After gaining a following as a popular live act on college campuses, the band has gained popular success since signing to Lava Records in 2005, with their singles "Love and Memories" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" gaining mainstream radio airplay. Speaking with Songfacts in an interview, Roberge explained "Love and Memories" was inspired by the Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet movie, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The members of O.A.R. first came together in Rockville, Maryland in the basement of drummer Chris Culos' childhood home in 1996. As a young group of musicians, they were the prototype of the modern, self-starting band--taking charge of their fate by working the internet and building an identifiable sound. The band’s music, a rock/reggae fusion, consisted of songs that were fully accessible, yet teasingly elusive. Attracting fans all across the country, the band members toured relentlessly, pushing their album sales through boundless dedication and word-of-mouth appeal, never waiting for the industry to catch up. O.A.R. owes much of their success to piracy and Napster, the mp3 sharing engine. Around 2000, O.A.R.'s popularity greatly increased among college students because their song "Crazy Game of Poker" was a huge hit on Napster.
By the time the band had reached their 10 year anniversary together, they had sold over 1.2 million albums and performed in front of over 1 million people. Their studio record, Stories of a Stranger, produced radio favorites “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World” as well as mtvU’s Most Downloaded Video of 2006, “Lay Down.” The band followed up the successful release with a live double disc CD and DVD set, Live From Madison Square Garden, recorded during the band’s second sold-out performance at the prestigious arena.
Early in 2008, the band members holed themselves up in a studio in Los Angeles to work on their next project, All Sides. The album was released on July 15th.
The Heaven Songfacts reports that the first single from O.A.R.'s seventh studio album, King was released on June 7, 2011 on Wind-Up Records.
. For more information about O.A.R., go to www.ofarevolution.com.
Right on Time
O.A.R. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
God forbid you listen to me now.
I may have laid the pressure on good,
But since that day
I'll never ask again.
It's funny, it's come right down to this.
I have to steal my time cause
I've been talking to the moon all night,
But the stars won't say nothing to me.
And though I feel it's easy
For a man to grow up
Much harder for a man to grow out.
You may not appear,
But I'm standing here my God.
I'll never ask you.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just,
Where have you been?
If you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me
You'd be right on my time.
We're coming around.
I know you're kind of busy right now.
Been a day, but I haven't heard your call.
I climbed a mountain just to get
A better view of you.
But I'll never ask again.
It's crazy that we just can't feel the time
And lay down for awhile.
And let life catch your eye.
I've been relaxing with the Wind all day.
But the Sky won't open up for me.
And though I feel it's easy
For a man to stand tall.
Much harder for a man to simmer down.
You may not appear,
But I'm standing here my god.
I'll never ask you.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just,
Where have you been?
If you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me
You'd be right on my time.
If you give me just a minute of your day,
I see now why you choose to stay away.
Up here life seems more like living,
And living mirrors love.
And love just leaves me breathless.
On we go.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just,
Where have you been?
If you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me
You'd be right on my time.
We're coming around.
You act like you can't see me.
You act like you don't know me.
I just wish you would show me
That you'll be right on my time
In "Right on Time", O.A.R. speaks about the struggles that can come from trying to maintain a relationship with someone who is always busy, or otherwise hard to reach. The song's opening lyrics suggest a sense of frustration and perhaps even bitterness. The singer mentions that they have been waiting for a long time and believes that the person they are talking to has not been listening to them. The singer then admits to having placed pressure on the other person in the past, but vows never to ask for their time again.
Throughout the song, the singer frames their frustration with images of the natural world. They talk about talking to the moon, relaxing with the wind, and standing before God. These images suggest a sense of awe and humility in the face of a world that is much larger than any one person. However, these images also suggest that the singer is looking for some kind of response from a larger power or from the person they are addressing.
In the last verse, the singer speaks directly to the person they are addressing, saying "you act like you can't see me, you act like you don't know me." This shift in tone suggests a level of hurt and disappointment that has not been expressed previously in the song. At the same time, the phrase "right on my time" which is repeated throughout the song, suggests a level of entitlement that the singer feels they are owed. Overall, the song reflects the complicated and often fraught experience of trying to communicate with someone who is not available or responsive.
Line by Line Meaning
I know it's been a long, long year.
I understand that it has been an extended period.
God forbid you listen to me now.
It would not be ideal if you paid attention to me at this moment.
I may have laid the pressure on good,
Perhaps I put a significant amount of stress.
But since that day
However, from that moment.
I'll never ask again.
I will not inquire again.
