The One That Got Away
Pink Lyrics
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I stood by the exit door of the hotel cafe
He was playing with his band
I've always been a sucker
Had a weakness for a boy with a guitar and a drink in his hand
His words were like heaven in my hurricane
My knees buckled under
I thought everyone was watching me
You were mine
In the back of my mind
Oh, just for one night
Just for a while
There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you then slips away
Two weeks later I was sitting in his apartment
He was making cappuccino
I said, 'what kind of man makes cappuccino?'
We laughed
We laughed
We laughed
We laughed till tears ran down my face
Oh, but, my man, you're someone else's man
And that ain't the man that I want
But you keep drawing me in with those big, brown, lying eyes
You'll always be mine
In the back of my mind
Oh, we had a night
Just a little while
There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you then slips away
In a closed off corner of my heart, yes
I'll always see your face
The one that got away
One that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Oh, the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh, the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh, the one that got away
Yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Yeah, yeah
Oh
I'm not a victim of cliches
I don't believe in soul mates
Happy endings, only one
Oh, and I met you, and all that changed
I had a taste, and you're still sitting on the tip of my tongue
You were mine
Somewhere in time
I'll look for you first
In my next life
There's always one that gets away
The one that sneaks up on you then slips away
Slips away
In a closed off corner of my heart, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I, I'll always see your face
The one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Oh, the one that got away
The one that got away
Oh, the one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Yeah, yeah
Oh, oh, yeah
The one that got away
In the song "The One That Got Away," Pink sings about a fleeting love affair that still lingers in her heart. The story starts with Pink standing by the exit door of a hotel café where a musician was playing with his band. She reveals that she has always had a weakness for boys with guitars and drinks in their hands. She explains how the musician's words were like heaven in her hurricane and how her knees buckled under her. She felt like everyone in the room was watching her, but she was watching him, and he saved her life with the song he played.
Pink describes their relationship as something that was in the back of her mind, a one-night affair that lasted just for a while. She goes on to describe how two weeks later, she was sitting in his apartment, and they were laughing together, but she also acknowledges that he is someone else's man, and that isn't the man she wants. However, he keeps drawing her in with his big, brown, lying eyes. Pink concludes the song by admitting that there's always one love affair that gets away—the one that sneaks up on you then slips away. She admits that she will always see his face in a closed off corner of her heart, and he is the one that got away.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, oh
Introduction to the story
I stood by the exit door of the hotel cafe
Setting up the scene and the singer's location
He was playing with his band
Introducing the male protagonist and his occupation
I've always been a sucker
Admitting a character flaw
Had a weakness for a boy with a guitar and a drink in his hand
Describing the artist's specific attraction
His words were like heaven in my hurricane
Metaphorically comparing his words to something beautiful during a storm
My knees buckled under
Expressing physical reaction to the musical performance
I thought everyone was watching me
Feeling self-conscious due to being mesmerized
Watching you save my life with the song
Symbolically portraying the musical performance as saving her from herself
You were mine
Claiming a momentary sense of ownership over him
In the back of my mind
Acknowledging the temporary nature of their interaction
Oh, just for one night
Highlighting the brevity of their relationship
Just for a while
Reiterating the short-lived nature of their romantic encounter
There's always one that gets away
Philosophical statement about missed connections
The one that sneaks up on you then slips away
Expanding upon the idea of the missed connection
Two weeks later I was sitting in his apartment
Reintroducing the male protagonist and giving a time jump
He was making cappuccino
Humanizing him with a small detail about his domestic abilities
I said, 'what kind of man makes cappuccino?'
Engaging in playful banter
We laughed
Expressing joy in each other's company
We laughed
Repeating the enjoyment
We laughed
Continuing to enjoy the moment
We laughed till tears ran down my face
Describing the intensity of their laughter
Oh, but, my man, you're someone else's man
Acknowledging the man's relationship status
And that ain't the man that I want
Voicing her disappointment in the situation
But you keep drawing me in with those big, brown, lying eyes
Accentuating his attractive qualities with a hint of his dishonesty
Somewhere in time
Fantasizing about the future
I'll look for you first
Preferring him as a potential romantic partner in future lives
In my next life
Emphasizing the previous line's sentiment
In a closed off corner of my heart, yes
Accepting that he will always have a small piece of her heart
I'll always see your face
Acknowledging his significance in her life
Oh, the one that got away
Repeating the song's refrain and title
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alecia B. Moore, William Hort Mann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind