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Been There Before Lyrics
Downtown corner, people downtown know
And I back beat rhythm on the radio
And the girl who listens
To a young man's song
On the block I live on
In the place I'm from
With a young man sitting
On a dock off the bay
He took a longterm trip
On a first class plane
Now the whole world listens
To that one man's song
On the block I live on
In the place I'm from
Tell me, does it move you
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Does it move you
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Well the men in black suits
On a screened in porch
Making birthday wishes
So then they want the most
You can hear him sing
Chariots swing low
On the block I live on
In the place I know
Tell me, does it move you
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Does it move you
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Tell me, does it move you
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
And I back beat rhythm on the radio
And the girl who listens
To a young man's song
On the block I live on
In the place I'm from
On a dock off the bay
He took a longterm trip
On a first class plane
Now the whole world listens
To that one man's song
On the block I live on
In the place I'm from
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
On a screened in porch
Making birthday wishes
So then they want the most
You can hear him sing
Chariots swing low
On the block I live on
In the place I know
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Does it soothe you
Does it fill your heart and soul
With the roots of rock & roll
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I agree, but I also think that it's about going back to a place where, for example, you grew up or the place you were happiest.
Amazing song.
I think this song is about making the big time, and remembering your humble beginnings. Probably inspired by their own career.
It's also one of my favourite songs on the new album.
It's about going back to their roots as far as musical inferences, i.e. "sitting on the dock of the bay" - they have always named Otis Redding as an influence. "Been There Before" is their homage to the 50's/60's rock and roll that they were inspired by and emulate.
Some parts of the lyrics are wrong. "Well the men in black suits On a screened in porch Making birthday wishes So then they want the most"
is actually,
"Well the man in black sits, on a screened in porch, Makin' birthday wishes, 71 almost."
You're right, some of the lyrics are wrong. I'm pretty sure this song is about music great, Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash was known as the man who always wore black suits, and he also died at the age of 71. I also think Hanson have been inspired by 1950s/60s rock and roll, and used Johnny Cash to show this music.
I think they're trying to remind you what great music is, and that it comes from humble beginnings.
The reference to Cash people have already caught, but there's also "With a young man sitting on a dock of the bay," which is a rather obvious reference to the Otis Redding song of the same name.
There's another minute of the song which the lyrics on here have not posted. But, indeed, there is a Cash refernece: "You can hear him sing 'Chariots swing low'" A song Cash covered.
Swing low, sweet chariot...
But I'm sure lots of other people caught that as well. (:
this is like my all time favorite song
When I first heard the second verse about chariots swing low, I laughed out loud. When I was little, I had this Bible school songs CD, and my dad would listen to it with me on long trips. "Swing Low' is like the only song my dad would sing out loud, and it's kind of a running joke in my family! I absolutely love this song, though! It's probably my favorite on the CD. I love the African choir!