Oklahoma
Billy Gilman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Suitcase packed with all his things
Car pulls up, the doorbell rings
He don't want to go
He thought he'd found his home
But with circumstances he can't change
Waves goodbye as they pull away
From the life he's known
For the last seven months or so
She said we found the man who looks like you
Who cried and said he never knew
About the boy in pictures that we showed him
A rambler in his younger days
He knew he made a few mistakes
But he swore he would have been there
Had he known it
Son we think we found your dad in Oklahoma

A million thoughts raced through his mind
What's his name, what's he like and will be be
Anything like the man in his dreams
She could see the questions in his eyes
Whispered "don't be scared my child
I'll let you know, what we know

About the man we found, he looks like you
And cried and said he never knew
About the boy in pictures that we showed him
A rambler in his younger days He knew he'd made a few mistakes
But he swore he would've been there Had he known it
You always said that this was something that you wanted
Son it's time to meet your Dad in Oklahoma

One last turn he held his breath
'Til they reached the fifth house on the left
And all at once the tears came rolling in
And as they pulled into the drive
A man was waiting there outside
Who wiped the worry from his eyes Smiled and took his hand

And he said I'm the man who looks like you
Who cried because I never knew
About that boy in pictures that they showed me
A rambler in my younger days I knew I made a few mistakes
But I swear I would have been there had I known it

Never again will you ever be alone
Son welcome to your home in Oklahoma

Overall Meaning

The lyrics tell the story of a young boy who had been abandoned by his father, and had been living with his mother for the past seven months. She finally tells him that they had found a man in Oklahoma who looks like him and who might be his biological father. The boy is hesitant but finally decides to meet the man. As they drive to the man's house, the boy feels a mix of emotions - curiosity, anxiety, and hope. Finally, he meets the man who tells him that he never knew about his son, but had he known, he would have been there for him.

The song is about the longing for a sense of belonging and the need for a father figure. The boy had been looking for his biological father passionately and it fills him with elation and relief that he has finally found him. This song talks about how it’s important to know one's roots and to have a place to call home. It is also a tribute to the love of a mother who always wanted her son to find the love of his father. While the song has a bittersweet and melancholic tone, it ends with the boy feeling hopeful, loved, and happy.

Line by Line Meaning

Suitcase packed with all his things
He has packed his suitcase with all of his belongings

Car pulls up, the doorbell rings
A car arrives to pick him up and rings the doorbell

He don't want to go
He does not want to leave

He thought he'd found his home
He believed he had found his true home

But with circumstances he can't change
He is unable to change the situation

Waves goodbye as they pull away
Says goodbye as the car drives away

From the life he's known
Leaving behind the life he has known

For the last seven months or so
He has been living there for about seven months

She said we found the man who looks like you
She tells him they found a man who resembles him

Who cried and said he never knew
The man cried and claimed he did not know

About the boy in pictures that we showed him
He did not know about the boy depicted in the pictures they showed him

A rambler in his younger days
He was transient in his younger days

He knew he made a few mistakes
He acknowledges that he has made some errors

But he swore he would have been there
He promises that he would have been there if he had known

Had he known it
If he had known about the boy, he would have been there

Son we think we found your dad in Oklahoma
They believe that they have found his father in Oklahoma

A million thoughts raced through his mind
He has countless thoughts going through his mind

What's his name, what's he like and will be be
He wonders about his father's name, character, and personality

Anything like the man in his dreams
He wonders if his father is anything like the man he has dreamt about

She could see the questions in his eyes
She observes the questions in his eyes

Whispered "don't be scared my child
She whispers to him to not be afraid

I'll let you know, what we know
She reassures him that she will inform him of what they know

About the man we found, he looks like you
She tells him that the found man looks like him

And cried and said he never knew
The found man cried and confessed that he did not know

About the boy in pictures that we showed him
He did not know about the boy shown in the pictures

A rambler in his younger days
The found man used to roam around during his youth

He knew he'd made a few mistakes
He admits to committing some mistakes

But he swore he would've been there
He promises that he would have been present

Had he known it
If he had known about him, he would have been there

You always said that this was something that you wanted
They remind him that he always wanted this

Son time to meet your Dad in Oklahoma
It is time to meet his father in Oklahoma

One last turn he held his breath
He takes one last turn and holds his breath

'Til they reached the fifth house on the left
They reach the fifth house on the left after that turn

And all at once the tears came rolling in
He suddenly starts crying

And as they pulled into the drive
As they reach the driveway

A man was waiting there outside
His father was waiting for him outside

Who wiped the worry from his eyes
His father removes the worry from his eyes

Smiled and took his hand
His father smiles and takes his hand

And he said I'm the man who looks like you
His father tells him that he is the man who looks like him

Who cried because I never knew
His father cried after realizing that he never knew about him

About that boy in pictures that they showed me
He never knew about the boy depicted in the pictures

A rambler in my younger days
His father used to travel during his youth

I knew I made a few mistakes
His father acknowledges that he had committed some mistakes

But I swear I would have been there had I known it
He promises that he would have been there if he had known about him

Never again will you ever be alone
He assures him that he will never be alone again

Son welcome to your home in Oklahoma
He welcomes his son to his home in Oklahoma

Lyrics © ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF ALLEN, ASH BOWERS, MATT ROGERS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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