But for the Grace of God
Keith Urban Lyrics

I can hear the neighbors
The singer can hear the arguing of their neighbors through the walls.

They're arguin' again
The neighbors argue frequently, and it disturbs the peace.

And there hasn't been peace on our street
The neighborhood is generally tumultuous, and there are always conflicts and disturbances.

Since who knows when
The unrest has been present for so long that the singer is unsure when it began.

I don't mean to listen in
The singer is not interested in eavesdropping on their neighbors' disputes.

But the shoutin' is so loud
The argument is so noisy that it's hard to ignore.

I turn up the radio to drown it out
To escape the noise, the singer increases the volume of their radio.

And silently I say a little prayer
As the commotion plays out in the background, the singer prays to themselves.

But for the grace of God go I
The singer is grateful to have been fortunate enough not to be trapped in a similar situation.

I must've been born a lucky guy
The singer relates their good fortune to being born under fortunate circumstances.

Heaven only knows how I've been blessed
The song's subject attributes their life's blessings to a divine power.

With the gift of your love
The singer cherishes the love and affection they share with someone special.

And I look around and all I see
The subject is surrounded by the joy and contentment that this love brings.

Is your happiness embracing me
The singer experiences the happiness of the other person as if it were their own.

Oh Lord I'd be lost
The subject acknowledges that their life would be directionless without this love.

I can see that old man
The singer observes an elderly man outside their home.

He's walking past our door
The man is passing by the singer's residence, on the street outside.

And I've been told that he's rich
The man is reputed to be wealthy.

But he seems so poor
Despite his wealth, the man's current state appears quite miserable to the subject.

'Cause no one comes to call on him
The man seems to have no visitors or companionship.

And his phone it never rings
The man seems to be socially isolated, as nobody ever contacts him.

He wanders through his empty home
The subject imagines the man pacing aimlessly through his large, empty house.

Surrounded by his things
The man has many possessions, but lacks meaningful human connection.

And silently I say a little prayer, yes I do
The artist prays once again for the man, hoping that he finds happiness and fulfillment.

But for the grace of God go I
The subject feels grateful to have escaped the man's apparent fate, without direction or human connection.

Ooo ooo I'd be lost
The subject recognizes that, if not for their good fortune, they could have ended up like the man they observed.

Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
The song fades out with a repeating vocal riff.