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You Were On My Mind

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You Were On My Mind Lyrics

When I woke up this morning
You were on my mind
And you were on my mind
I got troubles, whoa-oh
I got worries, whoa-oh
I got wounds to bind

So I went to the corner
Just to ease my pains
Yeah, just to ease my pains
I got troubles, whoa-oh
I got worries, whoa-oh
I came home again

When I woke up this morning
You were on my mi-i-i-ind and
You were on my mind
I got troubles, whoa-oh
I got worries, whoa-oh
I got wounds to bind

And I got a feelin'
Down in my sho-oo-oo-oes, said
Way down in my sho-oo-oes
Yeah, I got to ramble, whoa-oh
I got to move on, whoa-oh
I got to walk away my blues

When I woke up this morning
You were on my mind
You were on my mind
I got troubles, whoa-oh
I got worries, whoa-oh
I got wounds to bind

Submitted by

milkbone On Dec 21, 2004

Softly As I Leave You

Let's Get Together

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

milkbone

Submitter

2004-12-21 08:28:41

5 Meanings

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by bjort

14y ago

Better things to think about than you...song's meaning

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by bobpa49er

10y ago

I thought everyone from the 60's knew this song was about a heroin addict? Great song, love the tune, but come on read those lyrics!

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by cogreg

3y ago

I think previous commenters have bits of factual truth about drug use and so on, but I have never taken this song to be strictly about drug use and addiction. That's over-interpreting it. I take it to be about relationship blues and breakups, and yes, using some drug (not necessarily heroin) to ease the emotional pain.

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by SharieP

10y ago

Funny - I heard this was about cocaine and not heroin.

-1

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by scottyboyd 7y ago

@SharieP Sylvia litterally told the story of her situation with Gary and how he missed a recording date cos he got busted and that's when she spent the night sleeping alone in the bathtub crying and in the morning she realized that Gary wasn't going to go through her purse for money and go get some cos he was in jail. She walked out of his apartment after writing the song that morning and went to his best friend and band mate Ian crying and gave him the song. They left town together without Gary and had...

by scottyboyd

9y ago

Yes, this is but another song from that era that was about drugs. It was about heroin addiction. Specifically it was about a band member that she fell in love with but then finally dumped him for his friend and band member that eventually became her husband. That's the songs history of origin, not the meaning to the lyrics. The lyrics are about waking up with the withdrawals and being so obsessed that he must go out and get the drugs "So I went to the corner, just to ease my pain" It was from returning from the war injured and addicted to pain killers then switching to horse. "I've got wounds to bind" and his worries and troubles finding a dealer in the morning. The line about "way down in my shoes" refers to where you hide the heroin to take it home to bang. And the line of "I got rambles" is about how the addict slurs words and sounds right after banging. Also the second "And I woke up this morning" is literally that the next day is the same and often not even known to be another day! I find it quite peculiar that this song so often is used at wedding receptions by couples who think its about some devotion to thinking of their loved one.....an addict ONLY loves their drug, the spouse or partner means nothing to them if they get in the way of getting the drug. The "you" in the song was not about her, it was about the heroin! This is only a love song if you think about the absolute love an addict has for their drug! RIP Sylvia, I'm so very glad you got away from Gary and so glad that Ian was your true love knowing that an addict could never love you no matter how much you cared or what you did! It's time America learned the REAL history's of some songs as well as the history of that era! Thanks, Scotty

My Interpretation

Yes, this is but another song from that era that was about drugs.  It was about heroin addiction.  Specifically it was about a band member that she fell in love with but then finally dumped him for his friend and band member that eventually became her husband.  That's the songs history of origin, not the meaning to the lyrics.  The lyrics are about waking up with the withdrawals and being so obsessed that he must go out and get the drugs "So I went to the corner, just to ease my pain"  It was from returning from the war injured and addicted to pain killers then switching to horse. "I've got wounds to bind"  and his worries and troubles finding a dealer in the morning.  The line about "way down in my shoes" refers to where you hide the heroin to take it home to bang. And the line of "I got rambles" is about how the addict slurs words and sounds right after banging.  Also the second "And I woke up this morning" is literally that the next day is the same and often not even known to be another day!  I find it quite peculiar that this song so often is used at wedding receptions by couples who think its about some devotion to thinking of their loved one.....an addict ONLY loves their drug, the spouse or partner means nothing to them if they get in the way of getting the drug. The "you" in the song was not about her, it was about the heroin!  This is only a love song if you think about the absolute love an addict has for their drug!
RIP Sylvia, I'm so very glad you got away from Gary and so glad that Ian was your true love knowing that an addict could never love you no matter how much you cared or what you did!  It's time America learned the REAL history's of some songs as well as the history of that era!
Thanks, Scotty

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