Early life
After the separation of his parents, Lee grew up in Sacramento on the poultry farm of his grandparents. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone, and at the age of nine became a member of a dance ensemble. In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearance. A short time later, he worked with the country musician Del Reeves.
He founded his first band, Apollo, in 1962. He briefly battled a cocaine addiction and moved to Iceland to go to rehab. The band, which changed its name later to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and appeared mostly in casinos in Las Vegas. A few records were recorded in Los Angeles with the Paramount label. After the band broke up in the 1970s, Greenwood moved back to Las Vegas, where he worked as a black jack dealer during the day, and as a singer at night.
Career
In 1979, he was discovered in Reno, Nev., by Larry McFaden, the bandleader and bassist of Mel Tillis. After making some demo tapes, Greenwood was signed in 1981 by the Nashville-based MCA label, and McFaden became his manager.
The first single, "It Turns Me Inside Out", made it to a spot in the top 20 of the country charts. Greenwood had written this song for Kenny Rogers, but Rogers turned it down due to the sheer volume of songs he had been offered at the time. "Ring On Her Finger and Time on her Hands" landed him in the country top 10.
He is best known for writing and recording the patriotic song "God Bless the USA" in the early 1980s. "God Bless the USA" gained renewed popularity following the launch of Operation: Desert Storm in 1991, and again, ten years later, following the September 11, 2001 attacks; in fact, the song even re-entered the Top 20 of the country charts in late 2001. Since then, Greenwood has played at many public events and commemorations of the attacks. He supports the United States Republican Party.
Theater
In 1995, Greenwood took a break from his touring schedule to spend time with his wife and newborn son. In his time off, he elected to build a theater in Sevierville, Tenn., and in April 1996, the "Lee Greenwood Theater" opened its doors. This gave Greenwood the opportunity to still perform daily shows, in addition to being with his family. The theater operated for five seasons, and closed for Greenwood to continue touring. The theater was not located in the heavily entertainment and tourist oriented areas of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Gatlinburg, Tenn., which contributed to the theater closing. The former theater building is now host to a church.
You Can't Fall In Love When You're Cryin'
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she turned and said "I'm sorry" with a smile
She was everything I ever dreamed of meeting
But I quickly closed my eyes & walked the other way, 'cause...
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
Please don't try to look into my eyes
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
She caught me just before I reached the corner
And she asked me most politely for my name
She was more than just a girl, she was an angel
And I wanted so to lie, but I told her just the same: You see...
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
Please don't try to look into my eyes
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind
She winked & said "I know just how you're feelin'
And I know there's nothing I can say
That can change the way you feel, so here's my number
You can call me on the phone when the feeling goes away
'Cause I know..."
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
Please don't try to look into my eyes
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind
In Lee Greenwood's song, "You Can't Fall In Love When You're Cryin'", the singer encounters a woman who catches his attention. However, he is hesitant to pursue her because he is still recovering from a past relationship that left him heartbroken. He is still crying over the memories of his past love and knows that he cannot emotionally invest in someone else until he has fully moved on. The woman sympathizes with him but gives him her number, hoping he will call her when he's ready.
The lyrics contain a poignant message about taking the necessary time to heal before diving into a new relationship. The sorrowful tone of the song emphasizes the difficulty in overcoming heartbreak and the importance of patience and self-care. The lyrics suggest that one must prioritize their own emotional wellbeing before pursuing a new love interest.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Randy Scruggs, son of Earl Scruggs, a prominent banjo player in the bluegrass genre. Another fact is that the song was not released as a single, but rather appeared on Greenwood's 1985 album "Dixie Road". Additionally, "You Can't Fall In Love When You're Cryin'" was not one of Greenwood's biggest hits, but has remained a fan favorite and is often performed at his concerts.
Chords:
Capo 3
Verse 1:
G D/F# Em
She gently brushed my arm as she walked by me
C G D
And she turned and said "I'm sorry" with a smile
G D/F# Em
She was everything I ever dreamed of meeting
C G D
But I quickly closed my eyes & walked the other way, 'cause...
Chorus:
Em C G
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
D
Please don't try to look into my eyes
Em C G
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
D
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind
Verse 2:
G D/F# Em
She caught me just before I reached the corner
C G D
And she asked me most politely for my name
G D/F# Em
She was more than just a girl, she was an angel
C G D
And I wanted so to lie, but I told her just the same: You see...
Chorus:
Em C G
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
D
Please don't try to look into my eyes
Em C G
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
D
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind
Bridge:
Em D
She winked & said "I know just how you're feelin'
C G
And I know there's nothing I can say
Em D
That can change the way you feel, so here's my number
C G D
You can call me on the phone when the feeling goes away.
'Cause I know...
Chorus:
Em C G
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
D
Please don't try to look into my eyes
Em C G
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
D
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind.
Line by Line Meaning
She gently brushed my arm as she walked by me
A woman, who he felt was everything he ever wanted, walks by him and touches him lightly on the arm.
And she turned and said 'I'm sorry' with a smile
The woman smiled and apologized to him after the accidental touch.
She was everything I ever dreamed of meeting
He was smitten with the woman who touched him and thought she was everything he could want in a person.
But I quickly closed my eyes & walked the other way, 'cause...
Even though he was drawn to her, he realized he was not ready to love again and started walking the other way to avoid any further interaction with her.
You can't fall in love when you're cryin'
He knows he is not ready to love again while he is still hurting.
Please don't try to look into my eyes
He doesn't want her to see his pain and vulnerability.
If I said I loved you I'd be lyin'
He acknowledges that he's not over his past love yet, so he can't love her the way she deserves.
'Cause the memory of yesterday is still in my mind
He is still thinking about his past love and it prevents him from moving on.
She caught me just before I reached the corner
The woman found him before he could escape and asked him his name.
And she asked me most politely for my name
She politely inquired about his name.
She was more than just a girl, she was an angel
He describes her as more than just a girl, she was angelic and special to him.
And I wanted so to lie, but I told her just the same: You see...
He felt the urge to lie to her about his feelings, but he decided to tell her the truth instead.
She winked & said 'I know just how you're feelin'
The woman showed empathy and understanding, telling him she knew what he was going through.
And I know there's nothing I can say
She acknowledged that there was nothing she could say to change his feelings.
That can change the way you feel, so here's my number
She gave him her number to call her when he feels like he has moved on.
You can call me on the phone when the feeling goes away
She offered her phone number as an option for him to contact her once he had healed from his past relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE GREENWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her Hands
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