Margo Guryan (born in New York City on 20 September 1937; died 10 November … Read Full Bio ↴Margo Guryan (born in New York City on 20 September 1937; died 10 November 2021) was an American songwriter, singer, musician and lyricist who is remembered for her 1968 album "Take A Picture".

At the height of her career her songs were recorded by some of pop music’s most important stars: Mama Cass, Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell, Astrud Gilberto, Julie London, Jackie DeShannon, Carmen McCrae, The Lennon Sisters, and Claudine Longet. Her first song to be recorded was "Moon Ride" by the jazz singer Chris Connor in 1958, while she was still in high school. Later, there were two hit versions of the Margo Guryan-penned "Sunday Morning" released a year apart in the late 1960s — the first by Spanky And Our Gang, and the second by Oliver (who had previous success with "Good Morning Starshine" and "Jean").

Although she preferred writing songs that others could record and perform, in 1968 Guryan recorded and released an album entitled "Take a Picture". Although the success of this record back then was limited, it has since become a much sought-after collector’s item.

"Take A Picture" was reissued in 2000 by Franklin Castle Records. A collection of demos entitled 27 Demos is also available.

Someone I Know
Margo Guryan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was thinking
Of leaving
There was no one around here
I wanted to know

Then I saw someone
Who
Happened

To remind me of
Being in the womb a long time ago

I know
And you know
That we never met before tonight
Why, then, should I feel so right
About being in your arms?

You've been good to me now
And I don't want to go

Your lips are warm and familiar
And you feel like someone I know

Overall Meaning

The song "Someone I Know" by Margo Guryan is a bittersweet reflection on the unexpected connections we make with people. In the first verse, the singer is contemplating leaving and feeling lonely, but is then drawn to someone who reminds them of being in the womb. This is an interesting metaphor for the comfort and safety we feel in a familiar embrace. The second verse turns to the mystery of this connection - the singer acknowledges that they have never met this person before, but feels so right in their arms. This suggests that sometimes, things just click between people, even if there is no logical explanation for it.

Overall, the lyrics are melancholic yet hopeful, as the singer is torn between wanting to stay with this person who feels so familiar and warm, and the knowledge that they might have to leave eventually. The repetition of the phrase "someone I know" underscores the power of this connection - even though the singer has never met this person before, they feel like an old friend or lover. This is a beautiful and poignant reminder of the magic that can happen in human interactions.

Line by Line Meaning

I was thinking
I was contemplating

Of leaving
About taking off

There was no one around here
No one was nearby

I wanted to know
I needed to find out

Then I saw someone
Next, I caught sight of an individual

Who
This person

Happened
Occurred coincidentally

To remind me of
Served as a reminder of

Being in the womb a long time ago
The sensation of being in the fetal stage long ago

I know
I am aware

And you know
You are aware