About The Song
“I’ve Been This Way Before” is a song written and performed by Neil Diamond. It was released as the second single from Diamond’s 1974 album Serenade. “I’ve Been This Way Before” was Neil Diamond’s third No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart and also peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Billboard magazine stated that the song was “stronger lyrically” than recent Neil Diamond songs and also praised the vocal performance and the arrangement. Cash Box said, “This moody ballad gleams,” describing, “A simple piano opening builds lovingly into a rich mix of strings and things with Diamond’s voice rising confidently above it all.”
The lyrics of Neil Diamond’s “I’ve Been This Way Before” revolve around the theme of life’s cycles and the inevitability of going through certain experiences over and over again. Diamond talks about how he has seen both the “light” and “flame,” implying that he has experienced both the joys and struggles of life. This makes him certain that he is likely to experience them again in the future. He reminisces about being both “refused” and “regained,” suggesting that he has gone through difficult times and overcome them. He has also encountered familiar faces, referring to having seen someone’s eyes before and being certain of seeing them again.
The chorus reinforces the idea of life’s cycles and differences in how people cope with them. While some people can laugh, cry, and make it through difficult times, others can only make it through by not questioning why things happen. Some people can sing and express their emotions, while others are only capable of sighing. Finally, Diamond points out that some people never discover their inner light until they pass away.
Overall, the lyrics of “I’ve Been This Way Before” suggest that life is a never-ending cycle of ups and downs, and past experiences can prepare a person for times ahead. By acknowledging and accepting these experiences, Diamond implies that we can find strength in facing any obstacles that arise.
Video
Lyrics
I’ve seen the light
And I’ve seen the flame
And I’ve been this way before
And I’m sure to be this way again
For I’ve been refused
And I’ve been regained
And I’ve seen your eyes before
And I’m sure to see your eyes again
Once again
For I’ve been released
And I’ve been regained
And I’ve sung my song before
And I’m sure to sing my song again
Once again
Some people got to laugh
Some people got to cry
Some people, they got to make it through
And never wondering why
Some people got to sing
Some people got to sigh
Some people (some people), they never see the light
Until the day they die
But I’ve been released
And I’ve been regained
And I’ve been this way before
And I’m sure to be this way again
Once more time again
Just once again
One more time for us
Just one last time