They have become very popular in Japan (holding the highest sales numbers of any Chinese musical artist ever), the PRC, Hong Kong, and abroad. Twelve Girls Band has played two tours in the United States.
Among the instruments used by the women: erhu (Chinese violin), pipa (pear-shaped lute), guzheng (zither), yangqin (hammered dulcimer), dizi (transverse flute), and xiao (vertical flute). Rarely, the duxianqin (single-stringed zither) and hulusi (three-piped gourd flute) are employed.
Only Time
Twelve Girls Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the day flows, only time
And who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose, only time
Who can say why your heart sighs
As your love flies, only time
And who can say why your heart cries
Who can say when the roads meet
That love might be in your heart
And who can say when the day sleeps
If the night keeps all your heart
Night keeps all your heart
Who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose
Only time
And who can say where the road goes
Where the day flows, only time
Who knows? Only time
The song "Only Time" by Twelve Girls Band is a reflective and introspective piece that revolves around the theme of love and the uncertainty that comes with it. The opening lines of the song emphasize an ambiguous and directionless journey, where the ultimate destination is unknown. The lyricist dwells on this idea throughout the song, that we can never tell what the future holds, and love is no exception to that. The chorus, "who can say where the road goes, where the day flows, only time," emphasizes the idea that time will ultimately reveal the trajectory of our lives, including the path our love takes.
The following stanzas indicate how love is characterized by contradiction, ambiguity, and uncertainty. We feel the joy of love, a feeling that makes our hearts light, but alongside that comes the pain and heartache. "Who can say why your heart cries when your love lies, only time." The artist draws our attention to the transient quality of everything in love. The song's central idea is expressed in the lines "Who knows, only time," which highlights the idea that sometimes, all we can do is let time take its course and see what happens.
Line by Line Meaning
Who can say where the road goes
It's hard to predict where life will take us and what the future holds.
Where the day flows, only time
Time is the only constant that we have, and we never know what each day will bring.
And who can say if your love grows
It's impossible to know for sure if love will continue to blossom.
As your heart chose, only time
Only time will tell if you've made the right choice when it comes to love.
Who can say why your heart sighs
It's often unclear why we feel certain emotions, such as when our hearts feel heavy.
As your love flies, only time
Maybe with time, we'll understand why we feel the way we do when we're in love.
And who can say why your heart cries
We can't fully explain why we feel sad or heartbroken, especially when it comes to love.
When your love lies, only time
Sometimes, only time can help us heal from the pain caused by a lover's betrayal.
Who can say when the roads meet
It's unpredictable when two paths will cross, whether it's in love or life.
That love might be in your heart
The possibility of love is always there, even if we don't know when or where it will happen.
And who can say when the day sleeps
We can't predict the future, and what will happen when we go to sleep each night.
If the night keeps all your heart
Sometimes, our deepest feelings and desires are only revealed to us when we're alone, in the quiet of night.
Who can say if your love grows
We can't know for certain if our love will continue to flourish, or if it will wither away over time.
As your heart chose
Love is a choice we make, but we can't be sure if it's the right one until time has passed.
Only time
Time is a powerful force that shapes our lives and our futures, and we can't control it.
And who can say where the road goes
The path of life is uncertain and winding, and we can't know where it will lead us.
Where the day flows, only time
Each day passes quickly, and we can't slow it down, so we have to make the most of it and enjoy the time we have.
Who knows? Only time
Ultimately, only time can tell us what the future holds, and we have to trust in the journey.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eith Ni-Bhraonain, Nicky Ryan, Roma Shane Ryan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce Smith
I have always loved this song from the first time I heard Enya sing it. Tonight I happened upon this cover. It is absolutely beautiful. I will be honest, I am a 71 year old man and the beauty of their arrangement brought tears to my eyes. :)
Ashley DeLara
My youngest kitty is named Geisha for a reason. I found her when she was merely 3 weeks old and was so awestruck by her beauty, there was no name more befitting. I think of these beautiful girls in their makeup, kimono, and their honor....it brings tears to my eyes. This music is a tribute to their wonderful culture!
Tiberiotertio
The music is really graet! As I am a Enya fan, I am surprised how well this song sounds using traditional Chinese instruments! I hope this group will also give concerts in Europe? I would love to see them live.
thememoryrose
I love their music, it's so calming! Thanks for posting :)
Inmorka Sarasvárian
me encanta ^_^ el toque instrumental es divino, adoro la música oriental.
PEKSLAV PKS
I would like to see 12 beautiful Girls Band playing this song live. The sound of the erhu combined with flute, guseng, pipa and others is wonderful! Chinese girls are pretty and charming.
musicnarts22
Major goosebumps. This sounds so unique and amazing.
karensisha
Woow! sus versiones son muy buenas :) Ojala vinieran a México y expusieran su estilo, aki nos hace falta, no son muy usales los instrumentos. Espero ke vengan! por lo mientras promocionare los videos a mis amigos :) byebye
Peter Van Opdorp
Bought a couple Twelve Girls CD's in Singapore. Now the ladies are on YouTube. This is a blessing, they're fabulous! PV
paws7205
This is so moving and beautiful. rare to find music this incredible.