I'm so glad I looked up this song, I used to listen to this as a child and just cry my eyes out. I'm 24 and I still cry LOL. Very touching stories. God bless
yep, this and "Almost Home" by Craig Morgan I worked in radio when this was a single, had to compose myself quite a bit after playing it, ug, so incredibly beautiful
Bruce R It is actually a healing, to have something to help you grieve. I didn't mean I liked that your mom died...I just meant that now you have ...a memory? Maybe it will help you think of her life, rather than death... The only song that reminds me of my mom, is Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield lol. She loved it. She loved Johnny Mathis, and Beethoven, and Jack Jones, and many more-she played tyhe piano-but Jesse's Girl was something that I listened to in high school (yes, I'm old lol,) and I was glad she liked it.
This song still makes me cry. My mom and dad are getting ready to celebrate 58 years and my mom has Alzheimers and is at the point she doesn't recognize him. My dad stays at her bedside everyday at home. When I heard Kathy was going to be at Bluebird Cafe this week for hospice I bought tickets! I hope she sings this song.This is for Mom & Dad. Thank you very much Kathy. Lesli
This song makes me cry for about the same reasons. My dear, sweet grandmother had it. The last time I saw her, I kissed her on the forehead as I placed my cheek to her face, the memory makes my cry to this day. Of all the souls I've known, I have loved her most.
I love that song. I've worked with the elderly for years and several times I would be told that they had only known each other for a few weeks and got married. Married until one of them would pass away. Together 40 + years and never stopped loving each other. My husband passed May 24th,2912 ,married to each other 27 years. Just 2 days before he passed we sat holding each other and told each other how much we loved each other. I really miss him a lot, but the thing I miss the most is him saying to me,"Have I told you today that I love you?"
The song is actually about her husband's parents. They both became afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease and her husband wrote this song as a way of trying to cope. There's a marvelous version of this song by Patti page in which Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss provide back up vocals.
The first time I heard this song was on my car radio. I had to pull the car over to really listen to it. I am glad that I did because my eyes teared over.
I went to high school with Kathy and she was always a great singer. At a reunion I told her she sounds live like she does on the records, and I consider that to be a huge compliment.
This is one of my most favorite Kathy Mattea songs. My Dad and I made amends on Christmas Day about 6 years ago. A month later he was diagnosed with Dementia. It was an awesome Christmas present. He still lives at home and he and my Mom have been married for 69 years in November. I imagine that this song has more of a special meaning to you now Kathy. God Bless you and Jon for writing this wonderful song. 🦋🌈🌹🙏 From a proud Canadian 🇨🇦🌞🤟
Like every other commentor I admit I cry every time I hear this song. More importantly, the song brings to the surface how wonderful my wife is and how lucky I am to have been married to her for more than 23 years now. I wouldn’t want to live without her and I think we cry during this song because we know the power of love is the most wonderful and beautiful thing about living.
You will! :-) We celebrated 40 years of being together (34 married) today. If somebody can put up with me that long, then there IS somebody for everybody!
Great song and video! My wife and I have met Kathy 4 different times over the years and she is always very nice to us! My wife’s mother died of Alzheimer’s disease and she cried as she hugged Kathy the first time we met her. Thanks for the pictures and autographs Kathy!
My wife and I went to a CD debut last night at the Silver Tassie in Letterkenny County Donegal for alzheimers disease, and she mentioned this song to Shaun Doherty of Highland radio. We love this song. Greg and Margaret Drake
At the time this song came out I had just lost my grandfather to dementia. My grandparents were married within weeks of meeting. He may not have always remembered her name or that they were married but he always remembered he loved her and wanted to be married to her.
This has been one of my absolute favorite songs, since the day I first heard it. I saw you perform it live and I started crying two notes into it, all the way to the end. I'm sure you're used to seeing that.
Can anyone please tell me the name of the song Kathy sing it's, sumthin like... There's a wall so high it touches the sky...sumthin like that. Anyone know👍🇺🇸💯 thanks y'all.
@pjm290 My father has Alzheimers. This was a favorite song of his every time I hear this I think about my dad and the irony of this song being one of his favorites. He once told me how much he would hate to be in the hospital in separate beds on different floors. Mom and dad have been married 51 years. I know how unfair this disease is and I wish you happiness and peace. Life throws us some whoppers sometimes. Live life now. I am truly sorry for your loss.
I'm 52, and I haven't met anyone like that yet. But I am still alive, so ya never know. I was married, but he passed a long time ago. And we used to listen to this song together, and he said he imagined we could be that couple in that hospital. But he passed at age 29 (suicide). I was 37 at the time. I am not that optimistic anymore, cuz I live in NYC where it is illegal to be over 29. But I am always hopeful, so long as I have a beating heart.
From what I understand this was is based on a personal experience her husband went through with his, I think, parents. Or should I say his parents went through. Like others, I cannot hear this without 'tearing up', Try it at 65mph. on a freeway, then try to work yourself over to the hard shoulder! love this song.
This about her husband's grandparents. She said that when she'd spoken to her husband, it was the last time she said anything. She died just a few days later. I'm glad he got to see her. Isn't it ridiculous to keep people apart like that unless it's for different problems?
I went to see Kathy perform last week, when she described this song and its origins i laughed rather to hard. Apparently the last 'where have you been' she wasn't all nostalgic and emotional... and i quote 'grandma was pissed' ;0)
@pjm290 great words.....special. I am fearful my father may have the onset of this awful disease which from what I understand only gets worse. this song makes me cry too.....guys are allowed to cry. thanks for your post.
