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If I Had The World To Give Lyrics
If I had the world to give, I'd give it to you
Long as you live, would you let it fall, or hold it all in your arms?
If I had a song to sing, I'd sing it to you
as long as you live, lullaby or maybe a plain serenade
wouldn't you laugh, dance, and cry or be afraid at the change you made
I may not have the world to give to you
But maybe I have a tune or two
Only if you let me be your world
Could I ever give this world to you
But I will give what love I have to give,
I will give what love I have to give,
I will give what love I have to give, long as I live.
If I had a star to give, I'd give it to you
long as you live, would you have the time
to watch it shine, watch it shine
or ask for the moon and heaven too? I'd give it to you.
Well maybe I've got no star to spare, or anything fine or even rare,
only if you let me be your world, could I ever give this world to you.
could I ever give this world to you.
Long as you live, would you let it fall, or hold it all in your arms?
If I had a song to sing, I'd sing it to you
as long as you live, lullaby or maybe a plain serenade
wouldn't you laugh, dance, and cry or be afraid at the change you made
I may not have the world to give to you
But maybe I have a tune or two
Only if you let me be your world
Could I ever give this world to you
But I will give what love I have to give,
I will give what love I have to give,
I will give what love I have to give, long as I live.
If I had a star to give, I'd give it to you
long as you live, would you have the time
to watch it shine, watch it shine
or ask for the moon and heaven too? I'd give it to you.
Well maybe I've got no star to spare, or anything fine or even rare,
only if you let me be your world, could I ever give this world to you.
could I ever give this world to you.
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This is a song about lack between two lovers. The speaker laments that he doesn't have the world to give, and we wonder what else is lacking, or what he wants to make up for by promising the world. The beloved is also lacking, or the speaker wouldn't feel compelled to make this gesture. But the speaker is unsure whether the beloved would receive what he has to give at all: 'Long as you live, would you let it fall, or hold it all in your arms?'. There is ambivalence on the part of the speaker, as well: 'Only if you let me be your world / Could I ever give this world to you'. If the beloved was receptive, would the speaker even be able to give as much as his heart wants to? I think this is the crux of the song. It is not about having or not having the world to give, but rather about the act of giving: whether the speaker can give enough to the beloved, and whether the beloved can receive it. The speaker recognizes his part and says he'll give what he has to give, whatever he can, maybe a tune or two. But then at the end, we are back to that line, the only repeating line in the song: "Only if you let me be your world, could I ever give this world to you / Could I ever give this world to you'. If you let me be your world, could I possibly give enough to remain there?
On second thought, it is interesting that I had the reading I did, when it is quite obvious now that the speaker could be simply saying, I'll give you everything, if only you make me your everything.