I don't know what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told me to run
And honey, you know me, it's all or none

There were sounds in my head
Little voices whispering
That I should go and this should end
Oh, and I found myself listening

'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
'Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood

See, I thought love was black and white
That it was wrong or it was right
But you aren't leaving without a fight
And I think, I am just as torn inside

'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
'Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood

And I won't be far from where you are if ever you should call
You meant more to me than any one I, I've ever loved at all
But you taught me how to trust myself
And so I say to you, this is what I have to do

'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
'Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood
She who dares to stand where I stood


Lyrics submitted by kkkkk

Where I Stood Lyrics as written by Melissa Higgins

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Where I Stood song meanings
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100 Comments

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  • +10
    General Comment

    I don't think that she has done anything to the person she is (clearly) breaking up with. It isn't in the same vein as say, The Special Two. I think it is more that she has come to the realisation that she isn't a complete person within herself, so she has to leave him in order to find herself. She understands that she might lose him completely in doing so but she has to be able to be a complete person without him. I think it's an incredible song because "Cuz I don't know, who I am, who I am without you/All I know is that I should" is such a true statement. No matter how much you love someone, if you aren't a whole person within yourself, you will never be truly happy.

    stefani_notgwenon May 11, 2007   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    To me this song says alot. I think it portrays a woman who has messed up her realtionship, whether it was that she cheated on him or that she just didn't appreciate him enough. I think she is realizing that she has to let him go, even though he is all she has ever wanted. She is torn and sad, but knows that her decision is for the best. She knows that her significant other will be loved again, and that it will be better with this new girl. She still wants the best for him, in spite of all that has happened between them. She loves him, and always will. When she says "All I know is that I should" I think she is referring to her own mistakes. She should have been more prepared for this, because of the pain she has caused him. She isn't though, and I dont think she ever will be. He was the one great love of her life, and something about Missy's voice makes me believe she will always feel this way about this guy. This song is perfect, the piano, the lyrics, her voice... amazing.

    Nichole324on May 01, 2007   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    "Cuz I don't know, who I am, who I am without you All I know is that I should" This part of the song, to me, is like when you fall in love with somebody, and everything you do is for them, and your whole life practically revolves around them. Then the relationship ends, and you dont know who you are, because that part of you that was them, was so big.

    elcasseioon March 04, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I'm a guy, This is what I can assume from the lyrics: The line "I don't know who I am without you" defines the song. Since her relationship started, she has experiences some mental or emotional growth . She hasn't done anything to her partner, but her new-found emotional identity must be further explored outside of their relationship. Apparently her relationship has lasted so long, that breaking up is going to be troublesome.

    My Opinion:
    While its great that she solved her problem, and grew-up somehow - she is throwing away a perfectly good relationship. I wonder how the partner feels about being told that they haven't done anything wrond, and they are loved, but they'll need to find someone else? This song beautifully and poetically equates to the crappy "Its not you, Its Me" excuse that people give for breaking up.

    raiderroadtrip00on September 01, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    It's about a woman who realizes that she has let herself become so involved with someone that she doesn't have her own identity anymore. So with this realization, she admits to him that she can't let herself love him anymore, because if she does, she'll only lose her identity more. And that she's strong enough to break away, even though it will hurt her.

    Without a doubt, my favorite lyrics are:

    And I wont be far from where you are if ever you should call You meant more to me than anyone I ever loved at all But you taught me how to trust myself

    ClarinetDreameron January 30, 2008   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    For me there's two different interpretations to this. One is the obvious interpretation: she was in love with someone, but realizes she can't be with them so she breaks up with them. She can't stand the thought of them dating anyone else, but she knows that some other girl will love them more than she could.

    And then there's an interpretation I heard from someone else which actually makes a lot of sense to me. I think it could also be about giving a child up for adoption.

    "I don't know what I've done, or if I like what I've begun." -- she doesn't know if giving up her child for adoption is the right thing, and she's conflicted about it.

    "But something told me to run, and honey you know me, it's all or none. There were sounds in my head, little voices whispering. That I should go, and this should end, oh and I found myself listening." -- she's conflicted about it, but something in the back of her mind, some little voice tells her that it's the right thing to do.

    "'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you. All I know is that I should. And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you. All I know is that I should 'cause she will love you more than I could, she who dares to stand where I stood." -- all she knows is being a mother, it's who she is, but she knows that someone else could be a better mother, which is why she knows she needs to figure out who she is. She can't stand the thought of another woman raising her child, but she knows she has to.

    ForeverRoseon December 30, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Realising you need to let something go,those lines "I don't know who i am without you,all i know is that i should" she sees its a gap in herself she needs to repair,that it can't be filled by someone else.She realises they would be better off with someone who is already complete and whole "she would love you more than I could,she who dares to stand where I stood".

    Those last lines are great too - she'll still be there if they need her and that it was because of this person that she realised how important it was to know/trust herself . Sad song but also happy in the end.

    kaatrienon July 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I actually took a tottaly different view on this song. I thought she was with someone who wasn't treating her the best and she stayed with him for as long as she did because she didn't have to confidence to end it. and finally this man has taught her to love others and herself and she now has the confidence and realises they are not ment to be even thought she loves him. But she still is wishing him well because he has made her who she is.

    jacinta2025on September 23, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this is the worst thing that could happen to a person. When you realize you have to let someone go and it makes you feel like you don't know who you are anymore like that person took a part of you'll never get back.

    OuchThatHurtson October 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I agree from the first line that she has broken up with her boyfriend- and it is a fresh wound as she says it has just begun. I think some of the previous comments have hit on what I am going to cover but I want to add my own spin.

    From my own perspective I would think the background story goes something like this. This is probably a longer, more developed relationship that has been really good for both of them, they were happy together probably up until she brought this up. This need to discover who she is, she feels so close to him that she probably views herself more as "So and So's girlfriend" than being a whole individual. There is a need in her to be free not of the harm that might come from the relationship but the harm in going through life feeling incomplete with one's own self.

    I doubt it has so much to do with her being unhappy with the relationship as much as she is uncertain what being incomplete means to her- she also knows that until she knows who she is, she can't love him like he deserves. "But you taught me to trust myself" gives credence to my claims- for me at least because I have been in a few relationships where girls have done something similar. It isn't to be taken personally- it is just a realization on their part that they need to find themselves on their own.

    This song is a masterpiece.

    morry32on November 14, 2007   Link

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