John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky is an… Read Full Bio ↴John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" (1994) and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" (1995).

Besides these two songs, five more of Montgomery's singles have reached the top of the country charts: "I Love the Way You Love Me", "Be My Baby Tonight", "If You've Got Love", "I Can Love You Like That", and "The Little Girl", while thirteen more have reached Top Ten. Montgomery's recordings of "I Swear" and "I Can Love You Like That" were both released concurrently with R&B versions by the group All-4-One. Montgomery has also released eleven studio albums, counting a Christmas album.

John Michael joined the family band (which also included his brother, Eddie Montgomery, who would later join Troy Gentry in the duo Montgomery Gentry) as guitarist before taking the lead singing role when his parents divorced. Afterwards, he made a frugal living on the local honky-tonk scene as a solo artist playing what he referred to as "working man's country." Eventually, Atlantic Records signed him.

One Day Less
John Michael Montgomery Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Happy Anniversary, baby
The years are rushing by us
You are more beautiful today
Than when we walked down the aisle

And I'm no good at this
But what I'm trying to say is
Having you stand beside me

Has made my life worthwhile

One true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be

To have someone to love you
That's true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less

There were times when we scraped by
A year or two and it was rough
But I love you more for what we went through
You never stopped believing in us

And I know I'm one of the lucky ones
I couldn't ask for anything more
'Cause you can have all the money you'll ever need
And spend your life looking for

One true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be

To have someone to love you
Now that's true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less

I couldn't live without you
If I had to be alone
But I'll be waiting on the other side
When you find your way home

To your one true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be

To have someone to love you
That's true happiness

May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less

Overall Meaning

The song "One Day Less" by John Michael Montgomery is a tribute to the enduring love between a couple who are celebrating their anniversary. The song honors the ups and downs of a long-lasting relationship, underscoring how its challenges make it even stronger. The lyrics speak of an enduring love that transcends time and age, stressing the worth of true happiness.

The opening part of the song sets the tone for the rest of the tune. It talks about rushing years and how the wife has become more beautiful with time. The husband acknowledges his shortcomings in expressing his feelings, but he emphasizes how having his wife beside him has made his life more meaningful. Later in the song, he emphasizes the wife's unwavering support, faith, and trust. Their relationship has not always been rosy, but they have held on to each other through the thick and thin.

John Michael Montgomery's "One Day Less" is an emotional ode to a long-lasting marriage, appreciating the little things that make relationships special. It celebrates the joy of enduring love, acknowledging that true happiness comes with having someone to love unconditionally, even in old age.

Line by Line Meaning

Happy Anniversary, baby
Celebrating the anniversary of the relationship

The years are rushing by us
Time is flying past quickly

You are more beautiful today
Appreciating the partner's appearance over time

Than when we walked down the aisle
Compared to the wedding day

And I'm no good at this
Not good at expressing emotions

But what I'm trying to say is
Struggling to communicate feelings

Having you stand beside me
Thankful for the partner's presence in life

Has made my life worthwhile
Partner has made life meaningful

One true friend
The partner is a loyal friend

Is what you've always been to me
Partner has always been faithful

To have someone to love you
Being loved by someone is a source of happiness

That's true happiness
Authentic happiness revolves around love

May you live to be a 100
Hoping that the partner has a long life

May I live one day less
Feeling that life would be meaningless without the partner

There were times when we scraped by
Periods of financial difficulty in the relationship

A year or two and it was rough
Experiencing tough times in the relationship

But I love you more for what we went through
Admiring the partner's resilience and loyalty through tough times

You never stopped believing in us
Partner always remained faithful and optimistic about the relationship

And I know I'm one of the lucky ones
Feeling grateful for the relationship

I couldn't ask for anything more
Satisfied with the relationship

Cause you can have all the money you'll ever need
Realizing that money can't buy happiness

And spend your life looking for
People can spend their lives searching for happiness

I couldn't live without you
Partner is an essential part of life

If I had to be alone
Cannot imagine life without the partner

But I'll be waiting on the other side
Believing in the partner's afterlife

When you find your way home
Partner will be reunited with in the afterlife

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOUGLAS, TOM / LYNCH, STAN / LEO, JOSH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

Elaine Clark

My parents danced to this at their 50th wedding anniversary. They love the words. Happy Anniversary, baby
The years are rushing by us
You are more beautiful today
Than when we walked down the aisle
And I'm no good at this
But what I'm trying to say is
Having you stand beside me
Has made my life worthwhile
One true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be
To have someone to love you
That's true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less
There were times when we scraped by
A year or two and it was rough
But I love you more for what we went through
You never stopped believing in us
And I know I'm one of the lucky ones
I couldn't ask for anything more
'Cause you can have all the money you'll ever need
And spend your life looking for

One true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be
To have someone to love you
Now that's true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less
I couldn't live without you
If I had to be alone
But I'll be waiting on the other side
When you find your way home
To your one true friend
Is what you've always been to me
One true friend
Is what I always wanna be
To have someone to love you
That's true happiness
May you live to be a 100
May I live one day less