This One
Paul McCartney Lyrics


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Did I ever take you in my arms,
Look you in the eye, tell you that I do,
Did I ever open up my heart
And let you look inside.

If I never did it, I was only waiting
For a better moment that didn't come.
There never could be a better moment
Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean,
A god is riding upon his back,
How calm the water and bright the rainbow
Fade this one to black.

Did I ever touch you on the cheek
Say that you were mine, thank you for the smile,
Did I ever knock upon your door
And try to get inside?

If I never did it, I was only waiting
For a better moment that didn't come.
There never could be a better moment
Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean,
A god is riding upon his back,
How calm the water and bright the rainbow
Fade this swan to black.

What opportunities did we allow to flow by
Feeling like like the timing wasn't quite right?
What kind of magic might have worked if we had stayed calm,
Couldn't I have given you a better life?

Did you ever take me in your arms,
Look me in the eye, tell me that you do?
Did I ever open up my heart,
Let you look inside?

If I never did it, I was only waiting
For a better moment that didn't come.
There never could be a better moment
Than this one, this one.

The swan is gliding above the ocean,
A god is riding upon his back,




How calm the water and bright the rainbow
Fade this swan to black

Overall Meaning

In "This One," Paul McCartney asks if he and his lover ever truly showed their love for one another. He wonders if he ever held her in his arms, looked her in the eye, and said "I do," or if he ever let her look inside his heart. He admits that if he never did these things, it was only because he was waiting for the perfect moment, which never came. However, he realizes that there is never a better time than now to express his love for her.


The imagery in the song is beautiful, with the swan gliding above the ocean and a god riding on its back. However, even this beautiful moment fades eventually. McCartney questions the opportunities they may have missed because they felt the timing wasn't right, and wonders if they could have had a better life if they had just stayed calm and let the magic happen at the right moment.


The chorus of the song repeats the idea that there is never a better moment than this one. McCartney wants to seize the opportunity to show his love and make a change in their lives. He ends the song by asking if she ever held him in her arms and looked into his eyes, or if she ever opened up her heart to let him inside.


Overall, "This One" is a tender love song filled with beautiful imagery and a powerful message about seizing the moment and expressing your love.


Line by Line Meaning

Did I ever take you in my arms,
Have I ever held you in my arms?


Look you in the eye, tell you that I do,
Have I ever expressed my love for you directly and sincerely?


Did I ever open up my heart
Have I ever shared my true feelings with you?


And let you look inside.
Did I ever let you really know who I am?


If I never did it, I was only waiting
If I haven't done these things, it's because I was waiting for the right moment.


For a better moment that didn't come.
But that right moment never seemed to arrive.


There never could be a better moment
However, this very moment is the best one we have now.


Than this one, this one.
So let's not waste it.


The swan is gliding above the ocean,
Here, we see a beautiful image of nature.


A god is riding upon his back,
It's almost as if there is divine intervention in this moment.


How calm the water and bright the rainbow
The scene is peaceful and serene, with a bright rainbow in the background.


Fade this one to black.
But this moment, just like everything else, will eventually come to an end.


What opportunities did we allow to flow by
Reflecting on our past, we wonder what chances we missed.


Feeling like the timing wasn't quite right?
Perhaps we both felt like things weren't quite aligned for us yet.


What kind of magic might have worked if we had stayed calm,
But if we had remained patient and level-headed, what wonderful things might have happened?


Couldn't I have given you a better life?
It's possible that I could have provided you with a happier existence.


Did you ever take me in your arms,
Did you ever hold me in your embrace?


Look me in the eye, tell me that you do?
Did you ever look into my eyes and declare your love for me?


Did I ever open up my heart,
Did I ever share my true self with you?


Let you look inside?
Did I ever allow you to truly get to know me?


The swan is gliding above the ocean,
Once again, we see the image of the beautiful swan.


A god is riding upon his back,
And once again, we are reminded of the possibility of divine intervention.


How calm the water and bright the rainbow
The water is still calm and the rainbow remains vibrant.


Fade this swan to black.
But just like before, we know that this peaceful moment will eventually end.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAUL MCCARTNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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