Rolling Stone magazine ranked "She's Not There" #291 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was a hit again for Santana on their 1977 album Moonflower. It peaked at #27, and reached #21 in Canada.
She's Not There
Santana Lyrics
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The way she lied
Well, no one told me about her
How many people cried
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
Nobody told me about her
What could I do
Well, nobody told me about her
Though they all knew
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acted, the color of her hair
Her voice is soft and cool
Her eyes are clear and bright
But she's not there
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there, oh oh oh
Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acted, the color of her hair
Her voice is soft and cool
Her eyes are clear and bright
But she's not there
The lyrics to Santana's song "She's Not There" tell a story of a man who has been deceived by a woman he was involved with. The first verse sets the stage, as he sings "no one told me about her, the way she lied" and "how many people cried." He is frustrated that he was not made aware of her true nature and feels betrayed by those who knew and did not warn him. The chorus repeats that it is too late for apologies and that he does not care to find her, as she is no longer in his life. In the second verse, he once again laments that he was not informed about her true character despite others knowing.
The bridge of the song shifts into a description of the woman he is singing about. He describes her appearance, how she acted, and even the color of her hair. This juxtaposition of beauty with deceit only adds to the betrayal and disappointment he feels. The final chorus repeats the theme, with a haunting repetition of "she's not there."
The lyrics can be interpreted in many ways, but one common understanding is that the woman he is singing about may have had a double life, with a different persona in different social settings. Another interpretation is that she was simply unfaithful and untrustworthy. Regardless of the specific situation, the emotions of confusion and frustration are universal, making this song resonate with listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
No one told me about her
I had no prior knowledge of this woman
The way she lied
She was dishonest
Well, no one told me about her
Again, nobody informed me about her existence
How many people cried
She caused emotional pain to others
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
There's no point in apologizing now
How would I know, why should I care
I had no way of knowing and no reason to care at the time
Please don't bother trying to find her
There's no need to go looking for her
She's not there, oh oh oh
She's absent
Nobody told me about her
Reiteration of lack of prior knowledge
What could I do
I was not in a position to do anything
Though they all knew
Others knew about her but did not inform me
Let me tell you about the way she looked
Describing her physical appearance
The way she acted, the color of her hair
Describing her behavior and physical attributes
Her voice is soft and cool
Description of her voice
Her eyes are clear and bright
Description of her eyes
But she's not there
Despite the previous descriptions, she is not present
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Rodney Terence Argent
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
No one told me about her
The way she lied
Well, no one told me about her
How many people cried
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there, oh oh oh
Nobody told me about her
What could I do
Well, nobody told me about her
Though they all knew
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there
Let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acted, the color of her hair
Her voice is soft and cool
Her eyes are clear and bright
But she's not there
Well, it's too late to say you're sorry
How would I know, why should I care
Please don't bother trying to find her
She's not there, oh oh oh
Well, let me tell you about the way she looked
The way she acted, the color of her hair
Her voice is soft and cool
Her eyes are clear and bright
But she's not there
@leno1624
Guitar solo ... goosebumps everytime. ..Its absolutely sublime
🎸🔥
@tonymurphy9795
Indeed!
@slashshat8035
Black Magic Woman has entered the chat :)
@midnightrider7648
Outstanding guitar solos from Carlos. Bill Graham once said "line up a hundred guitarists and I can pick out Carlos Santana every time"
@alanh7247
one my favorite guitarists... soulful and expressive... one of the best.
@robertjasinski5744
Love the original by the zombies but when carlos covers a song he makes it his own. Musical magic.
@bashess4913
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER OF THIS SONG...and..enigma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@kylelambert288
This version is evidence of a golden age
@Trev-rr2mm
Carlos doesn't sing this one of the guitarist lead vocals on this cover
@mannyruiz1954
Word for word, exactly what i think.