Over My Shoulder
Patty Loveless Lyrics


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Over my shoulder
My heart expects to see you runnin' after me
Callin' out my name
Over my shoulder
There's a coat you used to wrap me in to keep me warm
To keep me near
Though the clouds still hang around me
Like my stormy love for you
The rain is fallin' softer now
The sun is breakin' through

Over my shoulder I see a rainbow
And is it heaven's way of sayin' I can let you go
And tomorrow morning I'll be one day older
And you will be a memory
One last look, over my shoulder

Over my shoulder
There're some words I said I wish I had back again
But it's out of my hands
Over my shoulder
Oh, the shadow of our love keeps reaching out for me
It won't set me free
With every step I ask myself
Which way should I go
It's hard to find your way across
A bridge that's burning slow

Over my shoulder I see a rainbow
Is it heaven's way of sayin' I can let you go
Tomorrow morning I'll be one day older
And you will be a memory
One last look, over my shoulder
Tomorrow morning I'll be one day older
And you will be a memory




One last look, over my shoulder
Over my shoulder

Overall Meaning

Patty Loveless's song "Over My Shoulder" describes a woman going through the motions of moving on from a past relationship. The opening lines describe the woman looking back, expecting to see her former partner running after her, calling her name. She also sees the coat he used to wrap her in, symbolizing the warmth and closeness they shared. However, she is conflicted as she is surrounded by the stormy clouds of her love for him, but the rain is falling softer and the sun is breaking through, indicating a sense of hope and renewal.


As the song progresses, she is torn between her regret for words said and wishing she could take them back, yet understanding that it is out of her hands. The shadow of their love keeps reaching out for her and she struggles to find her way across the bridge that is slowly burning. In the end, she sees a rainbow and wonders if it is heaven's way of saying she can finally let go, and realizes that tomorrow she will be one day older and her former partner will just be a memory. She takes one last look over her shoulder as she moves forward, signaling the start of her journey towards healing and closure.


Overall, "Over My Shoulder" is a poignant and relatable song about the struggle to move on from a past love, filled with vivid imagery and a hopeful message.


Line by Line Meaning

Over my shoulder
Looking back on my past and reflecting on the memories I shared with you


My heart expects to see you runnin' after me
My heart still longs for you and wishes you would come back to me


Callin' out my name
Hoping and dreaming that you will come back to me and call my name once again


There's a coat you used to wrap me in to keep me warm
Remembering the ways you showed love and care for me, especially during the cold and difficult times


To keep me near
Realizing that your love kept me close to you and that I miss that feeling


Though the clouds still hang around me
Despite the difficulties and sadness in my life, I am still trying to move on from our relationship


Like my stormy love for you
My feelings for you have been intense and passionate, but also tumultuous and difficult to handle


The rain is fallin' softer now
The pain and sadness I feel is starting to ease up and become less intense


The sun is breakin' through
I am starting to see hope and possibility for the future, and moving on from our relationship


There're some words I said I wish I had back again
Regretting the hurtful words I said to you, and wishing I could take them back


But it's out of my hands
Realizing that I cannot change the past, and must let it be and move forward


Oh, the shadow of our love keeps reaching out for me
Feeling the lingering presence of our past relationship, and how it still affects me


It won't set me free
The hold our relationship still has on me is preventing me from fully moving on and finding peace


With every step I ask myself
As I try to move on, I am constantly questioning my decisions and actions


Which way should I go
Wondering what the right path is to take in my life without you, and feeling lost and uncertain


It's hard to find your way across
Navigating the difficult process of moving on, and feeling overwhelmed by the challenges


A bridge that's burning slow
Seeing our relationship slowly fade away and knowing that it is finally coming to an end


Over my shoulder I see a rainbow
Finding beauty and hope in the midst of my sadness and pain, and believing that brighter days are ahead


Is it heaven's way of sayin' I can let you go
Wondering if the rainbow is a sign from a higher power telling me that it is time to move on and let go of our relationship


And tomorrow morning I'll be one day older
Every day passes by and time is continuing to move forward, even if my emotions are still tied to the past


And you will be a memory
Accepting that our relationship is over and that you will become a memory in my life


One last look, over my shoulder
Taking one final glance back at my past and our relationship before moving on to the future




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: MARCUS HUMMON, ROGER MURRAH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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