I've been lost inside, empty space in my heart
And some things never change, no
How it hurts me and how it's tearin' me apart,
And it just goes on and on
Can you read my mind, take a good look at my face
Could you take the time, just to stand here in my place
What if I'd been the one to say goodbye, goodbye
Could you smile when inside you just want to cry, look inside
Can you read my mind? oh oh

When I hear your name, feel so cold deep inside
Still it's hard to explain, oh
But you're not meant to be, they say time will heal the pain
But it just goes on forever
Can you read my mind, have you closed the door on love
Can you be so blind, did you think I'd just give up

What if I'd been the one to say goodbye, goodbye
Could you smile when inside you just want to cry, want to cry
What if I'd been the one to say goodbye, goodbye
Could you smile when it hurts so deep inside, and it never fades away
Fade away

Time can't erase the reasons why
I count my mistakes and the heartaches since you said goodbye

What if I'd been the one to say goodbye, goodbye
Could you smile when inside you just want to cry, want to cry
What if I'd been the one to say goodbye, goodbye
Could you smile when it hurts so deep inside, and it never fades away
Never fades away
No, it don't fade away


Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal, edited by SWLinPHX

If I'd Been the One Lyrics as written by Jeffrey S. Carlisi Donald N. Van Zant

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

If I'd Been The One song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    This is such a good song, I can totally relate to it. Because im faced with just about the same situation. For me this song means, if you were only in my place, you would understand how I feel. And that its tearing me apart that you feel the way you do. Basically its saying...step into my shoes and see how it feels from my perspective...and no matter what...I won't ever get over this..

    jackflash714on July 02, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    hot damn i love this song. favorite .38 song by far. it's a hot 80's mess...

    jonaswifton October 10, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad "if I'd been the one",to say good-bye?

    Thia007on November 27, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Memory

    I really like this song but it does remind of painful memories. I was in love with this girl and I couldn\'t imagine being with anyone else. Every love song, every romantic comedy, and every happy couple I saw made me think of her. \n\nBut, I was young and had no idea how to communicate these emotions to her in a way that she would accept and not push me away. Sometimes I wish she could read my mind and see how much she meant to me and that I felt about her like no one else could.\n\nYears later, I finally did attempt to express my feelings but she pushed me away. I spent a lot of time hurting over it. I had relationships with others after that but, in my mind, there was no one who could measure up to her. In this way, my feelings for her ruined subsequent relationships that may have been better had I only let go of her and focus on the one I was with.\n\nI spoke with her again a few years after, but things had changed. She was married and had kids but had kind of let herself go. I was still in relatively good shape, but single and miserable. I felt all of the feelings rushing back as if they had never left. But it would have been wrong. It didn\'t matter anyway, she ghosted me and I didn\'t hear from her again for over 20 years. I went on with my life, but the fantasy of me ever getting another chance to express my feelings and trying to be with her was crushed. \n\nRecently, she contacted me again and wanted us to be friends. We exchanged texts, and phone calls occasionally, but I find myself reflecting on all those years wasted. All of the mistakes I made because of feelings for a woman I would never have. I don\'t even know why she never gave me a chance. I feel that I will never know. I won\'t ask because I feel like if it was something she wanted to tell, she would have told me already. Like no good can come from digging up the past. I guess I feel some resentment towards her for that, but I can\'t blame her for my mistakes. I am the one who made them. I am the one who wasted all those years \n\nTo sum it all up, sometimes I wish she could feel the way I felt all those years. I want her to know. She was getting married, having kids, and building a happy life while I was out in the cold, not understanding why she couldn’t build a life with me. The final part of the song is not quite accurate, though. It does fade eventually. It’s a small comfort, though. It has faded at about the same time as my youth and vitality. I am older now and I feel like a big part of my life was wasted with foolish emotions that have brought me nothing but heartache. So yeah, it’s a great song. What if I’d been the one? What if I’d been the one to push her away and then get married and be happy?

    Vinecenton February 17, 2022   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song has always had my feelings for a girl in High School that I knew was the "One". But she was immature at the time and thought I didn\'t love her. I was taking it because I didn\'t want scare her off like others. Never got over her even after settling for another girl that I really wasn\'t totally head over heals in love with. Married her and had 2 sons. \n\nFast forward 35 years and we connect. All those forgotten feelings were back. She told me how she had many failed and abusive relationships. It hurt hearing it. Especially when I would of treated her total love, affection and devotion. We were married to other people. Had kids. She had grandbbabies. We both knew we were supposed to have been together for the last 35 years and would of been good for each other. But it is too late. So she told me good bye a second time......

    Cobra1086on April 08, 2022   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The correct lyric is "What your love meant to me" not "But you're not meant to be"

    SWLinPHXon November 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This wasn't the most popular,.38 song but I love it! I must be stuck in the '80s but they still are a great band! debcat1985@gmail.com

    debbie1109on May 19, 2017   Link

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