She Was There
Original Broadway Cast Lyrics
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Watching it fade with the dawn
Wanting her back with me, warm in the moonlight
Knowing that moment was gone
Out of mind, out of sight,
Till the moon rose tonight
All at once, I felt a chill
In a spill of moonlight, she was there
There was something pulling in the air
When she whispered through the dark
I tried hard to hold my ground
I believed I had a choice
Till the music in her voice
Turned my whole world around
I would like to understand
But the stars and I begin to blur
If she never touched my hand
Then what filled me with the feel of her?
In between us stood a wall
In a flash it fell apart
Is it possible she heard
Every last unspoken word
Racing out of my heart?
She never turned to me, but suddenly
We had so much to share!
I never took her in my arms, but she was there
Oh, she was there!
No, I never pulled her in
Still her tenderness was everywhere
Oh, she slipped beneath my skin
Just as if she'd always been right there
Has she been there all along?
Was I too far gone to know?
What a fool I must have been
For how could I pull her in
When I've never let her go?
The song "She Was There," from the Original Broadway Cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel, is a romantic ballad that explores the theme of lost love and missed opportunities. The singer of the song is haunted by memories of a former lover who he has longed for, yearning to have her back with him under the moonlight. He reflects on the fleeting nature of time, and how moments can be lost forever, never to be regained. Despite moving on from the relationship and putting her out of his mind, the singer is suddenly struck by her presence in the moonlight, and feels as though something is pulling them together.
The song speaks to the idea of fate and how sometimes the universe aligns in a way that brings two people together, even if it seems impossible. The singer wrestles with the choices he has made, wondering if he could have done anything differently to keep her in his life. He is left questioning the reality of their encounter, unsure if she was truly there or if it was all a dream.
The lyrics of "She Was There" evoke a powerful emotional response, drawing the listener into the singer's internal struggle with love and loss. The song's melody is a poignant blend of longing and hope, and the use of moonlight and stars helps to create a nostalgic and romantic ambiance.
Line by Line Meaning
So many nights I have stood in the moonlight
I have spent countless nights standing under the moonlight
Watching it fade with the dawn
Watching the moon disappear with the sunrise
Wanting her back with me, warm in the moonlight
Wishing for her presence with me under the moonlight
Knowing that moment was gone
Being aware that the moment has passed
Out of mind, out of sight,
I tried to forget and move on
Till the moon rose tonight
Until now, when the moon has risen tonight
All at once, I felt a chill
I suddenly felt a shiver down my spine
In a spill of moonlight, she was there
She appeared in the moonlight that was spilling down
Though we both held very still
We both did not move a muscle
There was something pulling in the air
There was a strong sense of attraction in the air
When she whispered through the dark
When she spoke softly in the darkness
I tried hard to hold my ground
I tried my best to remain calm and composed
I believed I had a choice
I thought I had a decision to make
Till the music in her voice
Until I heard the captivating and alluring quality in her voice
Turned my whole world around
Suddenly, my whole world was shaken up
I would like to understand
I am eager to comprehend
But the stars and I begin to blur
I become distracted and disoriented
If she never touched my hand
If she never physically made contact with me
Then what filled me with the feel of her?
What made me feel her presence and connection so strongly?
In between us stood a wall
There was a figurative wall that separated us
In a flash it fell apart
It came crashing down suddenly and unexpectedly
Is it possible she heard
I wonder if she was able to listen or perceive
Every last unspoken word
Every thought or feeling I kept to myself
Racing out of my heart?
Pouring out from my innermost being?
She never turned to me, but suddenly
She did not look at me, but all of a sudden
We had so much to share!
We had a lot to talk and share about
I never took her in my arms, but she was there
I did not embrace her physically, but she was with me in spirit
No, I never pulled her in
No, I did not bring her closer to me
Still her tenderness was everywhere
But her warmth and affection were all around
Oh, she slipped beneath my skin
Her presence became a part of me
Just as if she'd always been right there
As if she had been present with me all along
Has she been there all along?
Was she there with me all this time?
Was I too far gone to know?
Was I too lost to realize it?
What a fool I must have been
I must have been a great fool
For how could I pull her in
Because I failed to draw her closer to me
When I've never let her go?
When I have been holding on to her all along
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: FRANK WILDHORN, FRANK N. WILDHORN, NAN KNIGHTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Storyline Inc.
So many nights I have stood in the moonlight
Watching it fade with the dawn
Wanting her back with me, warm in the moonlight
Knowing that moment was gone
Out of mind, out of sight,
Till the moon rose ronight
All at once, I felt a chill
In a spill of moonlight, she was there
Though we both held very still
There was something pulling in the air
When she whispered through the dark
I tried hard to hold my ground
I believed I had a choice
Till the music in her voice
Turned my whole world around
I would like to understand
But the stars and I begin to blur
If she never touched my hand
Then what filled me with the feel of her?
In between us stood a wall
In a flash it fell apart
Is it possible she heard
Every last unspoken word
Racing out of my heart?
She never turned to me, but suddenly
We had so much to share!
I never took her in my arms, but she was there
Oh, she was there!
No, I never pulled her in
Still her tenderness was everywhere
Oh, she slipped beneath my skin
Just as if she'd always been right there
Has she been there all along?
Was I too far gone to know?
What a fool I must have been
For how could I pull her in
When I've never let her go?
shoshanna weinstein
While decorating the house for a special occasion, I've had this soundtrack on loop, but I never got what was happening here. This must have been after the library rendezvous at Lord Greenville's ball! All the feels!
A Stage For The Kingdom
Youtube user thebrainlessflop has a video of this scene and song from the Broadway production. :)