Songfacts reports that Twain's first single in six years, Today Is Your Day debuted on the June 12, 2011 series finale of her reality television show, Why Not? With Shania Twain, and the tune was sent directly to radio stations nationwide, and made available to fans via iTunes.
Shania Twain (Eilleen Regina Edwards) was born August 28, 1965 to Sharon and Clarence Edwards. She grew up as Eilleen Twain in Timmins, Ontario, after her parents separated when she was two and her mother remarried to Jerry Twain, a full-blooded member of the Ojibwa First Nation. She is a Canadian singer and songwriter who has been very successful in the country and pop music genres, setting several sales records for female artists and for country artists. Additionally, she is the only female artist to have three albums certified Diamond by the RIAA. She is also the recipient of five Grammy awards.
Crime Of The Century
Shania Twain Lyrics
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I could take love or leave it alone
That's how you get when you're hurt to the bone
One too many times
I had this heart of mine locked away
I kept my guard up night an' day
I had enough of the games they play
Out there on the line
It was the crime of the century
You played Robin Hood an' rescued me
Ali Baba an' the Forty Thieves
Ain't got nothin' on you
You came on like Jesse James
You stole my heart like you were robbin' trains
I'm gonna lock you up for life with me
It was the crime of the century
You stacked the deck, you didn't gamble at all
You knew exactly how the cards would fall
You bet your heart, but as I recall
I didn't even stand a chance
I bet you had an ace up your sleeve
An' here I thought that you were so naive
You took my hand an' made me believe
In love an' real romance
It was the crime of the century
You played Robin Hood an' rescued me
Ali Baba an' the Forty Thieves
Ain't got nothin' on you
You came on like Jesse James
You stole my heart like you were robbin' trains
I'm gonna lock you up for life with me
It was the crime of the century
An' if I live to be a hundred an' one
Well honey, don'cha think that it would be fun
To do it all over again
It was the crime of the century
You played Robin Hood an' rescued me
Ali Baba an' the Forty Thieves
Ain't got nothin' on you
You came on like Jesse James
You stole my heart like you were robbin' trains
I'm gonna lock you up for life with me
It was the crime of the century
I'm gonna lock you up and throw away the key
It was the crime of the century
It was love in the third degree
It was the crime of the century
In the song "Crime of The Century" by Shania Twain, the singer is describing her emotional state prior to meeting her love. She expresses that she was used to being on her own, and love was not a priority in her life. However, she was hurt too many times, and her heart had become locked away. She goes on to describe how her love interest came in like a thief, playing games with her and stacking the deck in his favor. He then stole her heart and made her a believer in love and romance. The singer compares this to the "Crime Of The Century," implying that this was a monumental event in her life that transformed her into a better person, and she's not letting him go.
The lyrics are quite clever, with the use of various metaphors and symbolism to describe the singer's emotional state. The repetition of the phrase "it was the crime of the century" reinforces the significance of the emotional transformation she experienced through her love story. The use of Robin Hood, Ali Baba, and Jesse James as comparisons serves to highlight how her love interest was heroic, sly, and daring, all at the same time. The song's overall message is that love can be transformative, and when it happens, it can change one's life entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
I was into bein' out on my own
I preferred being independent and not relying on love
I could take love or leave it alone
I didn't feel strongly about love either way
That's how you get when you're hurt to the bone
Past heartbreaks have made me emotionally detached from love
One too many times
I've experienced heartbreak multiple times
I had this heart of mine locked away
I kept my heart guarded to protect myself from getting hurt
I kept my guard up night an' day
I was always cautious of potential romantic partners
I had enough of the games they play
I was tired of being played and manipulated in romantic relationships
Out there on the line
Taking risks and potentially getting hurt was preferable to getting played again
You stacked the deck, you didn't gamble at all
You were very calculated and intentional in pursuing me
You knew exactly how the cards would fall
You had a plan all along and knew how to win my heart
You bet your heart, but as I recall
You took a risk and put your own heart on the line to win mine
I didn't even stand a chance
I was helpless to resist your charms and fell in love quickly
I bet you had an ace up your sleeve
You had a secret strategy or advantage that helped you win me over
An' here I thought that you were so naive
I underestimated how smart and cunning you really were
You took my hand an' made me believe
You convinced me to open up my heart and trust in love again
In love an' real romance
You showed me what true love and romance could be like
It was the crime of the century
Your love was so powerful and irresistible that it was like a crime committed against me
You played Robin Hood an' rescued me
You swept me off my feet and saved me from my past romantic traumas
Ali Baba an' the Forty Thieves
Even a legendary hero like Ali Baba and his band of thieves couldn't match your romantic prowess
Ain't got nothin' on you
Your romantic abilities are unsurpassed and unbeatable
You came on like Jesse James
You were bold and daring in pursuing me like outlaw Jesse James
You stole my heart like you were robbin' trains
Your love was so intense and captivating that it felt like you were committing a daring robbery to win my heart
I'm gonna lock you up for life with me
I never want to let you go and want to spend the rest of my life with you
An' if I live to be a hundred an' one
Even if we live to a very old age
Well honey, don'cha think that it would be fun
Wouldn't it be enjoyable
To do it all over again
To relive our love story from the beginning
I'm gonna lock you up and throw away the key
I want to commit to you fully and never let you go
It was love in the third degree
Our love was so intense that it could be classified as a third-degree burn
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ralph James Murphy, Richard William Fagan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind