This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Wanting you the way I do
I only wanna be with you
And I would go
To the ends of the earth
'Cause, darling
To me that's what you're worth
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
If you're out on the road
Feeling lonely, and so cold
All you have to do is call my name
And I'll be there on the next train
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
I always wanted a real home with flowers on the window sill
But if you wanna live in New York City, honey, you know I will
(Yes I will, yes I will)
I never thought I could get satisfaction from just one man
But if anyone can keep me happy, you're the one who can
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow, oh
Where you lead, I will follow
Any-anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
Oh, baby, ooh
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Oh, baby, yeah, yeah
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Ooh, sugar, uh-huh
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Oh, baby, yeah
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
I only wanna be with you
And I would go
To the ends of the earth
'Cause, darling
To me that's what you're worth
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
If you're out on the road
Feeling lonely, and so cold
All you have to do is call my name
And I'll be there on the next train
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
I always wanted a real home with flowers on the window sill
But if you wanna live in New York City, honey, you know I will
(Yes I will, yes I will)
I never thought I could get satisfaction from just one man
But if anyone can keep me happy, you're the one who can
Where you lead, I will follow
Anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow, oh
Where you lead, I will follow
Any-anywhere that you tell me to
If you need, you need me to be with you
I will follow where you lead
Oh, baby, ooh
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Oh, baby, yeah, yeah
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Ooh, sugar, uh-huh
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Oh, baby, yeah
I'm gonna follow where you lead
(I'm gonna follow where you lead)
Lyrics submitted by Mickeyjr3000
Where You Lead Lyrics as written by Toni Stern Carole King
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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I decided to post this separately because this version is different from the original one that Carole King wrote and sung. An interesting fact: Originally, when Amy Sherman (creator of GG) asked Carole King to re-record the song for the show, Carole King refused...but when Amy Sherman told her what the show was all about (the close relationship between a teenage daughter and not-so-young mom), Carole King liked the idea and decided to re-record the song, partly because Carole has a close relationship with her daughter, Louise Goffin. So apperently, she changed the lyrics to the song, and recorded it with her daughter, specially for the show.
Some things that are different: The original song was about a woman following her guy wherever he went. Now, the meaning of the song is about the tight (mother-daughter-friends) relationship two people can have, how they have the 'It's us against the world" attitude, which is really amazing. Changed lyrics: "Loving you the way I do, I only wanna be with you" --> "Loving you the way I do, I know we're gonna make it through"
Also the last verse "You never know how it's all gonna turn out, But that's okay. Just as long as we're together, We can find a way" was never in the original song. I love the end of the song, where Carole and Lori start 'echoing' eachother singing "I will follow"-"Where you lead"..."I will follow"-Where you lead." I think this adds to the real mother-daughter closeness in the song's meaning.
I like it. I like the positive message this song brings and, of course, how it adds to the show's message and feel.
P.S. I found some of this information on TWOP forums about Gilmore Girls...so it's not all my knowledge.
@Mickeyjr3000 Hey there! I know it’s electronically 1000 years after your post, but I recently had this song in my head and was surprised to hear the different lyrics. I grew up in the USA and left 40 years ago. So Carole King was one of my singing role models. This information is really interesting to me, because I have a great relationship with my daughter, too. ????<br /> Regards Lisa
@Mickeyjr3000 Hey there! I know it’s electronically 1000 years after your post, but I recently had this song in my head and was surprised to hear the different lyrics. I grew up in the USA and left 40 years ago. So Carole King was one of my singing role models. This information is really interesting to me, because I have a great relationship with my daughter, too. ????<br /> Regards Lisa