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"
Saints and sinners, come one, come all
Have a little revival
Losers, winners, answer my call
Cause right now the tent's up
Really it is
The word's out
Truly it is
An' has been since the dawn
Hear me tell y'
The call's out
Really it is
An' we're 'bout
Tendin' t' biz
To git this meetin' on,hear me tellin' you
Brothers' n' sisters who want to repent
That's right
You'll find what you been lookin' for
Right here in this tent
Lend an ear and you'll see
Cause when it comes t' needin' savin'
Ain' nobody knows it better than me
I was so low that I know
That only a miracle like this
Is the only way t' heavenly bliss
It's really the truth, lawdy, I know it
I know it 'cause I been taken through it
Now the spirits in me an' allowed the Lord
T' win me, I can testify to it
Sweet sweet the angel's song
Sweet the feelin' I been searchin' for
For ever so long
I never again imagine livin' life
Like I was livin' when I lived wrong
Get ready
Swing
Here they come the choir's all set
Be steady
Sway
See the people fillin' them pews
Be willin'
All
To announce without a regret
It's thrillin' !
Day
Tell the world the wonderful news
Folks' re troopin' in from farther 'n' near
F' news that they can hardly wait to hear
They're nearly starved cause they're waitin'
For food for the soul, yeah
Starved cause they're waitin' for
What will not grow old
Preacher's openin' up the book
He gonna pause awhile an' take a look
'N' then he'll start tellin' everyone
Just how t' do, yeah
Sister Emmy Lou done gone t' shoutin'
An' jumpin' cause she feels the spirit
The congregation's stompin' its feet
An' everybody's movin' outta their seat
They really gonna get this meetin' on
An' praise the Lord until the dawn
Yeah--hear that preacher spread the word
Cause it's the greatest word
You've ever heard
When he says
"I'm callin' sinners right now you hear
I'm callin' sinners right to me
When ol' Satan grabs your soul
It takes the Lord's true word to break his hold
So I say you got to listen mostly to me
You got to listen closely"
Don't let the devil catch y' nappin'
Gotta keep the vigil every minute
Or the devil gonna surely git you
"Watch your step 'n' how you act
Mister Scratch is here, an' that's a fact
If anyone can stop him, I can
That's why I'm the preacher man"
We hear the word
We hear your voice
We know there really isn't any other choice
Head f' heaven t' day
We're on the gospel train
We can show you the way
Relieve all strain
Leave your cares and your woes
Yes!
Heaven knows
Yes!
Y' dodge that devil in his fine fancy clothes yes!
Come git aboard
We still got space
Hear the word of the Lord
We saved your place
Save your soul while y' can
Yes!
Sinner man
Yes!
Git on as fast as you can
You've heard the sermon sublime
Down south camp meetin' time!
Have a little revival
Losers, winners, answer my call
Cause right now the tent's up
Really it is
The word's out
Truly it is
An' has been since the dawn
Hear me tell y'
The call's out
Really it is
An' we're 'bout
Tendin' t' biz
To git this meetin' on,hear me tellin' you
Brothers' n' sisters who want to repent
That's right
You'll find what you been lookin' for
Right here in this tent
Lend an ear and you'll see
Cause when it comes t' needin' savin'
Ain' nobody knows it better than me
I was so low that I know
That only a miracle like this
Is the only way t' heavenly bliss
It's really the truth, lawdy, I know it
I know it 'cause I been taken through it
Now the spirits in me an' allowed the Lord
T' win me, I can testify to it
Sweet sweet the angel's song
Sweet the feelin' I been searchin' for
For ever so long
I never again imagine livin' life
Like I was livin' when I lived wrong
Get ready
Swing
Here they come the choir's all set
Be steady
Sway
See the people fillin' them pews
Be willin'
All
To announce without a regret
It's thrillin' !
Day
Tell the world the wonderful news
Folks' re troopin' in from farther 'n' near
F' news that they can hardly wait to hear
They're nearly starved cause they're waitin'
For food for the soul, yeah
Starved cause they're waitin' for
What will not grow old
Preacher's openin' up the book
He gonna pause awhile an' take a look
'N' then he'll start tellin' everyone
Just how t' do, yeah
Sister Emmy Lou done gone t' shoutin'
An' jumpin' cause she feels the spirit
The congregation's stompin' its feet
An' everybody's movin' outta their seat
They really gonna get this meetin' on
An' praise the Lord until the dawn
Yeah--hear that preacher spread the word
Cause it's the greatest word
You've ever heard
When he says
"I'm callin' sinners right now you hear
I'm callin' sinners right to me
When ol' Satan grabs your soul
It takes the Lord's true word to break his hold
So I say you got to listen mostly to me
You got to listen closely"
Don't let the devil catch y' nappin'
Gotta keep the vigil every minute
Or the devil gonna surely git you
"Watch your step 'n' how you act
Mister Scratch is here, an' that's a fact
If anyone can stop him, I can
That's why I'm the preacher man"
We hear the word
We hear your voice
We know there really isn't any other choice
Head f' heaven t' day
We're on the gospel train
We can show you the way
Relieve all strain
Leave your cares and your woes
Yes!
Heaven knows
Yes!
Y' dodge that devil in his fine fancy clothes yes!
Come git aboard
We still got space
Hear the word of the Lord
We saved your place
Save your soul while y' can
Yes!
Sinner man
Yes!
Git on as fast as you can
You've heard the sermon sublime
Down south camp meetin' time!
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Down South Camp Meeting Lyrics as written by Irving Mills Fletcher Henderson
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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