Restless tonight
Cause I wasted the light
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line
It's nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

I promise I might
Not walk on by
Maybe next time
But not this time

Even though I know
I don't want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

Even though I know
I don't want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

Even though I know
I don't want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something

If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something


Lyrics submitted by rjbucs28, edited by rhysroxx1

One Thing song meanings
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107 Comments

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  • +6
    My Interpretation

    If you want to take it to an extreme, it could be about infidelity. Someone who is married falling in love with another. If your heart was somewhere it shouldn't be.. the lyrics are suitable... noone really "plans" to fall in love.. especially when they've already made a vow to another. A situation such as that, would be a fine example of drawing a really thin line... and if you break that line, if you walk over it, that person could be yours.

    "Between both these times I drew a really thin line It’s nothing I planned And not that I can But you should be mine Across that line"

    And trading it all for one thing... maybe this person is considering trading their current situation because they realized they found true love, "If I sorted it out, if I knew all about this one thing". Almost makes it sound as if they married too early. It also fits where they are talking about not walking on by, passing it up.

    "Even though I know I don’t want to know Yeah I guess I know I just hate how it sounds"

    Coming to a realization you never thought possible would result in this. You can't bury your feelings, your emotions, as much as we sometimes may want to pretend they aren't there, and not acknowledge them. Imagine telling someone else your situation... wouldn't you hate how it sounds?

    Calisummerson January 24, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    hes beating himself up, he cant sleep because he didnt do what he wanted to do he spent the day ignoring her and pretending nothing was going on and he wants to be with her so bad but has gotten up the courage what if she says no

    anipiccolojron April 30, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I used to think he got his girl pregnant. He'd have to give up his whole life for that baby.

    waxpoeticon January 17, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    u dont know good music

    creed_stnd03on June 18, 2004   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    This song was close to my heart when my dad was going through chemo and radiation for lung cancer. I sold my home, put everything in storage, and rushed to be by his side. I was always trying to learn more about his illness in the hopes of trying to find that magic cure and I planned on using the money from selling my home to save his life. I would have traded it all for that one thing. I often find myself wishing I could visit him in the after-life or whatever. Even though I know I don't want to know Yeah I guess I know I just hate how it sounds

    amabsheron November 15, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I know this is not the original meaning of it, but I like how this song encourages me to be committed. My highest priority is my connection to God. Second is loving others. Like anyone, factors in this life (internal and external) sometimes challenge or distract from, or make it hard for me to do that. I don't need this song to do it, but when I heard it, I was thankful for it. So here's How I use the lyrics to motivate me.

    "Wasted the light" - could have a double meaning of wasting daylight and not living by the truth aka the light. Don't waste the light.

    "I promise I might not walk on by" - maybe he passed up a situation where he could have done some good. Don't do that.

    "I just hate how it sounds" - the thought of what people would say/think if I traded it all, gave up a "normal" life, to live more fully for God, speak what I truly think, etc.

    Steven Ableon July 08, 2017   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i'm from australia and recently visited canada and america, and witnessed the huge hype about finger eleven.

    and then i heard this song on one of my scrubs dvd's, season 4. when you think about the scene in which the song is played, it's all focused around J.D wanting what he can't have.

    Sort of the whole "you don't know what you've got till its gone" theory i think, yeah?

    awesome song, amazing voice/lyrics

    kimmy21on January 20, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I have a pretty different interpretation of this song. To me, it's about the envy we sometimes feel towards individuals who have a single, all-consuming passion in life. Some people are born to do a certain thing, and they don't need to be a "well-rounded" person in order to be happy: their life is their passion. It probably wasn't intended to be interpreted this way, but that's what I get out of it.

    BIGBOOMBAon February 04, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song has special meaning to me. If you review the lyrics, you'll understand. I fell in love with a girl named Gio. She fell in love with me too. But we couldndn't be together because I was caught up in a bad marriage and she was committed to taking care of her mother. For eight years we maintained a strict email only friendship, no phone calls, no physical contact. Her mother passed on a year ago and recently she finally seemed ready to start her life. I was prepared to move beyond my marriage. (The side effect of all of this is that I am still going to end my marriage because it's clearly not healthy.) In any event, we never connected because she died two months ago at the age of 36. It was a freak accident. She dropped a can of food on her foot and it created a blood clot that hit her pulmonary and killed her. I guess "the line" could be the one that separates here from the afterlife. In any event I guess I know, I just hate how it sounds. I love you, Gio.

    GiosStringon April 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think song is good but thats because i like this kinda stuff i didnt even know that finger eleven was a band till this song

    creed_stnd03on June 18, 2004   Link

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