I'm Going to Go Back There Someday
Paul Williams Lyrics


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This looks familiar
Vaguely familiar
Almost unreal yet
It's too soon to feel yet
Close to my soul and yet so far away
I'm going to go back there some day.

Sunrises, nightfalls
Sometimes the sky calls
Is that a song there?
Then do I belong there?
I've never been there but I know the way
I'm going to go back there some day.

Come and go with me
It's more fun to share
We'll both be completely at home in midair
We're flying, not walking, on featherless wings
We can hold on to love like invisible strings.

There's not a word yet for old friends
Who've just met
Part heaven, part space
Or have I found my place?
You can just visit, but I plan to stay.





I'm going to go back there some day
I'm going to go back there some day

Overall Meaning

In Paul Williams's song, "I'm Going to Go Back There Someday," the lyrics suggest a journey to a place that is familiar yet distant. The first verse describes a feeling of familiarity, but it is too soon to fully comprehend it. The second verse talks about the sky calling and a sense of belonging even though the singer has never been to this place before. The third verse invites someone to share the experience, one that is more fun if they go together, and they will "be completely at home in midair". Then, the music takes a playful turn when the singer suggests they can fly on featherless wings and hold onto love like invisible strings. The song ends with the singer saying they have found a place they call their own, and they plan to stay.


The lyrics are dreamlike and symbolic in nature. The idea of going back to a place they have never been is a powerful one as it taps into a sense of nostalgia, longing, and hope. The singer is searching for a place where they feel a sense of belonging, where they can connect with others, and where they can experience love and joy. It is a song about being in the moment and experiencing life at its fullest.


Line by Line Meaning

This looks familiar
The place I am seeing resembles a place I have been to before.


Vaguely familiar
The place is somewhat familiar, but not entirely.


Almost unreal yet
Although it looks familiar, it doesn't feel quite real yet.


It's too soon to feel yet
It is too early to have an emotional reaction to this place.


Close to my soul and yet so far away
Although the place seems very significant to me, it is also distant and unreachable.


I'm going to go back there some day.
I have a strong desire to return to this place in the future.


Sunrises, nightfalls
No matter the time of day, the sky looks beautiful here.


Sometimes the sky calls
The sky here is so beautiful that it calls out to be noticed.


Is that a song there?
There is something musical or poetic about this place.


Then do I belong there?
This place feels so special to me that I wonder if I truly belong there.


I've never been there but I know the way
Even though I've never physically been to this place, it feels as though I'm familiar with it.


Come and go with me
I want to share this experience with someone else.


It's more fun to share
I believe that sharing this experience with others will make it more enjoyable.


We'll both be completely at home in midair
Although we'll be flying, it will feel as though we are at home in this place.


We're flying, not walking, on featherless wings
It will be a surreal experience, unlike anything we've ever felt before.


We can hold on to love like invisible strings
We will feel a deep sense of love and connectivity in this place, almost as though we are tied together by invisible strings.


There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met
I will meet people here who feel like old friends, even though we have just met.


Part heaven, part space
This place feels like a combination of heaven and outer space.


Or have I found my place?
I feel a strong sense of belonging in this place, as though it is where I am meant to be.


You can just visit, but I plan to stay.
Others may be content to visit this place, but I feel as though I want to stay here permanently.


I'm going to go back there some day
Once again, I stress my strong desire to return to this place in the future.


I'm going to go back there some day
The final line reinforces the idea that the artist will one day return to this special, surreal place.




Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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