Saying good bye is hard...we all have to do it,and in turn at sometime in our life someone will be telling us goodbye...love your family,friends and even your enemies!! Life is short people!!! Live like there is no tomorrow!!
my parents were married almost 70 years until she got alzheimers and then a stroke. she died over a year ago. i miss my mother. my father is still alive at 92. but he is alone like the song.
sorry to hear that...my grandma had alzheimers as well...we went to see her and when we left she had such a sad look on her face...it broke my heart....last time i saw her alive...God bless you!
I don't know if Kathy wrote this, but whoever wrote it is a genius. I volunteer at an old age home, and there is a couple there, who made me think of this song, so I had to find it here.
This song has so much meaning to me I understand it was written by Kathy mattea's husband about his grandparents what a coincidence I was just a child back in the 80s and my grandparents we're married for exactly 60 years were both dying in Baptist hospital and they were alone in their beds on separate floors and it was summer so I spent every day and night with them one night I would stay with my grandmother on one floor and then the next night stay with my grandpa on the other so this really touch me in ways that I could never express just love the way Kathy mattea song it may have been meant for her husband to write that song Kathy was meant to have song it literally brings tears to my eyes forever holds a place in my favorite music collection
this is one of the most poignant love songs I have ever heard, and whisperingwind, it reminded me of camping at Sugargrove with my wife in the West Virginia Mountains, gonna do it again, make memories we'll never forget.
This is probably my favorite song ever. I basically grew up listening to Kathy Mattea, & some of her songs-especially this one-have contributed to my view of the idealistic love.
Thank God I'm not the only one crying over this song. I just got home from the Philadelphia Folk Festival 2008, where Kathy performed Saturday night. It was the 1st time I heard her, and the 1st time I ever heard this song. I'm a guy, and I'm not supposed to admit that a song can bring tears to my eyes, but this one does. This couple's love, so precious, so fragile. It never dies, not even when they do. I want to learn to play and sing this song, but I can't get through it w/o choking up!
I'm a 30yr old mama's boy. Always have been and always will be. She is my best friend and I love her like no other. We found out last week she has inoperable lung cancer. She is 59. I thought I wouldn't have to face her mortality until she was well into her 80s (or heck, even 90s!). But instead, I am facing this now. And it hurts to much. I keep my face on and my composure together when around her. This song, though, has me crying harder than I care to explain. I love you mom.
I worked for many years in Hospice and Palliative Care. Whether losing loved ones, physical abilities, independence, mental faculties, or memory, all were grieving some loss. This song is what I would tell newbies to listen to, to try to connect with their own feelings. It always brought a tear to my eyes. Still does.
Really,really looking forward to seeing you at the Bluebird Cafe on Wednesday In The Round with Jon Vezner,Pat Donohue and Kim Richey, A Benefit for Alive Hospice. My wife and I went to the Hal Ketchum at the BlueBird for Alive Hospice last week. It was great!!!!
Actually, the song was co-written by Don Henry. The other half of this great song writing team was Jon Vezner, who is, BTW, Ms Mattea's husband. I was fortunate to be in a songwriting class under Mr. Vezner. We, of course, twisted his arm to get him to sing this song for the class. Spoiler for this song. Don't Read this or it will forever tain't the song. Vezner says the lady in the song actually said this in a loud, questioning tone of voice, "Where've You Been!" ha It still inspired a gem.
I was on the 91 frwy.Cal. when I 1st. heard this. have the tears ever whelled up in your eyes as you are driving the frwy. at 70mp., then had to try to get to the hard shoulder to bawl like a baby?! True love my friends, true love. Problem is that 'the powers that be' are doing this sort pf thing to couples all the time. Some have been together decades.
One of my favorite songs of all time, I cry every time I hear it, every time I sing it, it's just very moving. It's love like this that makes life worth while.
I awaited for Paula [Whom works @ Salem Kroc Center] while I am doing my exercise routines bit no shows from her but thought tomorrow is another day I hopes nothing happens to her because she is so sweet and generous I hopes she reads this so wherever you are @ Paula it's because you didn't came.¡ ;(
Boy when you pay attention to this song the ending chokes ya up big time. Yeah Kathy big fan here ! Not an alhimerze desease person, , but my anxiety fear of separation anxiety is what hit the mark for me. But I'm all better now, and totally alone with no FEAR! YEAH
I first heard this song in 1999 and immediatley equated it with the relationship and marriage of my grandparents. I travel this week to attend the memorial service of my grandmother. There were married 78 years! Within moments of hearing of my grandmother's death, this song played on my iPod at work. I became a basketcase. Now I plan on using the lyrics of this song at her memorial service... I can hear my grandfather saying "Where've you been? I'm just not myself when your away."
Indeed where have you been? We met so very long ago, one simple kiss remembered all these years, your face imprinted on my heart. now I've found you again... where have you been? My heart is healed by your smile again.
I was an OLD student (30 yrs old) and I discovered my alzheimer's sweeties respond to song/singing ... that is apparently the last responsive 'social' intteraction!!! try it ...they will have a special glow in their eyes...expectially if it is a song from their own era!!!
I cried when she told us about losing a player during her Christmas show two years ago. I gave her hug, For my mother died and a freind cancer, a friend's mother passed away from cancer.
My parents both died last year, within two months of one another, after 65 years of marriage....my father had alzheimer's also...this song brings the tears and memories...but yet I find myself listening to it from time to time...
