The First Edition signed with Reprise Records and recorded the pop-psychedelic single "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)", a song later to feature in the Cohen Brothers film "The Big Lebowski". Within a year, the group was billed as "Kenny Rogers and the First Edition" and in the summer of 1969, they once again hit the charts with "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" (US #6, UK #1).
For the next two years, the First Edition bounced between country, pop and mild psychedelia, enjoying world-wide success.
But You Know I Love You
Kenny Rogers & The First Edition Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've waken up from another dream of you
Yes I'm on the road, once again it seems
All I've left behind, is a chain of broken dream
But you know I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
What a life we'd live, 'cause I've got so much to give
And it seems so wrong, deep inside my heart
That the dollar sign could be keeping us apart
When you know I love
Yes I love you
And if I could only find my way back to the time
When the problems of this life of mine didn't cross our minds
All the answers were found in children's nursery rhymes
I'd come running back to you, I'd come running back to you
But you know we can't live on dreams alone
Just to pay the rent, I must leave you all alone
But you know I made me choice many years ago
And this traveling life is the only one I know
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
But you know, I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
The song ‘But You Know I Love You’ by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition is a melancholic love song that showcases the pain of a man who loves his partner but is forced to leave her behind to pursue his dream of traveling. The song begins with the singer ruminating on his love for his partner as he wakes up from a dream of her. He then reflects on the cost of living life on the road, as he leaves behind a “chain of broken dreams.” Despite the difficulties, the singer assures his partner that his love for her remains unchanged.
The lyrics powerfully convey the message that love alone is not enough to sustain a relationship; financial stability is essential too. The singer longs for a time before adulthood, where the answers to life's complexities were found in nursery rhymes. The song makes clear that while he would love to see his partner again, there's no way to return to the idyllic past they once shared. The lyrics also expose the reality of missed opportunities when one is away on the road, leaving behind people one cares about. The song ends with the singer acknowledging the sacrifices he has made and assuring his partner that his love for her remains undiminished.
Overall, ‘But You Know I Love You’ is a heart-wrenching song that explores the cost of pursuing passion and dreams while leaving behind loved ones. It highlights the complexities of relationships that suffer due to circumstances beyond our control.
Line by Line Meaning
When the morning sun streaks across my room
As the first light of day creeps into my room, I think of you
And I've waken up from another dream of you
I wake up from yet another dream where you are the center of it all
Yes I'm on the road, once again it seems
I'm on the move, once more, it seems
All I've left behind, is a chain of broken dream
All I've left behind is a series of shattered dreams
But you know I love you
But you already know that I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
Yes, I do love you, oh I really do
How I wish that love, is all we need to live
I really wish that love was enough to sustain us in this life
What a life we'd live, 'cause I've got so much to give
We would live a wonderful life, because I have so much love to offer
And it seems so wrong, deep inside my heart
It feels so unjust, deep down in my heart
That the dollar sign could be keeping us apart
That money could be the reason we are not together
When you know I love
Despite all that, you know that I love you
Yes I love you
Yes, I do love you
And if I could only find my way back to the time
If only I could go back to the time
When the problems of this life of mine didn't cross our minds
When my life's challenges did not bother us at all
All the answers were found in children's nursery rhymes
When all the answers we needed were in the stories we read as kids
I'd come running back to you, I'd come running back to you
I would run back to you, without any hesitation
But you know we can't live on dreams alone
But we can't sustain ourselves on just dreams
Just to pay the rent, I must leave you all alone
I have to leave you alone, just to be able to pay rent
But you know I made me choice many years ago
But you know I made my choice years ago
And this traveling life is the only one I know
And traveling is the only kind of life I am familiar with
But you know, I love you
But you already know that I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
Yes, I do love you, oh I really do
But you know, I love you
But you already know that I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
Yes, I do love you, oh I really do
But you know, I love you
But you already know that I love you
Yes I love you, oh I love you
Yes, I do love you, oh I really do
Lyrics © UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING,
Written by: MIKE SETTLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carri Black
This beautiful song meant everything to me when I was a young girl. Love it ❤️❤️❤️
Save The World
You are still a young girl. Keep rocking
Carman Henderson
This song came out when I was a baby, but I can remember hearing it on the radio when I was a little girl. I loved it then and I love it even more after all these years! It brings back some wonderful memories!❤️
Robert Petricko
It was a Thrill to See them Perform this At Knotts Berry Farm in 76 or 77. Great
CastleMr40
Mike Settle is having so much fun. I love his tenor harmony.
Michael Nelson
He wrote this
Larry Tate
I didn’t realize Kenny and 1St Edition sang this. It’s been 50 years or more since I heard this.
Michael Goncalves
My Favourite Kenny Rodger's Song---the horn is straight out of Beatles Penny Lane
Mark E
To correct Jousha Brook's comments on Kenny. Kenny did not quit The Band. He went Solo after The Band disbanded. He never wanted the title Kenny Rogers and The First EDITION , The Record Label insisted on it the way they did with The Union Gap by putting Gary Puckett's name upfront. As far as reunion concerts the reason Kenny wasn't there was because his career had skyrocketed and he had commitments he had to fulfill.
Michael Nelson
Dolly Parton had a #1 country hit with this song