Album: Higher Truth (2015)

License This Song 

• In a castle
  Down a long road
  A little girl was born
  To a king and
  To a queen and
  Her mother's eyes welled up with tears of joy
  Staring at the tiny face
  Of a miracle she made
  She would say I love you
  She would say I love you
  
  Summer came and went
  Autumn rolling in
  Trees all stripped to bone
  Daddy's little girl in his arms, well
  They sit upon his throne
  Who is that thief hiding in the dark?
  Just a little girl who stole his heart
  
  And he would say I love you
  He would say I love you
  He would say I love you
  
  With only these three words repeating
  A simple greeting, but it's all you wanna keep
  Clever lips can be misleading
  A tongue can fly away
  And won't come back
  But, it's only these words we recognize
  
  Six o'clock A.M
  The alarm rings out
  Awoken from the dream
  No more castle down a long road
  No more kings and no more queens
  But she's a princess none the less
  And a handsome prince is what she'll get
  
  He will say I love you
  He will say I love you
  He will say I love you
  He will say I love you
  He will say I love you
  He will say I love you Writer/s: Chris Cornell
  Publisher: Hipgnosis Songs Group, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

• Blackgiveswaytoblue from EuropeOk so now the original version mentioning Toni and Christopher of this song is going to be released? I would think that he wrote songs for all of his children and the one on the HT album is for Lily..and I really hope that if the song was meant for her, he told her.
• Nikki from CaliforniaWhy is Vicky trying to make it seem like the Higher Truth song Only These Words wasn’t written for his first daughter Lily? The lyrics are very clear and his interviews about it are written clearly as well. He wrote Dandelion for Toni, why is she upset that Only These Words was for Lily? They each got their own song, seems like teenage jealousy towards Lily from both Vicky and the middle daughter Toni. Sad for them that they’re so immature.
• Katieb from NyAccording to Matt Robinson, Chris' first demo recorded was for Toni BUT!!! He told Matt Robinson, music journalist, the first bars and verses of the song was written in 2002 for his other daughter. When he recorded final version for 2015 album he decided instead to direct it to Lily, as a gift to her because they were growing closer. As poster says below probably guilt too xx
• Stoplyingvicky from ChicagoThis song has been confirmed as being written for Cornell's first born daughter, Lily. He confirmed it to other musicians during the production process. It's told from a dream perspective of a girl who's life isn't the cosy fairytale it should be, and Cornell expresses his guilt both at the failure of his first marriage and the breaking of the 'fairytale' life Lily should have had. This song is not about Toni Cornell. And her family all know that too.
• Zelda from UsaAnd if he did write this about toni, then hes a s--tty father who tried to pretend he didnt have a life before vicky cornell
• Zelda from UsaThis song was not written about toni cornell. I hate how people try to deny the fact that he had a beautiful daughter from his first marriage named Lily Cornell Silver who looks just like him by the way. Her parents divorced, she was borin in the summer. Song is definitely referencing Liky. Every blasted song cant be about toni sheesh
• Lue Ann from IlHe obviously wrote this song about his daughter Toni. She was his princess and him and his wife loved her and represent the king and queen. And the ending of the song is a promise that she will one day find a man who will love her just as much.

More Songfacts:

I Shot The SheriffBob Marley & the Wailers

Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff" deals with police brutality in the Trenchtown section of Jamaica, where he grew up. He felt that police assumed young men in the area were all criminals.

Take It EasyEagles

The Eagles' first single, "Take It Easy," was written by Jackson Browne, who was living in the apartment below Glenn Frey when he wrote it.

Diamonds From Sierra LeoneKanye West

"Diamonds From Sierra Leone" by Kanye West is about the "blood diamonds" mined using child labor in Africa. It also serves as a shout-out to Roc-A-Fella records, known for a diamond-shaped hand signal.

The Great PretenderThe Platters

The Pretenders are named after the 1956 song "The Great Pretender" by The Platters.

Something In The AirThunderclap Newman

Pete Townshend never had a #1 UK hit with The Who or as a solo artist, but he did produce and play on a song that hit the top spot there: "Something In The Air" by Thunderclap Newman, a group he assembled.

Don't ChaThe Pussycat Dolls

Sir Mix-A-Lot is credited as a writer on The Pussycat Dolls' biggest hit, "Don't Cha," because it interpolates his 1988 song "Swass," where he goes, "Don't you wish your boyfriend was swass like me?"

Editor's Picks

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces