If Only
Yoko Ono Lyrics


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I cut my finger when you left the room
The wound has healed long since then
But the finger keeps bleeding, keeps bleeding
For reasons unknown to me

I heard me stutter when you left the room
The wound has healed long since then
But my mind keeps stuttering, keeps stuttering
For reasons unknown to me

If only I could remember
The tune I was whistling that day
If only I could remember
The streets I had walked that day

If only I could remember
If only, if only

I saw me crying when you left the room
The wound has healed long since then
But my soul keeps crying, keeps crying
For reasons unknown to me

If only you could tell me
Why I'm smoking myself to death?
If only you could tell me
Why I'm working myself to death?





If only you could tell me
If only, if only

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "If Only" by Yoko Ono express the lingering pain and confusion felt after a relationship has ended. The singer is haunted by memories and emotions that they cannot shake off, and they are left wondering why they still feel so broken. The first verse reveals that the singer has physically hurt themselves in response to their lover leaving them - they cut their finger. Although the wound has healed, the finger keeps bleeding, representing the ongoing emotional pain. The second verse describes the singer stuttering, an affliction that has also stuck with them despite the surface-level healing of the original wound. The line "for reasons unknown to me" emphasizes the singer's confusion and the sense of being trapped in their suffering.


The chorus of the song revolves around the concept of memory. The singer longs to remember the tune they were whistling on the day of their breakup and the streets they walked. This desire to remember is a common reaction to loss; it provides a sense of connection to the past and is a way of recapturing the feelings that have been lost. However, the repetition of "if only" highlights the impossibility of fully returning to those happy memories. The final verse brings up two self-destructive behaviors: smoking and working too hard. The "if only" here is directed towards the lover, as the singer begs for an answer as to why they are engaging in these harmful behaviors. Overall, "If Only" is a poignant and relatable exploration of heartbreak and how it can leave lasting effects.


Line by Line Meaning

I cut my finger when you left the room
I was hurt when you left


The wound has healed long since then
I have moved on from the hurt


But the finger keeps bleeding, keeps bleeding
But I still feel the pain somehow


For reasons unknown to me
But I don't understand why


I heard me stutter when you left the room
I couldn't speak properly after you left


But my mind keeps stuttering, keeps stuttering
But I still struggle to express myself


If only I could remember
I wish I could recall


The tune I was whistling that day
The song I was humming back then


If only I could remember
I want to remember


The streets I had walked that day
The places I visited


I saw me crying when you left the room
I was upset when you departed


But my soul keeps crying, keeps crying
But I still feel the sadness inside


For reasons unknown to me
But I don't understand why


If only you could tell me
I wish you could explain


Why I'm smoking myself to death?
Why I am harming myself with cigarettes


If only you could tell me
I wish you could answer


Why I'm working myself to death?
Why I am overworking and exhausting myself


If only you could tell me
I wish I could understand




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: YOKO ONO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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