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"
As I lay upon my bed, I begin dreaming
Of how it's gonna be the day that I am free
Once I settle like the dust upon the table
But then you came along
You helped me write this song
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
Like a tired bird flying high across the ocean
I was outside looking in
You made me live again
From the mountains to the prairies little babies
Figures fill their heads
Visions bathed in red
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
From the train in Manchester, England
Lightning fills the sky
As I watched you wave goodbye
From the mountains to the prairie little babies
Figures fill their heads
Visions bathed in red
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
Of how it's gonna be the day that I am free
Once I settle like the dust upon the table
But then you came along
You helped me write this song
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
Like a tired bird flying high across the ocean
I was outside looking in
You made me live again
From the mountains to the prairies little babies
Figures fill their heads
Visions bathed in red
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
From the train in Manchester, England
Lightning fills the sky
As I watched you wave goodbye
From the mountains to the prairie little babies
Figures fill their heads
Visions bathed in red
I don't know what day it is,
I can't recall the seasons
And I don't remember how we got this far
All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons
In my sky you'll always be my morning star
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44
All the Right Reasons Lyrics as written by Gary Michael Louris Gary Louris
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I think it's about how love will sneak up on you. That you're going along fine in your world, being free and all that then someone comes around and you realize that you do need someone to share your life with. And your joy overflows and you lose track of time and all you do know is that you love that person and it's for all the right reasons. Not lust or revenge, avoidence... but for friendship, a helper, support, security... sigh, love is sweet.
I agree with smilingfox. Love will sneak up on you. From the first time I heard this song, I thought it was pretty. It reminds me that life goes by so quickly and love is so rare and beautiful. Maybe "All the Right Reasons" means that you don't expect anything in return. He feels this woman has made him "live again" and what an incredible gift that is.
**The only lyric that confuses me is, "little babies". I mean, I love little babies, but couldn't there have been something else there?
I agree with the sneak up on you part - and he doesn't understand how love happens but he accepts it.
As for little babies, I think he is saying it is the same as how babies just absorb what is around them and smile laugh cry, they have no choice like we have no choice. life happens and we can't help how we feel.
I came here looking for other's opinions on the "little babies" lyric. Specifically "figures fill their heads, visions bathed in red". It has always puzzled me...seems out of place....but now seems to make sense to me as I read other's comments. I now think it is referring to their innocence and that they see the world through rose-colored glasses. Their visions are bathed in red...rose color.
Something else that struck me, and it could be a long shot, but there seems to be a couple of songs by the Jayhawks that refer to traveling and in a very subtle way, derive from the mood of the folk classic City of New Orleans. In All the Right Reasons,, either she or he is n a train. In the City of New Orleans, "Mothers with their babes asleep rockin' to that gentle beat, and the rhythm of the rails is all they feel". In All the Right Reasons: "From the train in Manchester, England Lightning fills the sky As I watched you wave goodbye From the mountains to the prairie little babies Figures fill their heads Visions bathed in red"
And then in the Jayhawk's Tampa to Tulsa the lyrics talk about the card game that is going on during the trip (on a bus)..."There's a card game in the back seat, They're throwing dice in the aisle" .and in City of New Orleans "Dealin' cards with an old man in the club car, Penny a point, ain't no one keepin' score".....
Just some thoughts.
I think it’s about someone who was in prison and they found love that brought them back to humanity.