Stephen Kellogg (born November 28, 1976, in Westchester, Pennsylvania) is a… Read Full Bio ↴Stephen Kellogg (born November 28, 1976, in Westchester, Pennsylvania) is an American singer-songwriter. He founded his band Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers in 2003. They went on hiatus in Autumn 2012 and in December 2012 Kellogg began working on a solo record, his first solo release since 2002.

It's said that the musical urge in Kellogg started with a mixture of his dad's records (Cat Stevens/Jim Croce) and his sister's (Mötley Crüe/Bon Jovi). The songwriting of the former and the showmanship of the latter was the beginning of the musical attitude that pervades Kellogg's work today. Kellogg got his start recording and touring while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1994-1998. He independently released several solo albums before being signed to Universal Records in 2004.

www.stephenkellogg.com

If You Have to Go
Stephen Kellogg Lyrics

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She waited till I left for work to move all of her stuff out
The anger that comes over you when you feel you've been left out
She said it wasn't me, she had some things to do
I see now that it wasn't me as much as it was you

*If you have to go, go quickly
Cause my ego's on the fence
It's hard to know you won't miss me

I know that night went downtown, you said nothing was wrong
It's funny how we always feel it when we don't belong
When we ran into him, you said "he's only just a friend"
"Don't you act so jealous baby." But now look how it ends

*So if you have to go, go quickly
Cause I'm waking up from tortured dreams
When she left the way she kissed me
Oh..

Faith, in icy eyes and love gone cold
Faith, can break your heart to save your soul
Faith, I sometimes wonder what the use is
Faith, In every one of my excuses

I'll drive around here endlessly thinking about her
The places that we used to go, where we'd hang out down by the water

If I should see you guys out, just act like you don't know me
I don't want to act proud, but since you left I've changed c

Overall Meaning

This song is about a breakup, where the singer's partner moved out while he was at work. The singer is angry and hurt, but also recognizes that his partner's reasons for leaving were more about her own needs than anything he did wrong. The chorus suggests that the singer wants his partner to leave quickly, to spare his ego from further pain, and to help him move on from the relationship.

The second verse describes a situation where the singer's partner went out with someone else, and lied about the nature of their relationship. The singer, feeling left out and suspicious, confronts her, but she dismisses his concerns. The song suggests that this moment was an inflection point in their relationship, where the singer began to realize that things were falling apart.

The bridge references "faith" as a theme, suggesting that the singer had faith in the relationship, but that faith has now been shattered. He is left to wonder whether faith is even useful in situations like this.

Overall, the song captures the complexity of a breakup, where feelings of anger, hurt, and confusion are mixed with a desire to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

She waited till I left for work to move all of her stuff out
She chose to leave without any confrontation, while the singer wasn't there

The anger that comes over you when you feel you've been left out
The feeling of being rejected or abandoned can lead to resentment and anger

She said it wasn't me, she had some things to do
She made an excuse for leaving, indicating it wasn't because of the singer

I see now that it wasn't me as much as it was you
The artist has come to realize the faults and issues in the relationship were not solely his

If you have to go, go quickly Cause my ego's on the fence It's hard to know you won't miss me
If the breakup has to happen, let it be swift, as the artist's self-confidence is wavering and he fears being forgotten

I know that night went downtown, you said nothing was wrong It's funny how we always feel it when we don't belong When we ran into him, you said 'he's only just a friend' 'Don't you act so jealous baby.' But now look how it ends
The singer's suspicions of infidelity were denied, but now in hindsight, he sees the truth

So if you have to go, go quickly Cause I'm waking up from tortured dreams When she left the way she kissed me Oh..
Again, if the breakup must happen, let it be fast. The singer is tormented by thoughts of the past and how she left him

Faith, in icy eyes and love gone cold Faith, can break your heart to save your soul Faith, I sometimes wonder what the use is Faith, In every one of my excuses
The artist considers the role of faith in broken relationships and how it can be painful but ultimately a necessary step in moving forward

I'll drive around here endlessly thinking about her The places that we used to go, where we'd hang out down by the water If I should see you guys out, just act like you don't know me I don't want to act proud, but since you left I've changed
The artist is struggling to let go and move on, as he is haunted by memories of their time together. He wants to avoid drama or confrontation if he encounters his ex and her new partner and he acknowledges that he has changed since the breakup

Contributed by Aria R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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