Because Of You
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did, you fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known
Better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life
Because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid
Because of you
Because of you
The song "Because Of You" is a powerful ballad that tells the story of the pain and trauma caused by a dysfunctional parent-child relationship. The lyrics are a first-person narrative by the child (now an adult), who vows to avoid the same mistakes that were made by their parent. The opening verse sets the tone for the song, emphasizing that she will not let herself fall into the same patterns that caused her so much pain. She has learned from the past and will do everything in her power to avoid repeating the cycle of pain.
The chorus of the song is a reflection of how her parent's actions continue to affect her life even as an adult. The lines "Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk… I am afraid" speaks to the emotional scars that she has carried with her into adulthood. She tells us that she's afraid to trust others and that she struggles to let anyone into her life, even those who genuinely care about her. She is fearful and guarded because of the emotional trauma and pain inflicted upon her by her parent.
The third verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant as the songwriter reflects on her own pain at watching her parent's struggles. The lines "I watched you die, I heard you cry every night in your sleep... You should have known better than to lean on me" highlight the emotional burden placed on the child by a parent's neediness and pain. The songwriter is saying that her parent should have known better than to rely on her for emotional support instead of seeking help elsewhere.
Line by Line Meaning
I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I vow to avoid committing the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I'm determined not to let myself suffer emotionally as you did
I will not break
The way you did, you fell so hard
I'll make sure I won't break down like you did when the going gets tough
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far
I've had to learn the hard way to refrain from letting things deteriorate to an unbearable point
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
You've made me so cautious and wary of my surroundings that I never stray too far from what's familiar and safe
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
The fear of getting hurt has forced me to only take the safest path
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
You destroyed my ability to trust myself and others around me
Because of you
I am afraid
You instilled so much fear in me that I'm scared of taking risks and making mistakes
I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
Whenever I take a wrong turn, you're quick to point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
Your perception that crying is a weakness prevents me from expressing my emotions and grieving
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
I feel compelled to pretend that I'm happy every day, even when I'm not
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
You've caused me so much damage already that I can't feel heartbreak anymore
I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I saw you slowly self-destruct, and heard you cry in your sleep every night
I was so young
You should have known
Better than to lean on me
You shouldn't have expected me, a child, to support you at your lowest point
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
You were so consumed by your pain that you didn't consider how your actions would affect others
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing
I'm now crying for the same reasons as you did, and it's happening in the middle of the night
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
To avoid reliving your pain and past mistakes, I try my best to forget everything you've done and every memory of you
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Your actions have made me incapable of letting anyone else into my life
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life
Because it's empty
Your influence on my life has left me feeling ashamed of my own lack of fulfillment and emptiness
Because of you
I am afraid
Your impact on my life has caused me to live in a constant state of fear
Because of you
Because of you
Everything in my life is influenced by and linked to you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Ben Moody, David Hodges, Kelly Briannne Clarkson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@melissaderosa4253
Hi justin,
Thank God you've got a new goid man in your life.
I hold this song close to my soul, as my longtime boyfriend is experiencing karma from God, oh well !!!!!! We've got 2 wonderful 👱♂️s too!!!!! Our 1st son is a micropremie survivor!!
I'd had 2 small uterine fibroids, at the time of delivery 3 softball + 20 golf ball size fibroids had our baby very crowded, a miracle he was 👍, made it!!!! A extensive amnosenthesis came back all negative, normal. If we'd been told no, the opposite would've not aborted our son 👹 no!!!!!
Hence at 23.5 weeks, 14 ounces, 19+@1/2"s long with a 8+@1/2 month NICU stay!!!!!!
High functioning autistic, ADHD medium, global delaument, partcial up close vision in just 1 eye, overcoming other ore diagnoses!!!!
I know God has a soulmate for me!!!!! Been to 👹 n back it seems like alot in my 52++/2years here on 🌎!!!! We're had the police called on us alot, I've had to make 911 calls too, cos or child protective services at our house alot too!!!! Thank God, we get to keep our 2 👱♂️s!!
Life ain't easy akwsys!!! 👹 yeah God our Creator God + 🌅 Father gives us more than we can take!!!!!!!!
Just before Easter due to the cornavirus we'd lost a deputy police officer friend !!!! Ge was also gay, so what...it didn't matter to us!!!! Advocated for gay and = rights within the police force, for gay people, for special needs children and animals too!!!!! This was a Godly, good souled man!!!!
Our 👱♂️a and he would run to each other!!! He'd swoop them up individually, a solid hug+a quick kiss on the top of their head !!!!! We'd getcha solid good hug, quick cheek kiss!!
