Thinking About You
Nostalgic Reflections: John Mellencamp's 'Thinking About You' Meaning
Lyrics
It's not my nature
Expressing that being nostalgic is not in the speaker's nature.
To be nostalgic at all
Reiterating that nostalgia is not a usual trait for the speaker.
I sat by the phone last night
Describing a moment of waiting by the phone for someone to call.
Waiting for you to call
Expressing anticipation for a call that did not come.
It's been decades since I spoke to you
Reflecting on the significant time that has passed since the last conversation.
I just wanted to say
Sharing the speaker's desire to convey thoughts to the absent person.
I've been thinking about you
Revealing the central theme of the song: the speaker thinking about the person.
Did you get my message
Inquiring about a previous message left by the speaker.
I left the other afternoon
Mentioning the time of day when the message was left.
Your young girl's voice said
Recalling the voice of a young girl promising to call back soon.
I'll call you back real soon
Assuming the identity of the person who answered the call.
I bet that's your daughter
Suspecting that the person on the phone is the daughter of the absent person.
She sounded like you used to
Noting the resemblance of the daughter's voice to the absent person's past voice.
I just wanted to say
Reiterating the speaker's desire to express thoughts to the absent person.
I've been thinking about you
Re-emphasizing the central theme of the speaker thinking about the person.
So long ago
Reflecting on the distant past and specific memories.
Those summer afternoons
Recalling summer afternoons from a long time ago.
I bet they've torn that playground down
Suspecting changes in the physical environment since the past.
Where I first met you
Referencing the location where the speaker first met the absent person.
Don't mean no trouble
Asserting the speaker's innocence and lack of intention to cause trouble.
Don't want to bother you none
Expressing a desire not to disturb or inconvenience the absent person.
Ain't looking for nothing
Stating that the speaker is not seeking anything specific.
Just wondering about you some
Expressing a general curiosity about the absent person's well-being.
If you ain't got time
Acknowledging the possibility that the absent person may be busy.
To return this call
Expressing understanding if the call is not returned.
I understand
Conveying understanding of the absent person's busy schedule.
That you're busy and all
Expressing gratitude for the shared memories, despite the distance.
But thanks for the memories
Acknowledging the impact of time on the perception of the world.
When the world didn't seem so small
Expressing the speaker's desire to convey thoughts to the absent person.
I just wanted to say
Re-emphasizing the central theme of the speaker thinking about the person.
I've been thinking about you
Repeating the speaker's ongoing contemplation of the absent person.
About you
Repeating the central theme of thinking about the absent person.
Thinking about you
Final repetition of the speaker's ongoing thoughts about the person.
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