One Too Many Mornings
Johnny Cash Lyrics


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Down the street the dogs are barkin'
And the day is a-gettin' dark
As the night comes in a-fallin'
The dogs'll lose their bark
An' the silent night will shatter
From the sounds inside my mind
Yes, I'm one too many mornings
And a thousand miles behind

From the crossroads of my doorstep
My eyes they start to fade
And I turn my head back to the room
Where my love and I have laid
An' I gaze back to the street
The sidewalk and the sign
And I'm one too many mornings
An' a thousand miles behind

It's a restless hungry feeling
That don't mean no one no good
When everything I'm a-sayin'
You can say it just as good
You're right from your side
I'm right from mine




We're both just one too many mornings
An' a thousand miles behind

Overall Meaning

One Too Many Mornings is a song performed by Johnny Cash and The Avett Brothers. The song is a cover of Bob Dylan's original version. The lyrics speak of a man who is feeling lost and is struggling to reconcile with the end of a relationship. It is a haunting and melancholic song, with each verse holding a deeper meaning.


The first verse of the song sets the scene, where the dogs are barking and the darkness is setting in. It further speaks of the man's inner turmoil and the sounds inside his mind. The silence of the night only adds to his internal chaos, and he finds himself a thousand miles behind.


In the second verse, the man turns his gaze back to the room where he and his love have laid. He looks back at the street, the sidewalk, and the sign. He is living in the past and is unable to move forward. He is one too many mornings and a thousand miles behind.


The song's final verse is perhaps the most poignant of all. It speaks of the restless, hungry feeling that the man has, which doesn't do anyone any good. It is a feeling that comes from within and cannot be reconciled. He and his love are both right from their perspectives, but they are both stuck in their past. They are both one too many mornings and a thousand miles behind.


Line by Line Meaning

Down the street the dogs are barkin'
The night is getting late, and the dogs are barking in the distance.


And the day is a-gettin' dark
The sun is setting, and the sky is transitioning from light to dark.


As the night comes in a-fallin'
The night is arriving and darkness is settling in.


The dogs'll lose their bark
As the night gets darker, the dogs will stop barking.


An' the silent night will shatter
The quietness of the night will be disrupted by the sounds in the singer's mind.


From the sounds inside my mind
The singer's mind is noisy and chaotic with different thoughts and emotions.


Yes, I'm one too many mornings
The singer has experienced too many days that started in a similar way, and they are tired of it.


And a thousand miles behind
The singer feels like they are very far behind in life.


From the crossroads of my doorstep
The singer is standing at the threshold, trying to decide which direction to take.


My eyes they start to fade
The singer's vision begins to blur, perhaps due to tears or weariness.


And I turn my head back to the room
The singer looks back at the place where they were before stepping out.


Where my love and I have laid
The singer reminisces about the moments spent with their partner in that room.


An' I gaze back to the street
The singer looks out towards the street.


The sidewalk and the sign
The singer sees the sidewalk and a signpost with directions.


And I'm one too many mornings
The singer feels overwhelmed with the number of mornings and experiences they have gone through.


An' a thousand miles behind
The singer feels as if they have not made much progress in their journey of life.


It's a restless hungry feeling
The singer is not at peace and feels anxious.


That don't mean no one no good
The anxiety and restlessness cannot bring any good outcomes to anyone.


When everything I'm a-sayin'
The singer feels like their words are meaningless and cannot change anything.


You can say it just as good
The singer feels like anyone else can speak the same things as they do, with equal impact.


You're right from your side
The singer acknowledges that there are different perspectives and views about a situation.


I'm right from mine
The singer believes that their own perspective is also valid and correct.


We're both just one too many mornings
Neither the singer nor the other person feels content with their experiences so far.


An' a thousand miles behind
Both the singer and the other person feel like they have not made much progress in life.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@mikhailtyulenev4223

Down the street the dogs are barkin'
And the day is a-gettin' dark.
As the night comes in a-fallin',
The dogs 'll lose their bark.
An' the silent night will shatter
From the sounds inside my mind,
For I'm one too many mornings
And a thousand miles behind.

From the crossroads of my doorstep,
My eyes they start to fade,
As I turn my head back to the room
Where my love and I have laid.
An' I gaze back to the street,
The sidewalk and the sign,
And I'm one too many mornings
An' a thousand miles behind.

It's a restless hungry feeling
That don't mean no one no good,
When ev'rything I'm a-sayin'
You can say it just as good.
You're right from your side,
I'm right from mine.
We're both just too many mornings
An' a thousand miles behind



All comments from YouTube:

@sommmeguy

I miss the days when the music was more important than the egos.

@seamuswarren

The power in Cash’s voice is biblical.

@Bostonceltic1998

well said

@andymell4515

Estilo voz de Deus ou algum profeta muito poderoso

@adamfindlay7091

You said it
. Wouldn't want to follow that cat at any stage. 1 only.

@bongoking5850

When we hear thunder I say to my kids “that’s Cash up there singing again”

@skygazer6898

I love Johnny's voice. Two legends together, it don't get better than this

@corneliadenninger5395

** doesn't **

@angieneal7070

absolutely legends

@billlyjackbitch

Two of the greatest songwriters/storytellers there has ever been.

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