Only God Knows
Ron Pope Lyrics

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Sitting right outside your house
Don't know when the fire went out
Drinking in my Sunday clothes
Don't ask me what went wrong, only God knows
Mmm, only God knows

Now I've tried my best to understand
How we wreck every chance we've had

These things your face just never shows
Won't ask you what went wrong, only God knows
Mmm, only God knows

And I believe you've found a way
To never give up anything
Just to hold onto yourself
If you'd surrendered from the start
Maybe things would fall apart
But you can't know unless you give in, unless you give in

So now I'm standing all alone
Not sure I can let you roam
Guess I walked this path you chose
Still wonder what went wrong, only God knows
Mmm, only God knows

Mmm, only God knows
Mmm, only God knows

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ron Pope's song Only God Knows seem to be about a failed relationship. The singer is sitting outside the house of his former partner, reflecting on the end of the relationship. He drinks in his Sunday clothes, indicating that he is perhaps trying to appear put together, but he doesn't know when the "fire" went out. He doesn't understand why they couldn't make it work, and concludes that only God knows what went wrong.

The singer has tried to understand why they couldn't make it work, but feels that the other person was not fully invested in the relationship. He says that "these things your face just never shows," implying that the other person was not transparent about their feelings. Even though they wrecked every chance they had together, the singer cannot pinpoint what exactly went wrong. He again concludes that only God knows what really happened.

The ending of the song seems to suggest that the other person has moved on, but the singer is still holding on. He says he's not sure if he can let the other person roam, indicating that he may still have feelings for them. The song ends with the singer still wondering what went wrong but realizing that only God knows the truth of the matter.

Line by Line Meaning

Sitting right outside your house
I am physically present near your residence

Don't know when the fire went out
I am clueless about when the spark in our relationship vanished

Drinking in my Sunday clothes
I am consuming alcohol whilst dressed up formally

Don't ask me what went wrong, only God knows
I cannot explain the reason behind our complications, because only divine intervention knows

Now I've tried my best to understand
I have attempted to grasp the situation as much as I could

How we wreck every chance we've had
We have ruined every opportunity we had to succeed

These things your face just never shows
Your expressions do not indicate the things you feel or think

Won't ask you what went wrong, only God knows
I will not inquire about the reason for our downfall, even though it remains a question only the Almighty can answer

And I believe you've found a way
I have a feeling you have discovered a solution

To never give up anything
You refuse to relinquish anything

Just to hold onto yourself
Only to keep hold of your own interests

If you'd surrendered from the start
Perhaps if you had let go of control from the very beginning

Maybe things would fall apart
Things might have crumbled in chaos

But you can't know unless you give in, unless you give in
You cannot learn the real outcome unless you choose to let go of your grip

So now I'm standing all alone
I am currently standing entirely on my own

Not sure I can let you roam
I am not certain if I can allow you to wander aimlessly

Guess I walked this path you chose
I assume I followed the route of your choosing

Still wonder what went wrong, only God knows
I still ponder about the complications, which only divine intervention can understand

Mmm, only God knows
These unexplainable circumstances commonly fall under the purview of the Almighty

Contributed by Vivian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.