Only Time Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Who can say where the road goes?
Where the day flows?
Only time

And who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose?
Only time


[Interlude]

[Verse 2]
Who can say why your heart sighs
As your love flies?
Only time
And who can say why your heart cries
When your love lies?
Only time


[Interlude]

[Bridge]
Who can say when the roads meet?
That love might be in your heart?
And who can say when the day sleeps
If the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart
[Interlude]

[Verse 3]
Who can say if your love grows
As your heart chose?
Only time
And who can say where the road goes?
Where the day flows?
Only time

[Outro]
Who knows? Only time
Who knows? Only time

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About

Genius Annotation

“Only Time” is the lead single and third track from Enya’s 2000 album, A Day Without Rain. The song remains her most popular single and only top 10 hit in the United States, peaking at #10. It continues to be used in various movies and commercials to convey sadness, serenity or relaxation.

After the tragedy of 9/11, Americans bought this album in droves, no doubt finding solace from the storm. This song in both tone and lyrics encourages us to make peace with the mystery of our lives.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Why is it so short?
Genius Answer

Of the 12 songs on the album A Day Without Rain, “Only Time” ranks #5 in length at 3:38. This is above average when compared with all of Enya’s music up to that point in her career (9 of her songs clock in at less than 2 minutes each!). Also, this is not out of line when compared with popular music at large, which averages less than 4 minutes in length.

If you’re asking why the song is that length specifically, then you would need to ask Enya herself, or perhaps Nicky Ryan, her sound engineer.

What did Enya say about "Only Time"?
Genius Answer

According to Enya.sk, Enya declared in the Late,Late show broadcast in 2005:

Well, basically, we got news from people in America who saw footage, where CNN were using the song, “Only Time.” I was out there promoting it that year. And when I saw the footage it was absolutely so moving. But, in a way, I think everybody in the world felt that if there was any way that we could help them in New York, because it was so traumatized. And they felt there was going to be no more normality ever in the city. And they leaned toward certain songs and one of them was ‘Only Time’ because the song is about time will heal. ‘Only Time’ can tell, and this is what their hope was. So, what we did then was we released the single, the single had never been released there, so we released the single, and then gave all the proceeds then to the fire department. (..) It was strange. But, I’d hoped that the song meant a lot to me as well about how time can heal, and I’d hoped that this was the message that we’re getting into a lot of people. That is what the message they were getting because when I went there to perform it and to sing it, it was nice to be able to give them back some healing because they were so desparate you know, to get any help at that time.

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