Stayed Away Too Long
The Littlest Man Band Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now baby
Where did you go last night?
While we were sleepin'
I woke and you weren't by my side
I see the wheels a'turnin'
Something just ain't right
Well I guess I stayed away too long this time
I guess I stayed away too long this time

Now baby
You know I treat you like a queen
Give you dinner, movies, and dancin'
And every damn thing
You said I was the greatest man
That you'd ever seen
Well I guess I stayed away too long this time
I guess I stayed away too long this time

Now baby
Is there somethin' on your mind
And baby
You can run but you just can't hide
I've searched this world all over girl
And some day I'm gonna find
That I guess I stayed away too long this time
I guess I stayed away too long this time




Oh, I guess I stayed away too long this time
Oh, I guess I stayed away too long this time

Overall Meaning

The Littlest Man Band's song Stayed Away Too Long is a lament of a man who is coming back after a long time and finds out that something is amiss with the woman he loves. The song is full of longing, and the lyrics express both love and desperation. The man wakes up during the night and finds that his lover is missing, and he can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. He professes his love to her, hoping that she will reciprocate it, but it seems like she has moved on or is hiding something.


The tone and melody of the song are slow, and the lyrics are simple and straightforward. The repetition of the line, "I guess I stayed away too long this time," cements the man's regret for having left for so long. It's a poignant reminder that in relationships, absence doesn't always make the heart grow fonder. It's easy to start questioning the certainty of a partner's love when you've been away for an extended period, and this song hits at that uncertainty.


One could read this song as a warning against taking people for granted. The man in the song has been away for too long, and he regrets it. He wishes he had come back sooner or had been there for his partner when she needed him. This song is a profound reminder of the importance of showing up, even when the situation doesn't call for it.


Line by Line Meaning

Now baby
Addressing the partner with intimacy


Where did you go last night?
Asking where the partner was during the night


While we were sleepin'
Implying that the partner was not supposed to leave during the night


I woke and you weren't by my side
Expressing anxiety about the partner's absence


I see the wheels a'turnin'
Realizing that something is not right


Something just ain't right
Confirming that something is wrong


Well I guess I stayed away too long this time
Attributing the partner's behavior to being distant for too long


You know I treat you like a queen
Affirming good treatment towards the partner


Give you dinner, movies, and dancin'
Listing some of the enjoyable things done together


And every damn thing
Emphasizing the extent of the treatment


You said I was the greatest man
Recalling the partner's past praise


That you'd ever seen
Further elaborating on the past praise


Is there somethin' on your mind
Asking if the partner is troubled


You can run but you just can't hide
Implying that the partner's troubles cannot be avoided forever


I've searched this world all over girl
Expressing determination in finding the solution to the partner's issues


And some day I'm gonna find
Asserting the intention to overcome the problem


Oh, I guess I stayed away too long this time
Reiterating the belief that being distant caused the partner's behaviour


Oh, I guess I stayed away too long this time
Repeating the idea that the distance is the cause of the partner's behavior




Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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