He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
When the time comes I put my feet in the water
It's not as warm as I expect
Will I go down like a preachers son?
Or will I come back up like a world war vet?
Will I watch my brothers die?
Speak true words into their lives?
Will I hold them close and tell them why
The life they led was sacrifice?
I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
When the time comes I put my hands on the table
They are examined for what they are
A long life line that's been cut short
By the road, the time, the battle scars
What I would give to be back home
Where the sunsets over the water
Someone save me from these preachers sons
Save me from their daughters
Still I don't know much but
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
Why do we always say we're fine
When it's obvious we lie
Why don't we ever tell the truth
What do we got to lose?
And I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
And I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
It's not as warm as I expect
Will I go down like a preachers son?
Or will I come back up like a world war vet?
Will I watch my brothers die?
Speak true words into their lives?
Will I hold them close and tell them why
The life they led was sacrifice?
I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
When the time comes I put my hands on the table
They are examined for what they are
A long life line that's been cut short
By the road, the time, the battle scars
What I would give to be back home
Where the sunsets over the water
Someone save me from these preachers sons
Save me from their daughters
Still I don't know much but
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
Why do we always say we're fine
When it's obvious we lie
Why don't we ever tell the truth
What do we got to lose?
And I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
And I don't know much
But I know about love
And how it hurts me to give up
It hurts me to give up
Lyrics submitted by thesablerose
When the Time Comes Lyrics as written by Matthew Mac Donald
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@everyemotion.... please expound on this. You left me hanging. "Maybe it's quite literal- the singer is saying Get me away from these people who pretend they're perfect. Those who think God holds them in higher regard. I'd like to hear if anyone has any other interpretations, especially on that line.