Where Do I Go From Here
The Carpenters Lyrics

Autumn days
The singer evokes the image of Autumn days to signify the passing of time and the change in the environment which indicates change generally.

Lying on a bed of leaves
The singer evokes the image of a bed of leaves to signify being in a natural environment and experiencing nature's unassuming vibrancy.

Watching clouds up through the trees
The singer evokes the image of watching clouds up through the trees to signify the beauty and seeming vastness of the world and life.

You said our love was more than time
The artist recollects that their partner claimed their love transcended the limitations of time itself and wonders if that declaration is still true.

It's colder now
The environment has changed, the artist feels the coldness both as it pertains to the weather and the absence of their partner's warmth.

The trees are bare and nights are long
The changing environment is further personified, accentuating the loneliness and longing of the singer.

I can't get warm since you've been gone
The singer is saying they have failed to find warmth and comfort since the departure of their partner.

I can't stop singin' sad songs
The artist has nothing to lift their sadness and they are trapped in it.

Where do I go from here?
Facing the uncertain future, the artist is wondering where they can turn to.

Tell me where do I go from here?
The artist now seeks someone to provide them with an answer.

You said you'd take me through the years
The singer remembers that their partner said they would always be together and now wonders, why has this promise not been kept?

Lover's plans
The artist reflects on the plans they made with their partner, the intimacy and the bond shared.

Like fallin' leaves on windy days
The plans and promises made, just like leaves fall off trees due to wind, have been lost and shattered.

Flutter past and they fly away
The plans and promises have vanished like thin air, leaving the singer with no clue to their future.

I thought I knew you oh so well
The singer reflects on their past and wonders if they ever really knew their partner at all.

And I need you now
The artist is struggling to cope with the absence of their partner and needs them now more than ever.

I need to feel you in the night
The artist claims they need their partner's warmth and touch to comfort them in the dark.

I need your smile so warm and bright
The singer reminisces on their partner's bright, warm smile which they have been missing since their partner's absence.

I wish my mind could let you go
Despite missing their partner, the singer wishes they could erase their memories so that they can move on.

Repeat (*)
The artist repeats the lines in the chorus to emphasize their anxiety for the future.

You said you'd take me through the years
The artist is asking again, why has their partner's promise not been kept?

So where do I go from here?
The song concludes with the artist still wondering where they can seek refuge.