So open up your morning light
And say a little prayer for I
You know that if we are to stay alive
And see the peace in every eye

She had two babies
One was six months one was three
In the war of '44
Every telephone ring
Every heartbeat stinging
When she thought it was God calling her
Oh, would her son grow to know his father

I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be
I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
Will it be yes or will it be sorry?

He showed up all wet
On the rainy front step
Wearing shrapnel in his skin
And the war he saw
Lives inside him still
It's so hard to be gentle and warm
The years passed by and now
He has a granddaughter

I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be
I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
Will it be yes or will it be

Oh, so you look at me
From across the room
You're wearing your anguish again
Believe me I know the feeling
It sucks you into the jaws of anger
Oh, so breathe a little more deeply my love
All we have is this very moment
And I don't want to do what
His father and his father and his father did
I want to be here now

So open up your morning light
And say a little prayer for I
You know that if we are to stay alive
And see the peace in every eye

I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be
I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
Will it be yes or will it be

I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
I want to know right now
What will it be
I don't want to wait
For our lives to be over
Will it be yes or will it be sorry?

So open up your morning light
And say a little prayer for I
You know that if we are to stay alive
And see the love in every eye


Lyrics submitted by me109cito, edited by incendiary

I Don't Want to Wait Lyrics as written by Paula Cole

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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I Don't Want To Wait song meanings
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  • +5
    General Comment

    This is a great song about how anger and violence works its way through families and puts their lives on hold. The singer is the grandaughter of a WW2 vet who is saying no, I am not going to participate in this, like previous generations. I want to 'be here now' - an old hippy phrase meaning live for the present - later used as an album title by Oasis. I don't know much about Paula Cole but I'd guess she is the right age to have a grandfather of that generation, so maybe it's autobiographical.

    pconlon March 24, 2008   Link

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