Sensitive and effortlessly talented, singer-songwriter lewloh creates music… Read Full Bio ↴Sensitive and effortlessly talented, singer-songwriter lewloh creates music that's all about intuition. Yet his insightful, relatable lyricism reflect a keen intelligence and it's pairing with soft vocals--evident on 2017 debut album Lullacry - have made him a gem on the Singaporean music scene. Born in Hong Kong but working between Singapore and Boston, lewloh embodies global citizenship as he continue to dig dip in his folk-pop, proffering unconventional perspectives on life, love and the human condition. And while collaboration is a part of his repertoire, lewloh exudes a trademark quiet confidence that runs through his song.

One Time
lewloh Lyrics

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Daniel,
First love where did you go?
I found you,
After searching the neighborhood roads

But you smell different this time
It's an unfamiliar wine,
Oh where did you go?

Tell me what you mean,
I'm sorry,
Tell me what you mean,
By it was only just a kiss,
It was only one time

Tell me what you mean,
I'm sorry,
Tell me what you mean,
By it was only just a simple kiss,
It was only one time, one time.

Daniel,
Superhero, what did I do?
To deserve this,
Maybe I earned it,
For loving you too soon
But I asked you a million times,
If what we were feeling, was what was right,

And you said,
Where else would we go?

Tell me what you mean,
I'm sorry,
Tell me what you mean,
By it was only just a simple kiss,
It was only one time, one time.

One time,
When we were on the coastline,
We said that we would sail away.
One time,
Under the old pine,
We said there'd be a house one day.

One time,
One time,
It was only one time,

One time.
One time.

Overall Meaning

In "One Time", Lewloh sings about being reunited with an old love, Daniel, but realizing that something has changed. The opening lines, "First love where did you go? I found you, After searching the neighborhood roads" suggest that the relationship has been lost and found again, but the next line, "But you smell different this time, It's an unfamiliar wine" indicates that something just isn't right. The chorus, "Tell me what you mean, I'm sorry. Tell me what you mean, By it was only just a kiss, It was only one time" suggests that there is a conversation about infidelity taking place, and the singer is seeking Daniel's explanation.

The second verse continues to explore the breakdown of the relationship, with Lewloh wondering if they moved too quickly too soon. "Daniel, Superhero, what did I do? To deserve this, Maybe I earned it, For loving you too soon" shows that there is a sense of regret and questioning happening. The verse ends with Lewloh asking if their feelings were right, and Daniel responding, "Where else would we go?", implying that they were exactly where they were supposed to be.

The chorus repeats, with its haunting melody highlighting the confusion and hurt that comes with infidelity. The two times the phrase "one time" is repeated in the third verse, however, seem to suggest that Lewloh is trying to convince themselves that this was a one-time mistake, and not the end of the relationship. The song ends with the repetition of "one time" several times.

Line by Line Meaning

Daniel, First love where did you go?
Addressing the person by their name, asking where they disappeared to after being found as the singer's first love.

I found you, After searching the neighborhood roads
After trying to find their first love, they found them by traveling through the various streets of their neighborhood.

But you smell different this time It's an unfamiliar wine, Oh where did you go?
Their first love seems different somehow, maybe due to a new cologne or perfume they wear, and the singer is curious about where they went and why they seem so different.

Tell me what you mean, I'm sorry, Tell me what you mean, By it was only just a kiss, It was only one time
Requesting an explanation for their partner's actions, apologizing, and asking for clarification about why their partner is brushing off a kiss as if it didn't matter.

Daniel, Superhero, what did I do? To deserve this, Maybe I earned it, For loving you too soon
Addressing their partner again, this time as a 'superhero', asking what they did to deserve their partner's strange behavior, and wondering if it might be because they loved them too quickly or too soon.

But I asked you a million times, If what we were feeling, was what was right, And you said, Where else would we go?
Explaining that they repeatedly asked their partner if their feelings were mutual and if their relationship was right, to which their partner replied with a question about where else they could go.

One time, When we were on the coastline, We said that we would sail away. One time, Under the old pine, We said there'd be a house one day. One time, One time, It was only one time, One time. One time.
Remembering a time when they and their partner made plans for the future together, to sail away and have a house one day, and reflecting on how those plans only happened one time and perhaps never happened at all.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lewis Loh Zhi Hou

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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