Tennessee
Kayleigh Goldsworthy Lyrics


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Well, there's a silence when you're looking at me
I wish I could go back to sleep
But in this moment you won't look beyond the brown
Behind the black
Wider peace on my mind and I'm turning back
Into the girl you always wanted me to be
Bathed in my sympathy, I'm begging to be clean
I send a postcard as I try to find my way
My ghost behind me, I know I'll make it through
AND BE OK, BE OK

There's a lot that's up ahead
And I'll be catching it first thing in the morning
I'm one night away
Towards a southern town beneath the stars
I'll wander every night
TENNESSEE, you've been the nicest place for me

Oh, there's a siren that is deafening
'Cause I try to uncover where I've been
With everybody second guessing all the moves
Their pawns have made
Now I laugh to myself at this mess I've made
I'm not the girl I always thought that I would be
And I stopped holding my breath on silly things
But all the years I've spent just trying to believe
That I'd make it out of here and on to something
ONLY IN MY DREAMS, IN MY DREAMS

There's a lot that's up ahead
And I'll be catching it first thing in the morning
I'm one night away
Towards a southern town beneath the stars
I'll wander every night
TENNESSEE, you've been the nicest place for me

And I'm on my way
I'm on my way

I'm not the girl I always dreamed that I would be
But on my way to there I know I'll surely see
The mile markers as I drive down 65
Take me to somewhere that had always made me feel
ALIVE, OH, ALIVE

There's a lot that's up ahead
And I'll be catching it first thing in the morning
I'm one night away
Towards a southern town beneath the stars




I'll wander every night
TENNESSEE, you've been the nicest place for me

Overall Meaning

The song "Tennessee" by Kayleigh Goldsworthy is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about self-discovery and finding solace in a new place. In the opening verse, the singer laments the tension between herself and someone else, wishing she could escape it and return to sleep. She feels trapped by the other person's expectations of her, struggling to find her true self beneath the surface. The line "wider peace on my mind and I'm turning back" suggests that she's starting to see a way out of the situation, but it won't be easy.


In the chorus, the singer declares that she's moving forward, leaving her troubles behind and heading towards Tennessee. She's excited about what the future holds, knowing that the journey won't be easy but feeling confident in her ability to handle whatever comes her way. The line "I'll wander every night" suggests that she's ready to embrace the unknown and explore her new surroundings, looking for answers to the questions that have been plaguing her for so long.


The second verse reveals that the singer has been struggling with self-doubt and a sense of disillusionment. She's not the person she thought she would be at this point in her life, and she's tired of pretending. However, she's starting to let go of her fears and embrace the journey towards self-discovery. She knows that the road won't be easy, but she's willing to take it one step at a time.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, there's a silence when you're looking at me
I feel uncomfortable when you look at me silently


I wish I could go back to sleep
I want to avoid this situation by going back to sleep


But in this moment you won't look beyond the brown
You are judging me based on my appearance without seeing the real me


Behind the black
My true self is concealed behind my outward appearance


Wider peace on my mind and I'm turning back
I need more inner peace and I want to go back to where I was


Into the girl you always wanted me to be
I am trying to live up to your expectations of who I should be


Bathed in my sympathy, I'm begging to be clean
I am seeking empathy and forgiveness to cleanse myself of my mistakes


I send a postcard as I try to find my way
I am reaching out for help while I navigate through life


My ghost behind me, I know I'll make it through
Although my past haunts me, I am confident I will overcome it


AND BE OK, BE OK
I will be alright


There's a lot that's up ahead
There are many challenges and opportunities in my future


And I'll be catching it first thing in the morning
I will face these challenges head-on in the morning


I'm one night away
I am close to my destination


Towards a southern town beneath the stars
I am heading to a small southern town with beautiful scenery


I'll wander every night
I will explore the town and the surrounding areas every night


TENNESSEE, you've been the nicest place for me
I have found comfort and happiness in Tennessee


Oh, there's a siren that is deafening
There is a loud and overwhelming disturbance


'Cause I try to uncover where I've been
I am attempting to make sense of my past and find meaning in it


With everybody second guessing all the moves
Others are questioning and criticizing my actions


Their pawns have made
They are basing their opinions on limited information


Now I laugh to myself at this mess I've made
I find humor in my mistakes and struggles


I'm not the girl I always thought that I would be
I have not lived up to my own expectations for myself


And I stopped holding my breath on silly things
I am no longer stressing about trivial matters


But all the years I've spent just trying to believe
I have spent a lot of time trying to have faith in myself and my future


That I'd make it out of here and on to something
I believed I would overcome my struggles and achieve success


ONLY IN MY DREAMS, IN MY DREAMS
My aspirations have only been realized in my dreams


And I'm on my way
I am making progress towards my goals


I'm not the girl I always dreamed that I would be
I am still working towards becoming the best version of myself


But on my way to there I know I'll surely see
As I travel, I will have new experiences and gain wisdom


The mile markers as I drive down 65
I will track my progress along the highway


Take me to somewhere that had always made me feel
I am seeking a place that brings me joy and contentment


ALIVE, OH, ALIVE
A place where I feel alive and free




Writer(s): Kayleigh A. Goldsworthy

Contributed by Taylor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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