Wells' success in the 1950s and 1960s was so enormous that she still ranks as the sixth most successful female vocalist in the history of the Billboard country charts according to historian Joel Whitburn's book "The Top 40 Country Hits", behind Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette, and Tanya Tucker. Wells was the third country music artist, behind Roy Acuff and Hank Williams, to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991 as well as being the seventh woman and first Caucasian woman to receive the honor. In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
What Am I Living For
Kitty Wells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love has looked at me but tried to change me
I wished that love would take me just for what I am
Just for what I am I want someone to love me
Someone who won't expect me to feel like that old mem'ry
Just for what they see just for being me
I want someone to love me just for what I am
Cry ain't just a sound it's a sadness
A sadness that lives with me and follows me around
Love wants me to be someone I can't be
I wished that love would take me just for what I am
Just for what I am...
I want someone to love me just for what I am
The lyrics of Kitty Wells' song "What Am I Living For" delve into the deep sentiment of loneliness and the desire to be loved for who we are, rather than for who we are expected to be. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by conveying the lyrics "Blue ain't just a word it's a feeling a feeling of loneliness that I can feel right now." These words tell us that being blue is more than just feeling sad, but it is a feeling of emptiness that stays with a person.
The song's chorus focuses on the desire to be loved. Wells sings, "Just for what I am I want someone to love me / Someone who won't expect me to feel like that old memory / Just for what they see just for being me / I want someone to love me just for what I am." These lyrics express the longing to be accepted for who we are, rather than for how we are expected to be.
The second verse of the song speaks to the feeling of being misunderstood. The words "Love wants me to be someone I can't be / I wished that love would take me just for what I am" show the struggle of trying to fit into the expectations of a lover rather than being loved just for being oneself.
Overall, "What Am I Living For" is a song about longing for authentic love and acceptance. The song speaks to universal feelings of loneliness, sadness, and the desire to be appreciated simply for being oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue ain't just a word it's a feeling a feeling of loneliness that I can feel right now
The color blue is not just a term, it is a sentiment of being alone and feeling it at present.
Love has looked at me but tried to change me
Although I have experienced love, it has attempted to alter who I am.
I wished that love would take me just for what I am
I desire for love to accept me solely for who I am, without desiring any alterations.
Just for what I am I want someone to love me
I am seeking for someone to love me for my true self.
Someone who won't expect me to feel like that old mem'ry
I long for a person who will not anticipate me to feel like a past memory.
Just for what they see just for being me
I desire someone to love me only for what they perceive without trying to transform me.
I want someone to love me just for what I am
I want to be loved for my authentic self without anyone trying to change me.
Cry ain't just a sound it's a sadness
Tears indicate more than just a noise, they also represent grief and sorrow.
A sadness that lives with me and follows me around
The sorrow remains with me and seems to shadow me constantly.
Love wants me to be someone I can't be
Love desires me to become someone that I cannot transform into.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DALLAS FRAZIER, ARTHUR OWENS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Soundra Fontenot
Love Kitty!!
Ray Montee
That definitely is JERRY BYRD playing in his C-Diatonic Tuning. It's so distinct. Some-times it's hard to identify while on other occasions it's very easy to do so. GREAT to hear Jerry's playing once again.
jerrybyrdchannel
Jerry Byrd on steel guitar