Story Behind The Song

The song is about a little girl who loses her mother at an early age and is taught to be distant and detached by her father, until the father himself is dying and tells her he was wrong.

Song Description

Melodic chord progression with emotional lyrics about dealing with loss and being open to life and love.

Lyrics

THE QUIET GIRL

She's standing knee-deep in the tall grass
Searching for her looking glass
They're heading to the church to say goodbye
So daddy says you gotta look nice
She doesn't understand why mama left
Or why she wore her favorite dress
But she held her daddy's hand and they both cried
And wondered if anything would ever be alright

Later on that night, once the bottle got the better of him
He turned to the girl and said...

The best things in life, they don't last very long
The moment you love them, they're already gone
And they only leave faster the more you hold on
The best things in life, they don't last very long

So she grew up at arms distance from the world
After that she was the quiet girl
Those city nights, they always felt so dark
Afraid of letting anybody near her heart

So she sat up at night, just remembering what daddy told her
But it never did feel right

The best things in life, they don't last very long
The moment you love them, they're already gone
And they only leave faster the more you hold on
The best things in life, they don't last very long
So when that phone call came on a cold and cloudy Tuesday morning
She knew the voice that she was gonna hear

He said, "Baby girl, I don't how long I've got to be here;
So there's something I gotta say

The best things in life, they don't last very long
If you never love them, they're already gone
Don't be afraid to take a breath and hold on
The best things in life, they don't last very long