Leave
Michael W. Smith Lyrics


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Daddy's on the sofa, turning up another bottle to unleash when I get home
I pretend he doesn't hit me
Momma just pretends that she don't know.

I used to think of talking
Talking to my preacher
He says I should just forgive and forget.
Now my baby brother just sits and recollects the same regrets.

And I just wanna leave
Oh, God, please help me now, I wanna leave.

As if that's not enough
We're the new family around here
Guess that's all the reason some kids need
'Cause they all call me names, and say I should just take it on the chin.

If I'm overreacting, then why is it so cold here
Why is it so cold here, in this hell
Why would my friend Suzy
Tell me I should just go kill myself?

And I just wanna leave
Oh, God, please help me now, I wanna leave
And I, I just wanna leave
Oh, God, please help me now, I wanna leave

Oh, I wanna get out of here
Oh, God, help me now, I really wanna leave,

(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, ohh)

And I, just wanna leave
Oh, God, please help me now, I wanna leave
Oh, but I, I just wanna believe
Oh, God, please hear me now, I wanna believe




I just need to know, that You're really out there
Tell me if You're really out there, 'cause I believe.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Leave" by Michael W. Smith deal with the painful experiences of a young person trapped in a dysfunctional family and facing bullying at school. The song starts with a dark picture of a father who drinks and hits his child while the mother turns a blind eye. The singer feels alone and trapped, unable to seek help from her preacher, who advises her to forgive and forget. Meanwhile, her younger brother also suffers from the same situation, and her peers at school bully and demean her.


The chorus repeats the desperate plea to leave, calling for God's help to escape the hurt and confusion. The bridge intensifies the emotional pain, as the singer wonders why life is so cold and some people tell her to kill herself. In the final part of the song, the singer shifts her focus to a glimmer of hope, asking God to make himself known and to believe in his presence.


The lyrics of "Leave" portray a complex set of emotions and issues, from domestic violence to bullying and doubts about faith. Nonetheless, the song offers a message of resilience and the need to believe in a higher power despite the challenges of life.


Line by Line Meaning

Daddy's on the sofa, turning up another bottle to unleash when I get home
My father is an alcoholic who becomes violent with me when I come home


I pretend he doesn't hit me
I am in denial about the abuse I face at home


Momma just pretends that she don't know.
My mother is also in denial about my father's abuse and fails to protect me


He says I should just forgive and forget.
My preacher's advice to forgive my abuser and move on feels dismissive of my pain


Now my baby brother just sits and recollects the same regrets.
My younger brother has also endured abuse and is suffering from the same trauma as me


We're the new family around here
As a new family in the area, we are singled out by other kids for bullying


Guess that's all the reason some kids need
Other kids use our status as newcomers as justification for their mistreatment of me


Why would my friend Suzy Tell me I should just go kill myself?
My friend's cruel comment has made me feel even more alone and hopeless


If I'm overreacting, then why is it so cold here Why is it so cold here, in this hell
My pain and trauma are real, and I feel trapped in a terrible situation


And I just wanna leave Oh, God, please help me now, I wanna leave
I am desperate to escape my abusive home and seek help from God


Oh, I wanna get out of here Oh, God, help me now, I really wanna leave,
I am begging for divine intervention to help me leave my abusive situation


And I, just wanna believe Oh, God, please hear me now, I wanna believe I just need to know, that You're really out there Tell me if You're really out there, 'cause I believe.
I am struggling to hold onto my faith in the midst of my suffering and am seeking reassurance from God




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: MICHAEL W. SMITH, MICHAEL WHITAKER SMITH, TOMMY SIMS, TOMMY L. SIMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Johnny

Wow... I remember listening to this song a lot way back in high school. Both my parents where alcoholics and nearly split up. But now listening it today both my parents have given up Alcohol and God has completely transformed and delivered my family.
Man oh man...Jesus is Lord!

Helen Maria

wow! that is so great!!!!

David Sotelo

What Amazing!
Greetings from Mexico

Jason Anderson

I REALLY LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH! THIS MAN OF GOD IS SO ANOINTED, HE GIVES GOD HIS GLORY !!!!!!

Lord Lombo Ministries

what an amazing song...i like the sound of the guitar

ChristianHardToFind

This may be the most raw and honest song he's ever done.

Queen Julianna

beautiful song i like the guitar

Jennifer Pruitt

forgive and forget doesn't cut it in matters of life and death!

Sun Light

Powerful.

Jennifer Pruitt

i have felt like this SO many times in my life. listening to this hurts even today at age 36. i had a breakdown in 1993 because of things that had happened to me. i still nurse the wounds today. i have begged God to just take me home with Him. i have tried to take myself out, but i never could pull it off myself. beautifully haunting.

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