How Long
Terrell Sister O. M. Lyrics

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As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties,
I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties.
Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.

So my dear I swore,
"Never, never more!"
On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
Now, I find I was blind, and oh my!

How I lost out!

I could cry salty tears,
Where have I been all these years?
Little wow, tell me now,
How long has this been going on?

There were chills up my spine,
And some thrills I can't define.
Listen, sweet, I repeat,
How long has this been going on?

Oh, I feel that I could melt,
Into Heaven I'm hurled!
I know how Columbus felt,
Finding another world.

Kiss me once, then once more.
What a dunce I was before.
What a break!
For Heaven's sake!
How long has this been going on?

Dear, when in your arms I creep,
That divine rendezvous,
Don't wake me, if I'm asleep,
Let me dream that it's true!

Kiss me twice, then once more.
That makes thrice, let's make it four!
What a break!
For Heaven's sake!

How long has this been going on?
How long has this, been going on?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "How Long" by Terrell Sister O.M. portray the singer's realization and acceptance of the joys of kissing. The first stanza describes the singer's childhood distaste for kissing, which was forced upon her by family members. The use of the term "inferno" and comparison to Dante's hell suggests that the singer felt violated by these unwanted kisses. The second stanza reveals that the singer has since changed her mind about kissing, and has come to regret her earlier aversion to it. She is overwhelmed by the newfound pleasure of kissing and wonders how she could have missed out on it for so long.

The third stanza further emphasizes the singer's ecstasy at discovering the joys of kissing. She compares the sensation to being transported to Heaven, and uses the analogy of Columbus discovering a new world to convey her sense of discovery. The fourth stanza emphasizes the singer's desire for more kisses, and her willingness to indulge in them without interruption. The final line of the song repeats the question posed in the title: "How long has this been going on?" hinting at the possibility that the singer has only recently discovered these newfound pleasures.

Line by Line Meaning

As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties,
When I was a child, I wore velvet panties and walked around while my sisters, cousins, and aunties kissed me.

Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.
Unfortunately, that experience was awful, almost like being in hell - even worse than what Dante wrote about in his Inferno.

On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
After that, I made a promise to myself that I would never kiss anyone again, and I wrote it down.

Now, I find I was blind, and oh my! How I lost out!
But now, I realize that I was wrong to swear off kissing, and I missed out on a lot by doing so.

I could cry salty tears, Where have I been all these years?
I feel so emotional that I could cry tears of joy and regret - why did I stay away from kissing for so long?

Little wow, tell me now, How long has this been going on?
It's unbelievable - can you tell me how long people have been kissing each other like this?

There were chills up my spine, And some thrills I can't define.
When someone kisses me now, I feel a thrilling sensation that I can't fully explain - it sends shivers down my spine.

Listen, sweet, I repeat, How long has this been going on?
Can you please tell me again how long people have been kissing like this? I can't get enough of it.

Oh, I feel that I could melt, Into Heaven I'm hurled!
When someone kisses me, I feel like I'm melting with pleasure - it's like being transported to heaven.

I know how Columbus felt, Finding another world.
I understand how Columbus must have felt when he discovered a whole new world - that's how it feels to me when I kiss someone again after so long.

Kiss me once, then once more. What a dunce I was before.
Please kiss me again and again - I can't believe how foolish I was to swear off kissing before.

Dear, when in your arms I creep, That divine rendezvous, Don't wake me, if I'm asleep, Let me dream that it's true!
When I'm in your embrace, it feels like a heavenly meeting - if I fall asleep, please let me keep dreaming that it's real and true.

Kiss me twice, then once more. That makes thrice, let's make it four!
Please kiss me again and again, let's keep going until we reach four or more - I can't get enough of it.

How long has this been going on? How long has this, been going on?
I can't stop asking how long people have been kissing like this - it feels like such a new and incredible experience for me.

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM C HANDY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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