The Song Remembers When
Trisha Yearwood Lyrics


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I was standing at the counter
I was waiting for the change
When I heard that old familiar music start
It was like a lighted match had been tossed into my soul
It was like a dam had broken in my heart
After taking every detour
Gettin' lost and losin track
So that even if I wanted I could not find my way back
After driving out the memory
Of the way things might have been
After I'd forgotten all about us
The song remembers when

We were rolling through the Rocky's
We were up above the clouds
When a station out of Jackson played that song
And it seemed to fit the moment
And the moment seemed to freeze
When we turned the music up and sang along
And there was a God in Heaven
And the world made perfect sense
We were young and were in love

And we were easy to convince
We were headed straight for Eden
It was just around the bend
And though I have forgotten all about it
The song remembers when

I guess something must have happened
And we must have said goodbye
And my heart must have been broken
Though I can't recall just why
The song remembers when

Well, for all the miles between us
And for all the time that's past
You would think I haven't gotten very far
And I hope my hasty heart
Will forgive me just this once
If I stop to wonder how on earth you are

But that's just a lot of water
Underneath a bridge I burned
And there's no use in backtracing
Around corners I have turned
Still I guess some things we bury
Are just bound to rise again




Yeah, and even if the whole world has forgotten
The song remembers when

Overall Meaning

Trisha Yearwood's "The Song Remembers When" is a reflective country classic that explores the power of music to transport us back to specific moments in our past. The song's narrator is going about her daily life when she hears an old familiar song and suddenly she's swept back in time, feeling the full force of memories long buried. The lyrics do an excellent job of capturing the intensity of how a song can remind us of people, places, and emotions we thought we'd forgotten. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer waiting at a counter when a song plays and triggers a powerful emotional reaction. The second verse is a flashback to a time when the singer was driving with a loved one in the mountains and the same song came on the radio, filling them with joy and hope for the future. In the last verse, the singer acknowledges that while she can't go back in time, the song holds a special place in her heart, and she wonders what became of the person she used to love.


The song beautifully captures the way music can evoke memories and transport us back in time. The lyrics paint a picture of a moment frozen in time, where everything seemed perfect and full of hope. It's a poignant reminder that even when we can't go back to a time and place we once knew, we can still hold onto the memories that give our lives meaning. "The Song Remembers When" is a classic country song that captures the heartache and nostalgia that come with looking back on a long-gone chapter of our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

I was standing at the counter
I was in a mundane situation, waiting for something to happen.


I was waiting for the change
I was waiting for something to happen, for something to shift in my life.


When I heard that old familiar music start
When I heard something that resonated with me deep down inside, something that I had heard before.


It was like a lighted match had been tossed into my soul
It was like a spark had been lit within me, something that ignited my emotions and made me feel alive.


It was like a dam had broken in my heart
It was like a flood of emotions had been released, overwhelming me with feelings that I had kept bottled up for too long.


After taking every detour
After trying everything else and getting lost along the way.


Gettin' lost and losin track
Getting sidetracked and losing sight of where I was headed.


So that even if I wanted I could not find my way back
I had strayed so far from where I started that it felt impossible to return to who I was before.


After driving out the memory
After trying to forget everything that had led me to this point.


Of the way things might have been
Of the way things could have turned out differently if I had made different choices.


After I'd forgotten all about us
After moving on and forgetting the memories of someone I once loved.


The song remembers when
The song is a reminder of a past time, of someone or something that I had forgotten about.


We were rolling through the Rocky's
We were traveling through a mountain range, experiencing a journey together.


We were up above the clouds
We were experiencing a level of happiness and bliss that felt like we were above the worries of the world.


When a station out of Jackson played that song
When a radio station played a song that brought back memories of a past experience.


And it seemed to fit the moment
And the song felt like it was made for that moment, as if it was specifically meant to bring us back together.


And the moment seemed to freeze
The moment was so perfect that it felt like time stood still.


When we turned the music up and sang along
When we let go of our worries and joined together in the moment, enjoying the music and each other's company.


And there was a God in Heaven
The moment was so perfect that it felt like everything aligned and fell into place, like there must be a higher power watching over us.


And the world made perfect sense
Everything felt right, like everything was exactly as it should be.


We were young and were in love
We were at a time in our lives where love felt pure and simple.


And we were easy to convince
We were so in love that convincing us to do something was effortless.


We were headed straight for Eden
We felt like we were headed towards something great, something like paradise.


It was just around the bend
It felt like what we were headed towards was just out of reach, but we were almost there.


And though I have forgotten all about it
And even though I have moved on and forgotten about that time in my life.


The song remembers when
The song still brings me back to that time, reminding me of someone or something that I had forgotten about.


I guess something must have happened
I assume that something significant must have occurred to make us part ways.


And we must have said goodbye
And I assume that we said goodbye to each other, knowing that it was time to move on.


And my heart must have been broken
And I assume that my heart was broken at the time, experiencing heartbreak and loss.


Though I can't recall just why
Even though I can't recall the exact reason for our separation or the details of that time in my life.


