Kristen Hall is an American folk/country singer/songwriter who was a co-fou… Read Full Bio ↴Kristen Hall is an American folk/country singer/songwriter who was a co-founder of the country group Sugarland. She left the group in 2006 to "stay home and write songs" according to a press release from the group.

Prior to founding Sugarland, she released several solo works and, in 2008, released the EP, Katy the Wonder Cub.

Proud Man
Kristen Hall Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

how can i sit and watch
let a good thing ride away
suddenly all is lost
as i search for words to say
but all that comes are a million tears
one for every time i should have told you
fear burns hard and slow
we've got a long hard row to sow

seeds of a lifetime, truth and forgiveness
growing like a grapevine, like nobody's business
bitter tears we have cried
but they never change a thing
suddenly time gets lost
how we spend it now means everything
fear burns hard and slow
we've got a long hard row to sow
seeds of a lifetime
courage and devotion
growing like a grapevine, sweet like emotion
fear burns hard and slow
we've got a long hard row to sow
seeds of a lifetime
courage and devotion
growing like a grapevine, sweet like emotion
how can i sit and watch
and let a good thing ride away
suddlenly all is lost
as i search for words to say
but all that comes are a million tears
one for every time i should have told you
fear burns hard and slow
we've got a long hard row to sow
seeds of lifetime, truth and forgiveness
growing like a grapevine, like noboddy's business

courage and devotion, growing like a grapevine
sweet like emotion, seeds of a lifetime.

Overall Meaning

The song "Proud Man" by Kristen Hall is about the regret of not speaking up in a relationship and losing a good thing as a result. The song starts with the singer watching a good thing slip away and feeling helpless because she cannot find the words to express how she feels. She realizes that fear has been holding her back from expressing her feelings which has resulted in a million tears shed. The second verse talks about how time is slipping away and how it is important to spend it wisely. The fear of losing the good thing is still burning hard and slow, but the singer realizes that if they sow the seeds of a lifetime that include truth, forgiveness, courage, and devotion, they can grow like a grapevine, like nobody's business, and be sweet like emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

how can i sit and watch
I am unable to just sit and observe.

let a good thing ride away
Allow a positive occurrence to get away.

suddenly all is lost
Abruptly, everything is ruined.

as i search for words to say
As I struggle to express myself verbally.

but all that comes are a million tears
I weep uncontrollably as an emotional outlet.

one for every time i should have told you
One for every occasion where I should have been forthcoming.

fear burns hard and slow
Anxieties slowly eat away at my confidence.

we've got a long hard row to sow
We have to work tirelessly to achieve our objectives.

seeds of a lifetime, truth and forgiveness
Habits and principles that last a lifetime, honesty and mercy.

growing like a grapevine, like nobody's business
Expanding at a fast pace, just like a vine without limitations.

bitter tears we have cried
We have shed tears full of resentment.

but they never change a thing
However, crying does not alter anything.

suddenly, time gets lost
Time seems to slip away unexpectedly.

how we spend it now means everything
The way we manage our time at present is crucial.

seeds of a lifetime
Ideas and actions that have a long-lasting effect.

courage and devotion
Bravery and dedication to a specific goal.

growing like a grapevine, sweet like emotion
Expanding like a vine, and coming with it the appreciation that accompanies experiencing tender feelings.

how can i sit and watch
I cannot bear to remain passive.

and let a good thing ride away
And to let an excellent opportunity escape.

suddenly all is lost
All of a sudden, everything is gone.

as i search for words to say
As I attempt to come up with the proper words to speak.

but all that comes are a million tears
But the only result is an abundance of tears.

one for every time i should have told you
One for each occasion where I should have spoken the truth.

fear burns hard and slow
Apprehension sets in gradually but deeply.

we've got a long hard row to sow
We have an arduous journey ahead of us.

seeds of lifetime
Long-lasting principles and habits.

courage and devotion
The bravery and commitment to a cause.

growing like a grapevine
Continuing to flourish, similar to a vine.

sweet like emotion, seeds of a lifetime.
Satisfying and rewarding like tender feelings, and long-lasting like good habits.