If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
'Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Time In A Bottle Lyrics as written by Jim Croce

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Time In A Bottle song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    This particular song is written from a really odd perpspective. Rarely does an artist attain the natural talent requisite to create thoughts in poetic form which artistically express those universal feelings and thoughts we all hold and share together.

    Everyone has once felt in their lives as though there was too much time in the interval between one specific time in the present and one in the future. This is anticipation of some other time desirable, which results in impatience.

    But we've all also felt the exact opposite: there are times in our lives when we find that time desirable after having waited so long, and we then feel as though that time period is overabundantly minute. We long to stretch-out time and then pause it, or manage to make it last longer.

    In short, we dread the wait of things we desire, and feel that time is too long; yet we also overly enjoy the time we spend when we find those things, and then feel that time is too short.

    And Jim really expresses this psychological universality among all humans in this song. It expresses the desire to control time to longer enjoy our loves and passions, and it also expresses what it's like to appreciate those loves and passions.

    As I said, it's rare that an artist will have the ability to tap into psychology and sociology and still manage to express that understanding in poetic form, then apply it to music. One of my favorites in this area is John Lennon. Jim Croce now also has my respect as an artist for having created such a deep work of art.

    This song is of mere genius -- straight out of John Lennon's realm.

    LennonGenius!on May 23, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    its about his kid. he wrote it for his first kid. so i think that makes it even deeper and more meaningful to me. yeah. go jimmy.

    r0ck0ut247on March 30, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The acoustics in this are so beautiful at times i feel like crying. I love this song and have found a great respect for Jim Croce.

    \//Peace

    Rollingstonesrockon March 07, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    One of the best songs I know.

    kmk_natashaon December 07, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is the one song that is truely the regret of growing old and what we have given up. Reminds me of my first love and what could have been

    mhhinchon May 20, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Goodness Gracious me. Words cannot discribe how bweautiful I think this song is. I think it could be one of the greatest song ever written. a Lyrical masterpeice. I miss camp!

    I_LOVE_CAMPon February 21, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i remember lying with a loved one knowing we had to part and wishing these exact lyrics in my head. this song reminds me of the bitter resentment i feel towards unwanted passing. :(

    nyukkaboomon March 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is probably the greatest song ever written. it is certainly up there. the lyrics provide a sad perspective on the ways of life, a particularly ironic one coming from a man whose life was cut tragically short. music beautiful lyrics beautiful god i love this song.

    5isa4letterwordon July 18, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Wow. I never knew how much emotion could be stuffed into one song... 20 lines of lyric mirror 90% of my hearts feelings. I love this. Someone needs to dosome Remixing or Covering tho...

    Willow_Kithon September 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    one of my favorite songs in the world .. so beautiful .

    NIKKIEon April 22, 2004   Link

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