It's funny, it's come right down to this.
It is ironic that it has ended up in this situation.
I have to steal my time cause
I must take time surreptitiously because.
You won't give it up for free.
You are not inclined to surrender it without charge.
I've been talking to the moon all night,
I have conversed with the moon the entire night.
But the stars won't say nothing to me.
Unfortunately, the stars remain silent.
And though I feel it's easy
Despite believing it's effortless.
For a man to grow up
For a male to mature and become an adult.
Much harder for a man to grow out.
However, it is difficult for a man to become more expansive.
You may not appear,
You may not reveal yourself.
But I'm standing here my God.
However, I am present here, my deity.
I'll never ask you.
I will never request anything of you.
Where have you been?
Where have you been located?
You could have told me just,
You had the option to inform me.
If you know me you know.
If you have an understanding of me, you comprehend.
I won't ask why.
I will not inquire as to why.
They always told me
People told me consistently.
You'd be right on my time.
You would arrive precisely at my designated time.
We're coming around.
We are almost back to where we started.
I know you're kind of busy right now.
I acknowledge that you are currently occupied.
Been a day, but I haven't heard your call.
It has been a day, and I have not received any contact from you.
I climbed a mountain just to get
I scaled a mountain to obtain.
A better view of you.
A superior vantage point of you.
But I'll never ask again.
Nonetheless, I will not request it again.
It's crazy that we just can't feel the time
It is remarkable that we cannot perceive the passage of time.
And lay down for awhile.
And recline for some time.
And let life catch your eye.
And allow existence to grab your attention.
I've been relaxing with the Wind all day.
I have been at ease with the Wind throughout the day.
But the Sky won't open up for me.
Unfortunately, the Sky remains closed to me.
And though I feel it's easy
However effortless it may seem.
For a man to stand tall.
For a male to maintain an upright position.
Much harder for a man to simmer down.
Nonetheless, it is tough for a man to become calm and peaceful.
You may not appear,
You may not manifest yourself.
But I'm standing here my god.
But I am present here, my deity.
If you give me just a minute of your day,
If you allocate just one minute of your day to me.
I see now why you choose to stay away.
I comprehend your decision to remain distant now.
Up here life seems more like living,
From this elevation, it appears existence is more akin to living.
And living mirrors love.
And living imitates affection.
And love just leaves me breathless.
And love merely leaves me astounded and captivated.
On we go.
Let us continue moving forward.
You act like you can't see me.
Your behavior resembles that of someone who is unable to perceive me.
You act like you don't know me.
You conduct yourself as if you have no knowledge of me.
I just wish you would show me
I merely desire for you to reveal yourself to me.
That you'll be right on my time
That you will arrive at precisely the correct moment for me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: STEPHEN JOHN CRADOCK, SIMON GEOFFREY FOWLER, OSCAR LLOYD HARRISON, DAN SEALEY, ANDREW BENNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joc1977
I know it's been a long, long year.
God forbid you to listen to me now.
I may have laid the pressure on good, but since that day
I'll never ask again.
It's funny, it's come right down to this.
I have to steal my time cause you won't give it up for free.
I've been talking to the Moon all night, but the Stars won't say nothing to me.
And though I feel it's easy for a man to grow up
Much harder for a man to grow out.
You may not appear, but I'm standing here My God.
I'll never ask you.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just.
Where have you been?
Cause if you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me you'd be right on my time.
We're coming around.
I know you're kind of busy right now.
Been a day, but I haven't heard your call.
I climbed a mountain just to get a better view of you.
But I'll never ask again.
It's crazy that we just can't feel the time
And lay down for awhile.
And let life catch your eye.
I've been relaxing with the Wind all day.
But the Sky won't open up for me.
And though I feel it's easy for a man to stand tall.
Much harder for a man to simmer down.
You may not appear, but I'm standing here my God.
I'll never ask you.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just,
Where have you been?
If you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me you'd be right on my time.
If you give me just a minute of your day,
I see now why you choose to stay away.
Up here life seems more like living,
And living mirrors love.
And love just leaves me breathless.
On we go.
I'll never ask you.
Where have you been?
You could have told me just,
Where have you been?
If you know me you know.
I won't ask why.
They always told me you'd be right on my time.
We're coming around.
You act like you can't see me.
You act like you don't know me.
I just wish you would show me
That you'll be right on my time.
You act like you can't see me.
You act like you don't know me.
I just wish you would show me
@mikefritz8114
LOVE this song..🍻
@nickphillips8868
Great song
@Danny-dg6wo
amazing