You Are Not Alone - Dig Deeper

mjroxworld

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Hey today I was listening to You Are Not Alone, a most beautiful song. I went inside the song, and got another spin on meaning. It isn't the first time I have felt this way about it, but today I felt it very strongly. First off, the lyrics, which of course we all know:

"You Are Not Alone"

Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone

'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone

Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone

Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there

You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone...


Okay, so. The spin I got was a spiritual one. It's the relationship between man and God, or more personally, between Michael and God. It's a love song, yes. But it can also be interpreted as a spiritual love song. God is reassuring Michael He is always there, He's never gone, even when Michael feels so far. Even when the circumstances of life let him down, God never will. So perhaps Michael realized this and wrote this song as a conversation between God and himself, God being the primary speaker and reassurance, Michael being the one asking questions and having doubts and feeling so cold and alone. It's really a beautiful thing.

It's a beautiful love song, whether it be intended as between a man and a woman or between a person and God, or as both. What's always been confusing to me, though, is that it came out long after he married Lisa Marie, and the song just doesn't fit with his mood of togetherness during that time. I have heard lots of people say similar things, so we know it wasn't about Lisa at the time it was written. Of course it would have very easily applied when they split up, and some of his music tends to be a bit prophetic.

You Are Not Alone touches the soul as well as the heart. It's absolutely brilliant. A song doesn't have to be preachy to show love to God. :)
 
i love ur interpretation. ur so right..but since mj didnt write it whos to say lol. but i do agree with everything u said. i never thought of it that way. nice job.
 
i like the interpretation too, the only thing that bugs me about it is the line about tho we're far apart, cause God is not far apart from those that belong to him... idk, regardless it is a nice interpretation.
 
Well.... R. Kelly wrote this song. He has written many VERY GOOD gospel songs. So this song could ver well have a double meaning.
 
I'm sure it has a double and a triple meaning, and more. Doesn't matter who wrote it. Michael CHOSE it. "You are not Alone," mostly, he is talking about himself? He sees the fans below his hotel windows, and he is separated from that love. He feels alone, and yet not. I think he is also talking about everyone who loves him, and he understands that love, however apart from him the love may be in real terms. And also, he is talking about the faith in his life, so obvious. He is also talking about God.
 
hmmm, dopey me didn't know Michael didn't write it. :p Well as flyaway and Victoria both mentioned, it could easily have more than one meaning. And the fact is, Michael did choose it. He wouldn't have if he didn't like it and didn't see it as applying to himself in some way. I choose songs to sing only if they mean something to me because it is then that I can sing with my heart.
I have also many times seen the correlation of meaning with the fans, as well, on this song. The spiritual sense though, for me personally, just makes it all the more special. :) :) :)
 
i like the interpretation too, the only thing that bugs me about it is the line about tho we're far apart, cause God is not far apart from those that belong to him... idk, regardless it is a nice interpretation.

yes, that kinda bugged me, too. But sometimes it FEELS like we are so far removed from Him that it hurts deeply. So sometimes, even though He doesn't remove Himself from us, we as people are notorius for removing ourselves from Him. A lot of times if we are going through some crappy times we just don't want to listen, or we just don't want to hold on to His hand. It gets frustrating and we get impatient, etc. But God is always there for us to come right back to when we see the stupidity of our ways.

Oops, starting to sound preachy. :) That's okay I just wanted to expound a little on that concept that my husband so well illustrated with our children. And they got it. And that line in this song can quite be interpreted in this manner.
 
and some of his music tends to be a bit prophetic.

)

That's true. I think your theory is right, but I'm sure the song was written (whoever wrote the lyrics) long before it was released, he could have written the song for an other person too, he knows so many people.
 
That's true. I think your theory is right, but I'm sure the song was written (whoever wrote the lyrics) long before it was released, he could have written the song for an other person too, he knows so many people.

r. kelly supposedly wrote it lol
 
mjroxworld said:
A song doesn't have to be preachy to show love to God. :)
Ditto. I love the way you dig deeper to find personal connection to the song. That's what I like to do, too. I never thought of the song in that way, so your interpretation sounds fresh.

R.Kelly wrote it, yes, and Toni Braxton's "I Don't Want To", and his own "I Can't Sleep" which were also written by him, make the three songs like, siblings. But, I agree, it's possible Mike approached the lyrics differently, and so can we. There's no such rule as you must limit the meaning of the song to the only one that the writer meant it to be.

All the rumors and allegations, etc. probably made him have that "me against the world" loneliness and anger....I've heard many celebrities commiting suicide becuz of the stress. And they're all far less famous than MJ with much fewer baggages to deal with.....which makes me imagine the type of pressure that he was under. So, I'm so thankful he expressed the pain out loud and depended on God (according to your the threadstarter's interpretation) and tried so hard to heal himself.
 
Ditto. I love the way you dig deeper to find personal connection to the song. That's what I like to do, too. I never thought of the song in that way, so your interpretation sounds fresh.

R.Kelly wrote it, yes, and Toni Braxton's "I Don't Want To", and his own "I Can't Sleep" which were also written by him, make the three songs like, siblings. But, I agree, it's possible Mike approached the lyrics differently, and so can we. There's no such rule as you must limit the meaning of the song to the only one that the writer meant it to be.

All the rumors and allegations, etc. probably made him have that "me against the world" loneliness and anger....I've heard many celebrities commiting suicide becuz of the stress. And they're all far less famous than MJ with much fewer baggages to deal with.....which makes me imagine the type of pressure that he was under. So, I'm so thankful he expressed the pain out loud and depended on God (according to your the threadstarter's interpretation) and tried so hard to heal himself.

Thanks, helena. And I need to read those two other songs you mentioned. I don't know them.

And it's all so sad what celebreties have to deal with. Earlier today, my kids were talking about how someday they may want to be famous. I said, what happens when you are famous? They said you get to do lots of things. I said, what else? They thought for a moment, then replied, "paparazzi." And these are kids ten and younger. So they get it. They understand that with fame comes not only opportunity, but also a price to pay. And if someone with fame can stick it through to the end, not succumb to evil, then they are strong and they are worthy. One HAS to have God-given inner strength to endure fame successfully. And I do not think Michael could have made it like he has without his faith, trust, and dependence on God. I truly believe that.

BTW, helena, I really like your siggy quote. It's absolutely true.
 
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Wow, a deep and beautiful way read this text.. Reading between the lines.
I very much agree, however, I have never intended the text in that way. But have you made me aware of this :)
 
Thanks, helena. And I need to read those two other songs you mentioned. I don't know them.

And it's all so sad what celebreties have to deal with. Earlier today, my kids were talking about how someday they may want to be famous. I said, what happens when you are famous? They said you get to do lots of things. I said, what else? They thought for a moment, then replied, "paparazzi." And these are kids ten and younger. So they get it. They understand that with fame comes not only opportunity, but also a price to pay. And if someone with fame can stick it through to the end, not succumb to evil, then they are strong and they are worthy. One HAS to have God-given inner strength to endure fame successfully. And I do not think Michael could have made it like he has without his faith, trust, and dependence on God. I truly believe that.

BTW, helena, I really like your siggy quote. It's absolutely true.
Your kids are really smart. I wouldn't have been able to list "paparazzi" or some other type of price to fame.

I agree again. Through it all, I believe he's become more spiritual.

Yeah the quote speaks volumes with its underlying meaning even when he seems to embrace today's many artists warmly.
 
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