He'd wanted to leave a legacy, well our family 👹 yeah is still mourning him and by God,will assist his family, our 1 son's school, his fiance', etc carry on his stellar legacy!!!!! R.I.P. OUR BELOVED DEPUTY 😇🌞🌜🌅🌎🙏😘👍,YOU'RE MISSED, THOUGHT OF DAILY!!!! WE 4 WON'T LET YA ,WHAT YOU'D WANTED TO BE 4GOTTEN TOLL WE JOIN YA IN🌅 HOPEFULLY WHEN WE'RE 100 LIVED A LONG LIFE ON 🌎!!!!!!
ARE YOU DRY 👀ED, OR 😭ING YET????!!!!!!
HUGS AND LOVE:
Melissa
@melissaderosa4253
Hey justin,
Ditto because of you song is us survivors, my babies!!!!!!
God bless you and your new man who I'm sure your kin and friends are so damn glad ya got after the 👹!!!!!!
Not to get into politics, we want President Trump re elected another 4 years, God bless our service personnel, those we've lost from the cornavirus as we lost a gsy deputy friend who we all ❤ed 1 another, our early 😇in 🌅, OUR HERO AND WE'LL CARRY LUR HIS WISHWS OF CARRYING ON HIS LEGACY HE'D PAVED THE WAY FOR GAY PEOPLE, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, PROTECT RHOSE YA R3VERE HOLD UP HIGH, ANIMALS, HONOR OUR CREATOR, THE ALPHA PLUS OMEGA OUR GOD AMEN HELL 👹YEAH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE'RE GOING TO MY STEP BROTHER IN LAW AND HIS FAMILY IN PORT SAINT LUCIE, FLORIDA WE MEED A MINI VACATION 👹YEAH A YEAR SINCE WE'D BEEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'M ALMOST PACKED, DOING MY LAST LOAD OF LAUNDRY NOW AND WILL.DRY, PUT AWAY PACK A LIL' GET US READY BY 2PM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I 🙏 ALL GOES WELL WE.COME BACK ON MONDAY MID DAY!!!!!
I'M MAKING THE 👱♂️S EUN AROUND AFTER THEM, BRWAK UP LOL WE ALL K OW DID AS YOUNGINS SIBLING RIVALRY, OVER EXCITED 👱♂️S, FISH, DRINK A FEW WINE SPEITZERS MIS AFTERNOON RO 9PM NOT JUST 1 9F RED OR PINK WINE, FRESH FRUIT IN THE CUP, JUICE SO I'M TALKING 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭YEAH AND OH SONS GO GET YOUR DADDY MAMA ❤S YA!!!!!!!!!!
HE WORKS FEOM 730 OR.8AM TO 53O OR 7PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY, A HALF A SATURDAY, SOMERIMES A HOUR OR.ALL SUNDAY AM AS A AUTO MECHANIC. HE'LL TAKE RHE LIL'SON ON SUNDAY MAYBE BOTH OR.US 3 TO WOEK, THEN WE GO TO THE ICW IN OIR SWIMSUITS GET 🌞, CHILL, FISH, FAMILY TIME DURING THIS DAMN MAJOR LETHAL, SERIOUS CORNAVIRUS!!!!!!!!!!
HIGA AND LOVE,
MELISSA
@DrkMynd
I grew up the oldest child. I wasn't given the same love and devotion that my younger sister was.
This song hits hard because I wasn't allowed to cry. I wasn't alllowed to feel. I just had to accept life as it was.
It sucked ass.
And in the end.....the one they gave up on, saved their asses from the worst of life. Gave them a home...gave them everything they could want. 1 of the 3 died never knowing it....the other 2....still think that I OWE it to them.
Aint life a bitch?
@jaden8084
This song hits harder after Kelly's Divorce. To hear two Queens sing together really pulls on the heartstrings all over again. ❤
@TH-cw6wb
2 queens. Well said
@TrudyPatootie
Sobbing.
I left an abusive relationship of 30 years because of Kelly's original " Because of You."
I just discovered this. Brought back so many memories. Thank you.
I am madly in love with my husband of 17 years now at the age of 74.
@TrudyPatootie
@James Hama Well, hello! Oh James...how sweet of you to check up on me.
I am doing so good. Got Covid and it was like the flu for me...so that's good.
Still madly in love with my husband. Abusive past is now a distant memory that I lived through.
Your comment made my day. Thank you. And You Friend?
@jordanlash2268
Good for you glad you able to end up really happy
@TrudyPatootie
@Jordan Lash Thank you Jordan
He still makes my heartbeat faster
when I hear his truck coming up the
driveway after 19 years!
@liveandletdie7187
I am in the process of divorce after 35 years of torment and abuse❤
@TrudyPatootie
@Alice in Chains Oh Alice I am so
proud of you having the courage to
leave. 💫
You go on and live your most
fabulous life honey! You deserve it!
@thabielee2551
"My heart can't possibly break when it wasn't whole to start with" This line kills me. I 💯% get what she means
@ethelhoose7624
This song is so me