Here Without You – Lyrics
A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies have made me colder
And I don’t think I can look at this the same
But all the miles that separate
Disappear now when I’m dreaming of your face
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight it’s only you and me, yeah
The miles just keep rollin’
As the people leave their way to say hello
I’ve heard this life is overrated
But I hope that it gets better as we go, oh yeah yeah
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me
Everything I know and anywhere I go
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it’s all said and done
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love, whoa
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby
But you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me, yeah oh yeah oh
“Here Without You” (Background and meaning of the song)
The soulful ballad was recorded in 2002 on their second album “Away From the Sun” and reached number 5 on the charts before ending its ascent. The timing couldn’t have been better as it shared the charts with similar styled songs like Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” and the haunting strains of “Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling.
The song was written by lead singer and drummer Brad Arnold. According to Arnold, this sweet but sad song was written with his then-wife as inspiration, although he is quick to clarify that he did not write the song “for” her. Though he acknowledges that most people view the song as a sad one, he doesn’t really see it that way. He points to the lyrics:
“I’m here without you baby but you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby but you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me”
For Brad, the assertion that “tonight it’s only you and me” is a happy thought that though these lovers are now apart, they still share the memories of their love. In the lines:
“Everything I know, and anywhere I go
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it’s all said and done
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love”
Brad seems to be asserting that though his career is taxing on the relationship, it will not be the end of it. Brad worked very hard at balancing his career and family life. To that end, his wife often toured with the band, and the couple had strict rules about how long they could be apart from each other and how long each tour could last. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts at keeping it together, the song turned out to not prove prophetic and the couple divorced in 2007.
Even now, eight years after its release, the song continues to have an impact on its audience. A quick search of the web will turn up countless bulletin board entries about the song and its relevance to the listener’s life. It has been linked to everything from the ending of a relationship to the death of a loved one. In fact, in 2005 World Wrestling Entertainment, the producers of Friday Night Smackdown, used the song as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero five days after his death.
So, it seems the situation and the angst that birthed the song have long passed. In fact, Brad Arnold has now sufficiently recovered and gone on to remarry to a childhood friend. The song, however, continues to live on the radio, and in the hearts of listeners all over the world.