Here I Stand
Justin Hinds; The Dominoes Lyrics

The lyrics of Justin Hinds & The Dominoes’s song Here I Stand narrate the conflict between love and unrequited feelings. The first two lines, “I need your love so badly, I love you, oh, so madly” set the tone of a love-struck individual who is head over heels in love. However, the following line: “But I don't stand a ghost of a chance with you!” reveals this person’s awareness of the harsh reality that their feelings are not reciprocated and that they have very little, if any, chance of winning over the person they love. The subsequent lines, “I thought at last I'd found you, but other lovers surround you” emphasize this feeling of defeat as they feel as if they’ve lost the competition for their love interest’s affection.

The pre-chorus that follows contains lines that indicate a slight glimmer of hope, “If you'd surrender just for a tender kiss or two, You might discover, that I'm the lover meant for you, And I'd be true.” The singer is hopeful that with just a little bit of affection or time, they could show and prove their worth to their love interest, and they’d realize that they, the singer, are their true love. However, the chorus, “But what's the good of scheming, I know I must be dreaming” suggests resignation and acceptance of the reality that their love is simply not meant to be.