Leavin' On a Jet Plane
The Whiffenpoofs Lyrics
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I'm standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breaking, it′s early morn
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn
Already I′m so lonesome I could die
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you′ll wait for me
′Cause I'm leavin′ on a jet plane
Don't know when I′ll be back again
Ah, babe, I hate to go
There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I′ve fooled around
I tell you girl now they don′t mean a thing
(They don't mean a thing)
Everywhere I go I′ll think of you
Every song I sing I'll sing for you
When I come home I′ll bring your wedding ring
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you′ll never let me go
'Cause I'm leavin′ on a jetplane
Don′t know when I'll be back again
Leavin′ on a jetplane
Don't know when I′ll be back again
Leavin' on a jet plane
Don′t know when I'll be back again
Back again
Now the time has come to leave you
One more time let me kiss you
Just one more time then I'll be on my way
Just dream about the days to come
When I won′t have to leave and roam
About the times when I won′t have to say
Just kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you′ll never let me go
'Cause I′m leavin' on a jetplane
Don′t know when I'll be back again
Leavin' on a jetplane
Oh, babe I hate to go
The song "Leavin' On a Jet Plane" was originally written by John Denver and first recorded by him in 1966. The version by The Whiffenpoofs, released in 2008, is a cappella with a haunting, melancholy overtone. The lyrics describe a man who is about to leave his lover to go on a trip, and he is not sure when he will be back. He is torn and sad about leaving, and he asks for a final kiss and smile from his lover before he goes.
The opening lines set the stage for the rest of the song. The singer is ready to leave and standing outside his lover's door. He knows it will be difficult to say goodbye, but he is resigned to the fact that he must leave. The dawn is breaking, and it's early morn, which is a metaphor for the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
The first verse ends with the introduction of the taxi driver, who is blowing his horn. The taxi driver represents the outside world that is pulling the singer away from his lover. He is already feeling lonely, and the thought of leaving is causing him great pain. Throughout the song, he asks his lover to hold him and tell him that she will wait for him, indicating that he is not leaving because he wants to, but because he has to.
The second verse brings a confession from the singer. He tells his lover that he has let her down many times and fooled around. The admission is followed by a statement that those things don't mean anything now, indicating that he has come to realize the importance of his relationship with her. The third and final verse is a farewell. He asks for one final kiss and hopes that his lover will think about the future when they will not have to be apart.
Line by Line Meaning
All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go
My preparations are complete and I’m ready to leave
I'm standing here outside your door
I’m waiting outside your door as I don’t wish to disturb you by knocking it in the early morning
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
I’d hate to disturb your sleep for my farewell
But the dawn is breaking, it’s early morn
It's the break of dawn, the morning is fairly new
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn
The taxi for my ride is waiting outside, i.e. a signal of impending departure
Already I’m so lonesome I could die
I’m feeling very lonely and would die without your companionship
So kiss me and smile for me
Kiss me and smile to make me feel better and loved in the moment
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Assure me that you'll wait for my return
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
Hug me tight and give me a sense of security before I leave
‘Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane
I'm flying away in a plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
I’m not sure when I’ll be able to come back
Ah, babe, I hate to go
I'm sorry, but I really don't want to go
There's so many times I've let you down
I feel remorse for all the times I've hurt you and disappointed you in the past
So many times I’ve fooled around
I have been unfaithful and have wasted my time in meaningless activities
I tell you girl now they don't mean a thing
I want to assure you that those actions were meaningless and I truly care about you
Everywhere I go, I’ll think of you
You’ll always be on my mind no matter where I go
Every song I sing I'll sing for you
I’ll dedicate every song I sing to you
When I come home I’ll bring your wedding ring
When I return, I’ll bring your wedding ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you
Now the time has come to leave you
Sadly, it's time for me to depart
One more time let me kiss you
Let me kiss you one last time before I leave
Just one more time then I'll be on my way
After kissing you once more, I’ll leave
Just dream about the days to come
Think positively about the future until we meet again
When I won't have to leave and roam
When I won’t have to go far away and wander
About the times when I won't have to say
I’ll not have to say goodbye anymore
Just kiss me and smile for me
Once again, kiss me and give me a smile before departure
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Promise me that you’ll wait for my return
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Embrace me so tightly that you'll never want to let me go
Leaving on a jet plane
Departing on a flight
Don't know when I'll be back again
I'm not sure when I’ll return
Leaving on a jet plane
Departing on a flight
Oh babe, I hate to go
I feel bad about leaving you, my love
Writer(s): John Denver
Contributed by Emily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.