Oceanview Motel, released only in Canada, appeared in 1990; first single "I'll Watch Over You" was a radio hit. Success was slow, however. When it came time to record a second album, CBS paired Moore with the Church's Steven Kilbey. The connection between the two was magnetic, but the sessions for Bohemia weren't as charming. Gavin MacKillop (the Church, Toad the Wet Sprocket) finished the record, for Kilbey's substance and drug abuse prevented him from completing the project. The album was issued on Epic in 1992 and the title track was Moore's brightest career moment up to that point. The dark, earthy feeling of the spoken-word track went Top Ten in Canada and gained attention on American modern rock radio. Dragonfly was released in 1995, but sales didn't fare as well as Bohemia. Prior to winning the SOCAN Award for most played song on the radio for "Genuine," Moore was dropped from her label. She escaped to the peaceful side of Prince Edward Island to sort things out.
While on her way, Moore began a search for the daughter she gave up for adoption at age 19. During this time, she was in a near fatal accident when another car hit her head-on at 90 miles an hour. The experience could have been worse, but Moore looked inside herself and found solace. Fellow singer and friend Jann Arden called her. Arden, who had founded her own Big Hip Records, asked Moore to start recording. The result was her 1999 self-titled effort. It's a Funny World followed three years later. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi
I'll Watch Over You
Mae Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pick up the telephone
You'd better call... you'd better call collect
Let it ring... I'll be home
Anytime you're feeling blue
You want to get on board that big old plane
You get on board that big white plane
I'll be there to meet you
I, I will watch over you
If you want me to
And I'll be beside you
Right with you... all of the way
I will watch over you
I had a friend... he worked so hard
One day he said "I feel so tired"
"I know there's work left to do"
"But there's another place I'm going to"
At the time... I didn't understand
Then six months later... then I knew
He would not be back this way
He left me a letter... inside it read... he said
I, I will watch over you
If you want me to
And I'll be beside you
Right with you... all of the way
I will watch over you
You need not walk this world alone
Just tell someone... how much you have to give
And that you really care
How much you need them there to watch over you
I was given love once long ago
But I lost it in my careless ways
If that same love came back to me
This is what I'd say... I'd say
I, I will watch over you
If you want me to
And I'll be beside you
Right with you... all of the way
I will watch over you
Mae Moore's "I'll Watch Over You" is a heartfelt ballad that speaks about the importance of being there for one another, especially during times of emotional struggles. At the beginning of the song, the lyrics suggest that the singer is always there when her loved ones need her, whether they are feeling low and need someone to talk to or are going through a difficult time and need someone to lean on. The lyrics use an extended metaphor of a journey, describing how the singer will always be there to meet her loved ones when they are feeling blue and board "that big old plane." She promises to watch over them and be right beside them all of the way, through thick and thin.
The lyrics also draw from personal experiences, as the singer mentions losing love due to her "careless ways." This adds a sense of vulnerability and realism to the song, showing that even the strongest of people need someone to watch over them and be there for them. The song's powerful message encourages listeners to seek out help when they need it and reminds them that they do not have to go through life alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Anytime you're feeling low
When you feel down or sad
Pick up the telephone
Take your phone and make a call
You'd better call... you'd better call collect
You should call collect to avoid charges
Let it ring... I'll be home
I'll be waiting for you even if you don't say anything
Anytime you're feeling blue
When you're feeling sad or depressed
You want to get on board that big old plane
You want to go somewhere far away
You get on board that big white plane
You take that plane and go where you need to go
I'll be there to meet you
I'll be there to welcome you when you arrive
I, I will watch over you
I will take care of you
If you want me to
If you want my help
And I'll be beside you
I'll be with you
Right with you... all of the way
I'll be with you every step of the way
I will watch over you
I will take care of you
I had a friend... he worked so hard
I had a friend who was a hard worker
One day he said "I feel so tired"
One day he told me he was exhausted
"I know there's work left to do"
He knew there was more work to be done
"But there's another place I'm going to"
He was planning to go somewhere else
At the time... I didn't understand
I didn't comprehend it then
Then six months later... then I knew
After six months, I understood
He would not be back this way
He wouldn't return where we were
He left me a letter... inside it read... he said
He wrote me a letter that said
You need not walk this world alone
You don't have to face the world by yourself
Just tell someone... how much you have to give
Share your generosity with someone
And that you really care
And show that you care
How much you need them there to watch over you
How much you need someone to care for and support you
I was given love once long ago
I received love a long time ago
But I lost it in my careless ways
But I lost it because I wasn't careful
If that same love came back to me
If I could have that same love back
This is what I'd say... I'd say
This is what I would tell them
Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.