Where I Wanna Be
John Schlitt Lyrics
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Are some things we need to mend
With something more than clever words and alibis
While some have tried with all their might
To take the wrongs and make them right
Without Love it can never change
And every time we try will only be in vain
(chorus)
If love could set the world on fire
What would it burn away
What would remain
Would it build a bridge between us?
If love would rain for 40 days
Would it wash away the pain
Of bitter days and all the lies that came between us?
And conquer all the fears in me
That's where I wanna be
And now we're here at river's edge
We knew we'd be back here again
Face to face with all the demons in our past
And if we lay down all our pride
We can reach the other side
And watch the future come alive
And light a flame to all our hopes and dreams inside
(repeat chorus)
(bridge)
'Cause Love can do no wrong
And Love will find a way
Just when you think your world is falling down
Love is the one thing that remains
(repeat chorus)
The lyrics of John Schlitt's song "Where I Wanna Be" describe the idea that only love can conquer the world's problems and that without it, we are doomed to fail. The opening lines state that there are things that need to be mended behind an old white picket fence, but only something more than "clever words and alibis" will suffice. The lyrics suggest that people have tried to fix things with all their might, but without love, their efforts are in vain.
The chorus continues with the idea that love has the power to set the world on fire, burning away everything that needs to be let go of. It asks what would remain after this burning away, and builds on the metaphor of a bridge between people that love could create. The lyrics suggest that if it rained love for forty days, it would wash away all the pain and bitterness that had arisen between people. The chorus ends acknowledging that love can conquer all fears, and that this is where the singer wants to be.
The bridge further expands on the idea that love can do no wrong, and that it will find a way even when everything else appears to be falling apart. The song ends by repeating the chorus, affirming that love can set the world on fire, and that this is where the singer wants to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Behind this old white picket fence
There are hidden problems behind the picture-perfect exterior of our lives.
Are some things we need to mend
We need to fix some things that are broken in our lives.
With something more than clever words and alibis
We need to take action with sincere intentions, not just make empty promises.
While some have tried with all their might
Many people have attempted to fix their problems with great effort.
To take the wrongs and make them right
They try to correct the wrongs and make things right.
Without Love it can never change
However, without love, their efforts will be futile and ineffective.
And every time we try will only be in vain
They will continue to fail unless they approach the issues with love.
If love could set the world on fire
Love has the power to ignite change in the world.
What would it burn away
It would burn away our hatred, anger, and selfishness.
What would remain
Only the positive aspects of humanity would remain.
Would it build a bridge between us?
Love can bridge the divides between people.
If love would rain for 40 days
If love was poured out abundantly for a long time,
Would it wash away the pain
It could wash away all of the hurt and heartache.
Of bitter days and all the lies that came between us?
The bad experiences and lies that caused division in the past.
And conquer all the fears in me
Love can overcome our personal fears and insecurities.
That's where I wanna be
This is where I want to be emotionally and spiritually.
And now we're here at river's edge
We find ourselves in a difficult situation.
We knew we'd be back here again
We expected to face these struggles again in the future.
Face to face with all the demons in our past
We must confront the issues that have plagued us in the past.
And if we lay down all our pride
We need to let go of our egos and be humble.
We can reach the other side
We can overcome our problems and move forward.
And watch the future come alive
We can experience a new life and hope for the future.
And light a flame to all our hopes and dreams inside
We can rekindle our passions and pursue our aspirations.
'Cause Love can do no wrong
Love is a powerful and positive force.
And Love will find a way
Love will always find a way to overcome obstacles and bring people together.
Just when you think your world is falling down
Even when things are at their worst,
Love is the one thing that remains
Love is the constant that can help us get through anything.
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.