It's easier not to be wise
And measure these things by your brains
I sank into Eden with you
Alone in the church by and by
I'll read to you here, save your eyes
You'll need them, your boat is at sea
Your anchor is up, you've been swept away
And the greatest of teachers won't hesitate
To leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate, yeah

I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
Fear is not the end of this
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you

It's easier not to be great
And measure these things by your eyes
We long to be here by his resolve
Alone in the church by and by
To cradle the baby in space
And leave you there by yourself chained to fate, yeah

I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
Fear is not the end of this
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you

I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you, yeah

Oh, now we took it back too far
Only love can save us now
All these riddles that you burn
All come runnin' back to you
All these rhythms that you hide
Only love can save us now
All these riddles that you burn yeah, yeah, yeah

I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
Fear is not the end of this
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you

I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you
I alone love you
I alone tempt you
I alone love you


Lyrics submitted by Caverna[RR]

I Alone Lyrics as written by Chad David Taylor Chad Alan Gracey

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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I Alone song meanings
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77 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    No disrespect, but I think all if not all of you are WAY off on this song's meaning. Yes, it is talking about Jesus, and Christianity, but AGAINSt Jesus, and AGAINST Christianity. He's saying, "You need me baby, cuz no one, not even the greatest of teachers won't hesitate to leave you alone." When he's saying "I alone love you, and I alone tempt you" he's saying that either there is no Jesus or Satan, or that they don't care or don't matter. The proof of this meaning can be found later in the discography in "Distance to Here" in the song "We walk in the dream" where Ed says "I was wrong. We are not these bodies alone in a dream with a mind of its own." This album is the first time Ed has acknowledged his either newly found faith in God and Christ, or his renewed faith. He was obviously very skeptical of Christianity and critical of it in the first two albums, and then the third was kinda neutral, but the forth, fifth and sixth albums have been very Christian indeed.

    jk_addicton September 09, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I totally missed the whole churchy vibe, probably because I dont take much stock in such things, but I can still appreciate its emotional depth and the feeling and power that he puts forth through his lyrics. Really, I personally think its about him being in love with someone that is making things difficult for him and hes trying to get across to said person how they make him feel. But thats just me.

    FakeIdon June 22, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    This song is about how Satan temps us. Ed is singing fom satan's point of view. It display's many of satan's typical lies to human's.

    "it's easier not to be wise and measure these things by your brains"

    "it's easier not to be great and measure these things by your eyes"

    Satan likes to keep us dumb, so it is easier for him to tempt us.

    "I sank into eden with you"

    "sank" implies entering Eden. God was always there, and the song is clearly not written form Adam or Eve's point of view.

    "the greatest of teachers won't hesitate to leave you there, by yourself, chained to fate"

    'Jesus will leave you.' Sounds like something satan would say.

    That's what I got out of the song.

    swd250on December 03, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song is about the devil tempting eve in the garden of eden. the song is from the devil's point of view. the devil is telling them "i alone love you" and the "greatest of teachers (God) want hesitate to leave you". the devil, of course is lying.

    after adam and eve gave into temptation, "only love can save them now".

    futher proof is the video. the video depicts a snake (satan) in a tree.

    court adjourned

    josephpon May 18, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Ed Kowalczyk explained that "People think 'I Alone' is a love song but it really wasn't. The lyrics were more abstract, encompassing a much larger message."

    Commenting on the line “the greatest of teachers won't hesitate,” Ed replaced 'you' with 'me': “to leave us or me there by myself chained to fate.” He continued saying that a profound lesson he derived from studying Christian teachings was that religion and truth must be found for oneself and practiced instead of just taking others' word for it or the learner remains separate from the teacher, "then you really are left [alone] by yourself."

    lvcrxrcron November 14, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To be honest, i had no idea what this song was about, except I knew it was religious. Now, going over the lyrics, I agree with the person who said it was about satan trying to tempt Adam and Eve. It is a very dark song, and that theme, and the video, just matches it.

