Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “What Did I Ever Come Here For” by Brandi Carlile
The critically acclaimed song “What Did I Ever Come Here For” by Brandi Carlile reflects on the times we look back and are unsure why we ever made certain decisions in our life. It was released in 2007, along with the rest of her album The Story, which went on to be certified gold.
The song starts with Carlile stating ”What did I ever come here for, / I think I know but I’m not sure”. In this moment, she is reminiscing on the life decisions she has made, looking back and wondering how she ended up in this situation and why she ever made the choices she did. The rueful tone of the song suggest that these choices that were made probably weren’t the best decisions in hindsight. However, the song still maintains an abundance of hope and optimism for the future.
While some of the songs verses are somber, other lines like “stop for a moment and dance in the rain” encourage Carlile to turn a moment of difficulty and uncertainty into one of joy. No matter how hard the times we face may become we can still find small moments of beauty in life and have hope for the future.
The chorus of the song, “What did I ever come here for? / To heal my heart and mend the torn” implies that while Carlile is reflecting on her past choices she is also searching for a way to move forward and heal from her pain. In the end, Carlile turns to optimism, vowing to “Learn to forget and find the strength to carry on.” The song ultimately conveys the message that even in life’s toughest moments if we keep our hearts open and have faith in the future, we can always rise above any obstacles we face.