Meet Ross Copperman - The boy from Roanoke, Virginia (the nearest big city … Read Full Bio ↴Meet Ross Copperman - The boy from Roanoke, Virginia (the nearest big city is Washington DC, 170 miles north). He's sung for as long as he can remember and he'll tell you about being five years old and wailing along to the car radio with Mom. But what marks him out, in a region where even the postman sings a bit, is his ability to turn the music in his head into widescreen tunes. That's widescreen as in sweeping melodies and spacious choruses, but his emotive, scuffed-up voice bestows an intimacy that makes each song feel as if it were written for the listener alone. Ross started to write songs at college. The first song he wrote Fly Away, which appears on his forthcoming debut album, caused his teacher to convince him to take it up professionally. He did. He soon won several prestigious competitions, one of which earned him a 40-date US college tour. It didnt take long for word to spread in the industry and several record companies were offering deals. He eventually took the decision of signing to UK label Phonogenic / RCA Records. Musically Ross can be described as a blue eyed soul boy of indie-rock. Aside from drawing on the rich history of musical culture in his surrounding landscape, Ross spent much of his youth plugged into what was happening on this side of the pond: Muse, Radiohead, Oasis, Led Zeppelin to name but a few. Now relocated, and getting used to the lack of air conditioning and bad weather, hes putting the finishing touches to his debut album. Ross has arrived at a time when quality young male singers are on the up. The door is open. A striking Southerner is about to walk through it.

If I
Ross Copperman Lyrics

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Well you came to me, like a ray of light
So suddenly, a beautiful surprise
My universe alight, and it all seemed right

But I was unwise, and fooled myself
Pretending you or I were somebody else
Cos I can't speak the language that you need
And it's killing me

If I cry for you, would you turn me away
If I die for you, would you beg me to stay
If I try to, read your mystery mind
One thought at a time
If I...

Would it be so hard, for you to let me in
Would it hurt too much, to shed your skin
Your rules, your games, but it's my heart at stake
Watch it as it breaks

If I cry for you, would you turn me away
If I die for you, would you beg me to stay
If I try to, read your mystery mind
One thought at a time
If I...

What can I do, what can I do
To reach out to you
Tell me what can I do, what can I do
Or is it no use...

If I cry for you, would you turn me away
If I die for you, would you beg me to stay
If I try to, read your mystery mind
One thought at a time

If I
If I.

Overall Meaning

Ross Copperman's song "If I" is a heart-wrenching ballad that speaks to the agony of wanting someone who is emotionally unavailable. In the song, the singer talks about how this person has come into their life like a ray of light, bringing joy and hope to their universe. However, the singer also recognizes that they were unwise in thinking that they or the person were somebody else. They cannot seem to connect with this person on an emotional level because they "can't speak the language that you need" and it's "killing me." The singer then poses several hypothetical questions, wondering whether the person would love or reject them if they cried for them, died for them, or tried to read their "mystery mind."

The chorus repeats these hypothetical scenarios, emphasizing the singer's desperation and lack of understanding. The bridge, with its repeated line "what can I do," adds to the sense of helplessness and futility that the singer feels. In the end, the song concludes on a note of uncertainty, leaving the listener with the impression that the singer's feelings may go unreturned.

Line by Line Meaning