If Only
When In Rome Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Thinking 'bout you and me
In a real life tragedy, yeah yeah
You mess with insanity
No reason for vanity, no no
You falling from a tree as life
Its not so hard when you hit the floor
You just bounce back up again they say
So brush yourself off and say 'ok'
And start yourself and say 'which way'
And brush yourself off and say 'yeah yeah'

I'm never gonna fall that way again
My feet never touched the ground
I'm never gonna sit & count to ten
I'll always remember
Some people would've called this heaven sent
If only they'd known better

I took all those memories
But I'll never hold you again, no no
It might be my imagination playin' those tricks again
So brush yourself off and say ok
Then start yourself off and say which way
Brush yourself off and say yeah yeah

I'm never gonna fall that way again
My feet never touched the ground
I'm never gonna sit & count to ten
I'll always remember
Some people would've called this heaven sent
If only they'd known better

So brush yourself off and say ok
Then start yourself off and say which way
Brush yourself off and say yeah yeah

I'm never gonna fall that way again
My legs buckle under
I'm never gonna sit & count to ten
I'll always remember
Some people would've called this common sense




If only I'd known better
If only I'd known better

Overall Meaning

The song "If Only" performed by When In Rome is a ballad about a past relationship that did not work out due to the pain and tragedy that the couple experienced. The song reflects on how falling in love can sometimes lead to unintended consequences and heartbreak. The lyrics describe how the singer is remembering their past lover and the memories they shared, but they know they will never be able to hold them again. The pain caused by the relationship is causing the singer to question their sanity and vanity, but they are reminded that when life throws you down, you need to brush yourself off and keep moving forward.


The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's determination to not repeat past mistakes. They vow to never fall and lose themselves in love in the same way again. They will always remember the pain and lessons learned from their past relationship. The song ends with the realization that things could have turned out differently if only they had known better.


Overall, the song "If Only" is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on lost love and self-reflection. The lyrics and melody come together to create a powerful emotion that leaves a lasting impact.


Line by Line Meaning

Thinking 'bout you and me
Reflecting on the past relationship and the events that led to the breakup


In a real life tragedy, yeah yeah
The sadness and pain felt after the breakup


You mess with insanity
The emotional turmoil caused by the breakup


No reason for vanity, no no
There is no need to feel superior or inferior in the relationship


You falling from a tree as life
Life is unpredictable and can cause unexpected falls


Its not so hard when you hit the floor
It's easier to accept and deal with the situation


You just bounce back up again they say
There is hope for recovery after a fall.


So brush yourself off and say 'ok'
Accepting the situation and moving on


And start yourself and say 'which way'
Making a decision on which direction to go


And brush yourself off and say 'yeah yeah'
Affirming the decision to move on and be positive


I'm never gonna fall that way again
Not making the same mistake or repeating the same pattern


My feet never touched the ground
Taking control of one's life and actions


I'm never gonna sit & count to ten
Not letting oneself be overwhelmed by emotions


I'll always remember
Holding onto the lessons learned from past experiences


Some people would've called this heaven sent
Others may view the breakup as a fortunate event


If only they'd known better
If they had the full picture, they would understand it was not ideal


I took all those memories
Retrieving the memories from the relationship


But I'll never hold you again, no no
Accepting that things will never be the same again


It might be my imagination playin' those tricks again
Thinking about the past relationship can conjure up unrealistic fantasies


So brush yourself off and say ok​​​​​​​
Reaffirmation of moving on and not holding onto the past


Then start yourself off and say which way​​​​​​​
Evaluating and deciding on the next steps in life


I'm never gonna fall that way again
Not letting oneself be vulnerable in the same way again


My legs buckle under​​​​​​​
Feeling weak and overwhelmed by the breakup


Some people would've called this common sense
People may view the decision to move on as predictable


If only I'd known better
Self-reflecting on personal mistakes or wrong choices


I'm never gonna sit & count to ten​​​​​​​
Not letting negative emotions take over


I'll always remember
Holding onto the positive lessons learned




Contributed by Caleb T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@thestick52

What a lovely song... Love & light from Brazil 🇧🇷

@milotorres6894

Over 30 yrs still wish what might have been the best thing in my life.

@timothysalazar8264

Please never let this group be forgotten.

@pitmaningat

Now and then I do THE PROMISE at pub karaoke, unfortunately I think that was the only one on the listings, will try to check this one and cover it.

@TurfSurf

To me, this was the best song on the cd.

@cikosspasmodiceye7121

It's October 2022, and this song still has a way of sneaking into your memory, making you search it out and listen to those amazing melodies. Also, the lyrics mean a LOT more than they did when infirst listened to the album in 1989. That first album is still outstanding.

@aconsideredmoment

Timeless harmony. Thanks.

@audreylusher5449

I love the whole album..thanks for sharing this!

@timothysalazar8264

Yep

@mattbukovy

This entire album has some of the most beautiful two-part harmonies ever recorded.  Just ... goosebumps, man.

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