Well, for all the miles between us
Despite the distance that now separates us and the time that has passed since then.


And for all the time that's past
And all of the experiences and changes that have occurred in our lives since then.


You would think I haven't gotten very far
Despite the time and distance, it may seem like I haven't moved on or made much progress in life.


And I hope my hasty heart
And I hope that my impulsive nature and quick decisions will forgive me for looking back and wondering about what might have been.


Will forgive me just this once
Will show me mercy and let me dwell on the past, at least in this moment.


If I stop to wonder how on earth you are
If I take a moment to think about where you are in life or how you've been since we last spoke.


But that's just a lot of water
But that's just a lot of time and experience that we both have been through.


Underneath a bridge I burned
And despite the difficulties and hardships we may have faced or caused each other, there's no going back now.


And there's no use in backtracing
And there's no point in trying to go back to a time long gone or reliving memories that can't be changed.


Around corners I have turned
And the experiences and decisions I have made have led me to where I am today.


Still I guess some things we bury
And yet, there are certain memories or emotions that we can't ever fully move on from or forget.


Are just bound to rise again
And those memories or emotions may resurface unexpectedly, making us feel like we're reliving that time in our lives all over again.


Yeah, and even if the whole world has forgotten
And even if everyone else around me has moved on or forgotten about that time in our lives.


The song remembers when
The song is a constant reminder of that time in my life, of someone or something that has left a lasting impact on who I am today.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HUGH PRESTWOOD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@ArcoZakus

Tracy Lynn Walker,
"... and I mean NO SONG has ever been better written to the story of what music does to the soul ..."

Wow. You must be REALLY old to have been able to listen to every other song ever written. ;-)

Try this one, just in case you missed it, and see what you think:
That's Why I Write Songs by Jamey Johnson.wmv
https://youtu.be/aic4rRBXaFA

And, by the way, the real story teller for this song is the person who wrote it, Hugh Prestwood (though I believe that Tricia Yearwood sings it better than anyone else ever could):
https://youtu.be/Kv8RTimk-aI



@Bengaley

It's been around 20 years since I last heard this song.

I couldn't tell you what the lyrics were. I couldn't tell you now what the lyrics are.

Yet, as the song opened, I sang aloud with every word.

So even if I'd forgotten all about it;

The song remembered when.



All comments from YouTube:

@russellschroeder990

In my personal opinion one of the most magnificent voices in all of country music and music alike. ❤❤❤ Trisha Yearwood

@dragonflyy000

I fell in love with this song the very 1st time I heard it- it hit me right in my feelings that I hadn't thought of in a very long time. I've now been happily married for 30yrs, but there's always, for most of us, we have a someone that was the one who got away. This song brings him back to my memory & my heart, regardless of how much I adore my hubby. I think its one of the ALL-TIME BEST written country songs- and it had to be written for Trisha to sing, bc her voice just blows these memories up even bigger. Cannot imagine ANYONE EVER singing it as well as Trisha, let alone even as well as she sang it. I don't think 90s radio ever gave it the justice it deserved. Its just one of those one in a million songs, and she's def one of those one in a million singers with the powerful emotions & vocals she adds to this song. If anyone else sang it- I don't think any of us who love it, woukd feel the same about it if it hadn't been Trisha who recorded it. Not to forget- whoever wrote it- deserves the same mad respect Trisha does. Its just one of my top five faves of the 90s. We do have great music today, with great voices singing- but in my humble opinion- NO SONG will EVER compare to this one. Even all these yrs later- it still has the same affect on us as it did the 1st time we heard, by reading the comments, I see I'm not alone in cherishing this absolute gem of a song. You're one of THE BEST of the 90s Trisha- and wish radio still played your music. especially this one....... goosebumps all over, like its the 1st time all over again. You're simply UH-MAZING!!!!
#TrueYearwoodFans ❤

@bethlandreth5412

I totally get this 💯

@libyaau

This has to be one of my all time favourite songs - it tells a story that most of us have lived through - it's pure, real and timeless.

@denniswoodbury8599

No artist or song nails the sentiment of a song taking you back to relive those treasured moments in time. Music is how we mark our lives. Thank you Trisha for summing it up so beautifully.

@ArcoZakus

Actually, it was Hugh Prestwood who should be thanked "for summing it up" when he wrote the song. I can't think of anyone else who could have sung it any more beautifully than Trisha Yearwood did, but without songwriters, singers wouldn't even have the tune to hum, let alone the words to sing. (I am so glad H.P. got T.Y. to sing this one.)

@kellymondor5280

A shiver goes up my spine everytime I hear this song - and I challenge anyone to say there isn't a song out there somewhere that doesn't throw you back to a certain time or someone.

@johnmac91

+Kelly Mondor Hell yeah. There are three or four songs that are like a punch to the gut when I hear them on the radio.

@cliffdr.detroitlynch3903

this song does

@karenh4012

That is exactly what a good song should do. Its effect on you should last a lifetime. That is the magic of music.

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