Sweethearts of the Rodeo was a popular country duo from the USA in the late… Read Full Bio ↴Sweethearts of the Rodeo was a popular country duo from the USA in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They consisted of sisters Janis Oliver and Kristine Oliver, who grew up in suburban Los Angeles. While still in their teenage years they performed as the Oliver Sisters. Janis eventually married singer Vince Gill, who at the time was a member of Pure Prairie League. The sisters named themselves after a landmark album by The Byrds which fused elements of rock with country. A typical Sweethearts tune is an upbeat two-stepper mixing country instrumentation with a rock beat. Their harmonies were so close that some have referred to them as "The Everly Sisters." Along with The Judds and the Forester Sisters, they were at the time among country music's only all-female groups.

Their hits included "Satisfy You", "Chains of Gold", "Midnight Girl/Sunset Town", and a remake of the Beatles' "I Feel Fine".

One Time
Sweethearts Of The Rodeo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A wise man was telling stories to me bout the places he had been to
And the things that he had seen
A lady dressed in white with the man she loved
Standin' along the side of their pickup truck
A shot rang out in the night just when everything seemed righ
Another headline written down in America
The guy that lived next door in 305
Took the kids to the park and disappeared about half past nin

Who will ever know how much she loved them so
That dark night alone in America
A quiet voice is singing something to me
An age old song about the home of the brave in this land here of the free
One time one night in America
Sunlight lays upon my windowpane. and I wake up to a world that's still the same.
My father said to be strong and that a good man could never do wrong
In a dream I had last night in America
A quiet voice is singing something to me...
People having so much faith die too soon while all the rest come late
We write a song that no one sings on a cold black stone
Where a lasting peace will finally bring.
A wise man was telling stories to me about the places he had been to
And the things that he had seen

A quiet voice is singing something to me an age old song about the home of the brave
In this land here of the free one time one night in America

Overall Meaning

The Sweethearts Of The Rodeo's song "One Time One Night" tells a story about different events that occur in America. In the first verse, the singer talks about a wise man who tells them about the experiences he has had and the things he has seen. Then, in the second verse, a couple is standing next to their truck when a shot rings out, ruining their seemingly perfect moment. The third verse tells the story of a man who disappears with his children, leaving his wife to wonder how much he loved them.

The song then transitions to a quiet voice singing an "age-old song about the home of the brave in this land here of the free." The singer's father tells them to be strong and that a good man could never do wrong. In a dream, the singer hears this quiet voice singing again. The final verse is about people who have faith dying too soon while others come late. The song ends with the idea of writing a song nobody sings on a cold black stone where a lasting peace will finally bring.

"One Time One Night" tells multiple stories, all about events happening in America. The song makes references to the "home of the brave" and the "land of the free," both phrases from the American national anthem. The song voices concerns about violence, disappearances, death, and the search for lasting peace.

Line by Line Meaning

A wise man was telling stories to me bout the places he had been to
An experienced man was sharing his stories about his travel experiences with me

And the things that he had seen
Along with the places he visited, he also shared his observations

A lady dressed in white with the man she loved standin' along the side of their pickup truck
A couple in love, dressed in white, was standing alongside their pickup truck

A shot rang out in the night just when everything seemed right
There was a sudden gunfire at night when everything was seemingly calm and peaceful

Another headline written down in America
This was another unfortunate incident recorded and reported in America

The guy that lived next door in 305
A reference made to a man residing next door in apartment 305

Took the kids to the park and disappeared about half past nine
He took his children to the park and went missing around nine-thirty

Who will ever know how much she loved them so
The concern of the love and care that she had for her kids and if that would be completely known

That dark night alone in America
A reference to a bleak and lonely night experienced in America

A quiet voice is singing something to me
A gentle and peaceful voice is singing to me

An age old song about the home of the brave in this land here of the free
The song spoke about the ancient times of bravery in this country of the free

One time one night in America
A specific instance in America, on a particular night

Sunlight lays upon my windowpane. and I wake up to a world that's still the same.
The rays of the sun hit the window and I realize that the world is still as it was yesterday

My father said to be strong and that a good man could never do wrong
My father always taught me to be strong and that a righteous man can never do wrong

In a dream I had last night in America
Reference towards a dream experienced last night in America

People having so much faith die too soon while all the rest come late
The people who have immense faith and positivity seemingly die too soon, whereas others live longer

We write a song that no one sings on a cold black stone
A song that no one hears, written on lifeless and dark memorial stones

Where a lasting peace will finally bring.
The song talks about how peace will bring about everlasting happiness and tranquility

A wise man was telling stories to me about the places he had been to
Rephrasing of the first verse

And the things that he had seen
Rephrasing of the second verse

A quiet voice is singing something to me an age old song about the home of the brave
Rephrasing of the fifth verse

In this land here of the free one time one night in America
A final note about the instance in America

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID KENT HIDALGO, LOUIS FRAUSTO PEREZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS