One Promise Too Late
Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson Lyrics

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I would have waited forever
If I'd known that you'd be here
We could have shared our lives together
And held each other close all through the years
But I've met someone before you
And my heart just couldn't wait
So no matter how much I adore you
I've got to stand behind the promise that I made

Where were you
When I could have loved you
Where were you
When I gave my heart away
All my life I've been dreaming of you
You came along one promise too late
You came along one promise too late

I won't say that I'm sorry that I met you
I can't have you but I never will forget you

Where were you
When I could have loved you
Where were you
When I gave my heart away
All my life I've been dreaming of you
You came along one promise too late
You came along one promise too late

Where were you
When I could have loved you
Where were you
When I gave my heart away
All my life I've been dreaming of you

You came along one promise too late
You came along one promise too late

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Reba McEntire's song "One Promise Too Late" are about a missed opportunity for love. The singer, who has long dreamed of finding someone to share their life with, meets someone who they adore, but their heart already belongs to someone else. The singer wishes that this new love interest had come into their life earlier, before they made a promise that they feel obligated to stand behind. The song expresses deep regret and longing, but also acknowledges the impossibility of changing the past.

The lyrics are notable for their emotional depth and honesty. Many people can relate to the experience of missed opportunities and the longing for what could have been. The song's universal theme of love and loss has made it enduringly popular among country music fans. McEntire's powerful vocals and the song's heartfelt lyrics combine to create a moving tribute to the complex emotions that come with love.

Line by Line Meaning

I would have waited forever
If I knew that I would eventually end up with you, I would have waited for you for as long as it took

If I'd known that you'd be here
If I had known that you were the one for me, I would have waited for you

We could have shared our lives together
We could have had a life together, shared our joys and sorrows, and built a future together

And held each other close all through the years
We could have held each other, provided support and care, and enjoyed life's journey together

But I've met someone before you
Unfortunately, I fell in love with someone else before I met you

And my heart just couldn't wait
I couldn't hold back my feelings for the other person and had to act on them

So no matter how much I adore you
Even though I have feelings for you and think highly of you, my heart belongs to someone else

I've got to stand behind the promise that I made
I made a commitment to someone else and I must honor that promise, even though it means rejecting someone I care about deeply

Where were you
I wonder where you were when I was falling in love with someone else

When I could have loved you
At a time when I was open to and seeking love, you were not in my life and I missed the opportunity to be with you

When I gave my heart away
I gave my heart to someone else and perhaps missed the chance to be with someone I could have loved

All my life I've been dreaming of you
I always imagined being with you and dreamed about the possibility of us being together

You came along one promise too late
Even though I have feelings for you now, it is too late because I am committed to someone else and cannot break that promise

I won't say that I'm sorry that I met you
Even though things did not work out between us, I do not regret meeting you and having you in my life

I can't have you but I never will forget you
Although we cannot be together, you will always hold a special place in my heart and memories

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID LOGGINS, DON SCHLITZ, LISA MIRIAM SILVER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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