    Jafferon December 11, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It obviously talks about Satan. It's like Lucifer is talking to humankind. First, he says: I sank into eden with you, just like Adam and Eve did. Then he is playing with the human's mind by saying: and the greatest of teachers won't hesitate to leave you there, by yourself. It's like he's convincing him that God hates him and that's why they were left alone, by themselves, as prisoners of fate or by chance. They were thron away from paradise in a random world with no protection.

    On the chorus: I alone love you (God threw away from paradise so I love you because I give you pleasure, and everything you've ever dreamed of) I alone tempt you (I tempt you cuz I'm the incarnation of sin and by pleasing you I make sin) I alone love you (I love you, I give pleasure, does GOD does that for you, no... but I do) fear is not the end of this! (The Devil is the representation of evil so it's like he's telling human kind or Adam or Eve, don't fear I may look devilish and monstruous as represented in many cultures but don't fear, I'm your friend, we were thrown away from paradise now let's help each other, lets support each other, give me your life and your soul and I'll give you everything you've ever dreamed of)

    it's easier not to be wise it's easier not to be great Sure cuz you're human and imperfect so won't be perfect and wise and great as GOD. Birds of a feather flock together, see buddy we're the same, we're sinners.

    and measure these things by your eyes (cuz men only see what's in front of their eyes, but not what's inside the hearts of the rest of human kind and himself. We only look the outside but not the inside due to our material prison, it's hard to be spiritual, and xtian if you may call it) we long to be here by his resolve (we hope he doesn't get mad at us just because we ate that apple, and he's the one who chooses who goes out and who stays)

    all these riddles that you burn (religion, GOD, existence, your mission on earth... sometimes we don't even care about it because there are son many interpretations, we don't which one's right, which one's wrong... so let's live live as it comes, as it is, actually as we see it through our human eyes and let's just forget about those thought that disturbed us) all come runnin' back to you (even though you ignore these thoughts about GOD, Sin, live, mission on eath, heaven , hell, they will haunt you forever cuz their crucial for yer presence here on earth)

    So guys... let's just face it... Live rock... they're very spiritual in their lyrics, not religious, but this song ladies and gentlemen is about our dear Lucifer talking to humankind... Thank you very much. Kudos to y'all

    rodzillaon December 06, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Ed Kowalczyk explained that "People think 'I Alone' is a love song but it really wasn't. The lyrics were more abstract, encompassing a much larger message." [2]

    Commenting on the line “the greatest of teachers won't hesitate,” Ed replaced 'you' with 'me': “to leave us or me there by myself chained to fate.” He continued saying that a profound lesson he derived from studying Christian teachings was that religion and truth must be found for oneself and practiced instead of just taking others' word for it or the learner remains separate from the teacher, "then you really are left [alone] by yourself."

    lvcrxrcron November 14, 2008   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    Ed Kowalczyk explained that "People think 'I Alone' is a love song but it really wasn't. The lyrics were more abstract, encompassing a much larger message." [2]

    Commenting on the line “the greatest of teachers won't hesitate,” Ed replaced 'you' with 'me': “to leave us or me there by myself chained to fate.” He continued saying that a profound lesson he derived from studying Christian teachings was that religion and truth must be found for oneself and practiced instead of just taking others' word for it or the learner remains separate from the teacher, "then you really are left [alone] by yourself."

    lvcrxrcron November 14, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Ok, I see the religious significance in the lyrics but I think that to answer the question of what this song means to me, in particular, is some collaboration of the mystifying love defined by religion as well as the love that we have for one another (someone we love deeply, i.e: friends, family and/or lovers). I think that there are many more ways to perceive this song, but I for one, think that it is, in essence, describing the mystery & redeeming qualities of powerful love (religious or otherwise).

    rzldzlmgcmzkon August 20, 2010   Link

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