If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
'Bout a ghost from a wishing well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free
As long as I'm a ghost, you can't see

If I could read your mind, love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind the drugstore sells
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
But heroes often fail
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take

I'd walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three way script
Enter number two, a movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let's be real

I never thought I could act this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back

If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
'Bout a ghost from a wishing well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
But stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You'll know that I'm just trying to understand
The feelings that you lack

I never thought I could feel this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feeling's gone
And I just can't get it back


Lyrics submitted by karnasaur, edited by rb3868, MuddyG, 42 steps

If You Could Read My Mind Lyrics as written by Gordon Lightfoot

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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If You Could Read My Mind song meanings
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    General Comment

    There are so many layers to this beautiful song. Basically it is about the end of a relationship. He really loved the woman, possibly still does. The way he describes the many emotions that come with the end of a meaningful relationship is amazing. "I walk away like a movie star who gets burned in a three way script." Wow! This women once brought out all the good things in him. But that part of their story is over.

    All the romance novels from the drug store have endings where the man swoops in and rescues the woman. But that is not real life. Some relationships just don't work. That's why the ending is just too hard to take. So sad!

    sowaltongrrlon September 29, 2016   Link

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