Sentimental
O'Neal Alexander Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I used to mess around
But I never let it get into me
'Cause I didn't take you serious baby
Now to be without your love
Only makes me realize
What I could've had in you honey

Now that you're gone (oooooooh ooooh ooooh)
I want you more
I said it slapped me in my face
And then my friends don't understand
Because I had the chance
I don't know why

I'm going crazy alone in a daze
And my heart ain't the same
And I don't even think unless I think about you
That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the reason why baby
I can't let go of you
Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental

I miss you day and night, seems like you're still here
I'd rather be together honey
Now that I'm lost for words
I can't believe I'm on my own
I should've been looking at love

Now that you're gone
I want you (oooh ooh oooh)
I said it slapped me on my face
And now my friends don't understand
Because I had the chance
I don't know why

I'm going crazy alone in a daze
And my heart ain't the same
And I don't even think unless I think about you
That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the reason why baby
I can't let go of you
Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental

I'm going crazy alone in a daze
And my heart ain't the same
And I don't even think unless I think about you
That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the reason why baby
I can't let go of you
Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental

Now that you're gone I want you more
I said it slapped me on my face
And then my friends don't understand
Because I had the chance
I don't know why

I'm going crazy alone in a daze
And my heart ain't the same
And I don't even think unless I think about you
That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the reason why baby
I can't let go of you
Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental

I'm going crazy alone in a daze
And my heart ain't the same
And I don't even think unless I think about you
That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the reason why baby




I can't let go of you
Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental

Overall Meaning

In "Sentimental," O'Neal Alexander reflects on a lost love and the regret he feels for not taking the relationship seriously while it lasted. He admits to "messing around" and not valuing the love he had with his partner, now realizing what he has lost. The tender, reflective quality of the song is enhanced by Alexander's emotional vocal delivery, as he admits to feeling lost without his lover.


As the song progresses, Alexander struggles to understand why he didn't cherish the relationship while he had it, as he now finds himself consumed by thoughts of his ex-lover. He feels his heart isn't the same, and he can't stop thinking about what he could have had. The chorus repeats the idea that thinking about his former partner is the only time he feels sentimental, and he can't let go of the love he lost.


"Sentimental" is a powerful, soulful ballad that captures the bittersweet emotions of regret and longing that come with lost love.


Line by Line Meaning

I used to mess around
I used to casually date without any serious intentions


But I never let it get into me
But I never let my emotions get invested in those flings


'Cause I didn't take you serious baby
Because I didn't take you seriously as a potential love interest at the time, baby


Now to be without your love
Now that I don't have your love anymore


Only makes me realize
It only makes me understand better now


What I could've had in you honey
What I could have had in you, honey


Now that you're gone (oooooooh ooooh ooooh)
Now that you're gone, oooooooh ooooooh ooooooh


I want you more
I want you even more than before now


I said it slapped me in my face
I mean it hit me hard, like a slap on the face


And then my friends don't understand
And then my friends don't comprehend why I miss you so much now


Because I had the chance
Because I had the opportunity to be with you before


I don't know why
I'm not sure why I didn't take that chance


I'm going crazy alone in a daze
I feel like I'm losing my mind, alone and in a confused state


And my heart ain't the same
And my heart doesn't feel the same way anymore


And I don't even think unless I think about you
I don't even have any thoughts unless I think about you


That's the only time I get sentimental
That's the only time I get emotional and nostalgic


That's the reason why baby
That's why, baby


I can't let go of you
I can't stop thinking about you and move on


Yeah, that's the only time I get sentimental
Yes, that's the only time I reminisce and get sentimental


I miss you day and night, seems like you're still here
I miss you all day and night, it feels like you're still present with me


I'd rather be together honey
I would rather be with you, honey


Now that I'm lost for words
Now that I can't find the right words to express myself


I can't believe I'm on my own
I can't believe I'm alone without you now


I should've been looking at love
I should have been searching for love, instead of just casual flings




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DALLAS L AUSTIN, DEBORAH COX, COLIN FITZROY WOLFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Hakim UG

[Verse 1]
Take a walk down memory lane
And see where the path might lead you
Familiar things do change
But in our minds they stay the same
I can hear the voice of my mama
Calling out her children's names
She says, "Come on in, it's dinner time"
Let me help my babies fix their plates

[Chorus]
We all have memories, we should not forget
Times that become part of our lives
A person so heartfelt
When I think of you, history, I get sentimental thoughts
When I think of you, woman, ooh, ooh
I get sentimental

[Verse 2]
You were holding hands
Walking through the park
It seems like yesterday
It felt so good to be in love
But our age got in the way
I still feel the warmth of your arms
A big kiss on my face
When I reminisce, I think of this
'Cause what I miss is you

[Chorus]
We all have memories, we should not forget (we should not forget)
Times that become part of our lives
A person so heartfelt
When I think of you, history, I get sentimental thoughts
Ooh baby, I get sentimental

[Bridge]
Wonderful, that's what you are, yes
Unforgettable, you know my heart won't let me, so
Lovable, so lovable, baby
I get emotional when I think of your love

So sentimental, baby
You're so unforgettable, woman
When you touch my life
Ooh, you're wonderful
Oh, and so lovable, so lovable, baby
So lovable, baby
No no no no

Sentimental parts of moments
Captured in our mind as we grow up
Things in life do change for us
But memories stay the same (the same, the same)
Love ones in our lives are a part of
Never take for granted someone
Spend some time while they're around
Spend some time, share sentimental

[Chorus]
We all have memories, we should not forget
Times that become part of our lives
A person so heartfelt (ooh baby, ooh baby)
When I think of you, history, I get sentimental thoughts
That's what you do to me, that's what you do to me, yeah
I get sentimental

[Outro ad-libs]
Hey...oh yes...oh yes...oh girl...ooh baby...oh baby
Oh yes...oh girl...oh yes...oh baby...oh yes...oh girl
Oh yes...oh baby...oh baby...ooh baby...ooh yeah
Come on, come here, come on, come here, baby
Come here, come here, baby
COme here, come here, baby
COme here, come here, baby
Let me take you for a ride
Come and go with me, yeah...
Sentimental...sentimental...ooh, so sentimental


Produced By
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Written By
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Release Date
January 25, 1991


What Is This Thing Called Love?

All True Man (1991)
1.
Time Is Running Out
2.
The Yoke (G.U.O.T.R.)
3.
Every Time I Get Up
4.
Somebody (Changed Your Mind)
5.
Midnight Run
6.
Used
7.
All True Man
8.
Sentimental
9.
What Is This Thing Called Love?
10.
The Morning After
11.
Hang On
12.
Shame On Me



All comments from YouTube:

Sifiso Mjoli

Sometimes it's not a song that makes you emotional, it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it...where words fail, music speaks...

Dineo Mokgosi

Amen

Eddie Fernandez

Dat's right!

UnCivileyez TV

Amen

Sbuzet

True ⚖️

shaleta wright

So beautifully spoken...so true

5 More Replies...

Zandile Menzi

Oh lord this track has me in tears everytime. Can music be this beautiful again please. One of my cherished memories is, a Sunday afternoon with MetroFM cooking up a storm with my mom whilst we try sing along to each and every track. This being one of them. Something I am going to carry down to my children.

Raybudise

This song does things to me 😍😍💯💯🔥🔥🔥

SlitherNinja

Ll

Pontsho Tlaeli

@Zandile Menzi, you touched on something that I use to do with my mom as well (talk about going down memory lane 😭😭😭). Now we all grown... Life ne

More Comments

More Versions