each other and affirmed our love by looking up at the stars.


Promising our love was true
We vowed that our love was genuine.


Promising to see it through
We committed to staying together through thick and thin.


Then we headed due southwest across the Muscle Shoals
We began our journey and headed southwest across the Muscle Shoals.


We slid down a riverbank in the pouring rain
We went down the riverbank on a rainy day.


Giving thanks for the strength just to carry on through the fog and the cold
We were grateful for the strength to get through the challenges of the journey.


There at the water's edge
We were at the edge of the water.


She tugged my arm, and I nodded my head
My love pulled my arm, and I agreed with her.


Just one more step, and that river took ahold
We took one more step, and the river was too strong for us to handle.


When my love crosses over, I'm coming over, too
If my love moves on, I will go with her.


To cross that mighty river that's before us to the new western world
We had to cross a powerful river to reach the new western world.


Mountains high and plain unfurled
We saw mountains and wide plains.


Desert stretching out to touch the Californias
We traveled through the desert and reached California.


We said we'd never look back
We promised to move forward and not look back.


We never have, and that's a fact
We kept our promise and never looked back.


That Mississippi washed us clean down to the bone
The journey changed us completely.


The journey's been long, my friend
We have been on a very long journey.


Hell, you never know what state you're in
It was challenging to know where we were on the journey.


Yeah, but the unknown is always the unknown
We knew we could never predict what would happen next.


I lost track of you awhile
I was separated from you for some time.


But you were waiting for me with a smile
You welcomed me back with a smile.


Made me feel like a little child with a brand-new view
You made me feel young and gave me a new perspective on life.


Let's do it all over, babe
Let's start over again.


It'd just be another trip we made
It would be just another adventure that we went on together.


When my love crosses over, I'm coming too
No matter what, I will always be there for my love.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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