When I Had It All
Monster Paws Lyrics


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When i had it all
I had nothin' at all to lose
Broken were the soles of my shoes
And all my time was spent with you

When i had it all
I was always playing the fool
Laughing for hours drinking whiskey
And sneaking in to public pools

Where did it go?
When paying the rent was a miracle
We didn't know how good we had it then

When i had it all
I gave everything away
Money didn't mean a damn thing to me
And i always had a place that i could stay

And we had it all
With a small room to ourselves
You were writing lyrics on the wall
While i read all the books upon your shelves

Where did it go?
When paying the rent was a miracle
We didn't know how good we had it then

And you used to play my favorite song

Loud on the old car stereo
Playing the very same song that you recorded all night long
All alone, in the studio singing
"i used to have, i used to have it all"

When i had it all
I had nothin' at all to lose
Broken were the soles of my shoes
And all my time was spent with you

When i had it all
I was always playing the fool
Laughing for hours drinking whiskey
And sneaking in to public pools

Where did it go?
When paying the rent was a miracle
We didn't know how good we had it then

And you used to play my favorite song
Loud on the old car stereo
Playing the very same song that you recorded all night long
All alone, in the studio singing
"i used to have, i used to have it all"





I used to have, i used to have it all

Overall Meaning

The song "When I Had It All" by Monster Paws is a reflective track that takes the listener on a journey through memories of a time when the artist had no material possessions but found contentment in the simple things of life, including being with a loved one. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a time when money was tight, but the artist and their partner found joy in laughter, writing lyrics on the wall, and reading books together. They spent their days sneaking into public pools, drinking whiskey, and being carefree. However, despite these simple pleasures, they didn't fully realize how good they had it until it was gone.


The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Where did it go?" emphasizing the artist's sense of loss and longing for the past. The repetition of this phrase also suggests that the artist is grappling with questions about what led to the loss of the simple life they once had. The last verse of the song mentions a favorite song that the artist and their partner used to play loudly on their old car stereo, and how the artist sings it alone in the studio now, reminiscing about a time when they had it all.


Overall, "When I Had It All" is a bittersweet reminder to appreciate the simple things in life, and an acknowledgment that those things should never be taken for granted.


Line by Line Meaning

When i had it all
Back when I was at the height of success and all was going for me as planned


I had nothin' at all to lose
Despite having many accomplishments, there was still plenty that was missing from my life


Broken were the soles of my shoes
I was going through a tough time and things felt like they were falling apart


And all my time was spent with you
My focus was on spending time with you and creating memories together


I was always playing the fool
I didn't always make the best decisions and often acted without much thought


Laughing for hours drinking whiskey
We had a lot of wild and memorable moments while enjoying a drink together


And sneaking in to public pools
We would often go on little adventures and do things that were not exactly legal or permitted


Where did it go?
I'm reflecting on the past and trying to understand why things changed the way they did


When paying the rent was a miracle
We were struggling to make ends meet and often had to work hard just to make sure we had a place to live


We didn't know how good we had it then
Looking back, we may not have realized how much we appreciated the simpler moments we had together


I gave everything away
I was willing to make sacrifices and give up material possessions in order to prioritize our time together


Money didn't mean a damn thing to me
I wasn't focused on accumulating wealth or material possessions, but rather on the experiences we were sharing


And i always had a place that i could stay
I didn't have much as far as personal belongings, but I knew that I always had a home with you


With a small room to ourselves
The space we shared wasn't much, but it was enough for us and allowed us to be close to each other


You were writing lyrics on the wall
You were always creating and expressing yourself, even if it was in unconventional ways


While i read all the books upon your shelves
I enjoyed spending time surrounded by your passions and interests, and learning more about the things that inspired you


And you used to play my favorite song
You knew me well and would often share the things that you knew would make me happy


Loud on the old car stereo
We often had to make do with what we had, but we still found joy in the little things


Playing the very same song that you recorded all night long
You were passionate about your music and would work tirelessly to create the best possible sound


All alone, in the studio singing
You found beauty and fulfillment in your creative process, even if it meant spending long hours in solitude


"i used to have, i used to have it all"
You may have lost something along the way, but that doesn't mean you can't still look back fondly on the things you once had




Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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