I Shoulda Seen the Signs

I Shoulda Seen the Signs

Performed by Erato & The Cattle Drive

I Shoulda Seen the Signs – DOWNLOAD

(Verse 1)
I stepped into the glow, hoping I could forget
Neon signs were buzzing, but my heart wasn’t set
That cowboy hat, glowing by the swinging door
Was the first of many signs I’d missed before

I saw the laughter in faces I didn’t know
They held their drinks too high, voices too low
The band skipped the song I needed to hear
Another sign, but I couldn’t see it clear

(Chorus)
I should’ve seen the empty chair, right there by the bar
The way that smile faded when I walked too near
I thought it was all fun, just some lights and a drink
But those signs were telling me things I didn’t want to think
The neon hat was a warning, not some friendly glow
And some things get brighter when you finally let them go

(Verse 2)
That broken glass behind the counter should have clued me in
The bartender’s look, tired of hearing where I’d been
A woman’s ring left abandoned by a half-full glass
A final sign, but I just let it pass

Her face lit up, but her eyes couldn’t say
She looked through me, like she was already away
The spilled beer on the floor told me I’d slip too
Another sign, but I was blind to the view

(Chorus)
I should’ve noticed the clock, stuck at midnight
The way the boot on the wall wasn’t hanging quite right
I thought it was a good time, just something to forget
But those signs were telling me things I hadn’t faced yet
The neon hat kept blinking, like it knew the truth
And some things burn brightest when you let them loose

(Bridge)
I came in looking for something, but left with the weight
Of all the signs I’d missed, like they sealed my fate
Bob Wills played this bar in times long gone
Should’ve told me that I didn’t belong

(Chorus)
I should’ve felt the emptiness in that old, cracked mirror
The way my reflection seemed so unclear
I thought it was all fine, just a drink in my hand
But the signs were telling me something I didn’t understand
That neon hat was flashing, brighter than before
And some things burn you, the more you ignore

(Outro)
Now I sit in the quiet, thinking ‘bout those clues
The neon couldn’t fix the bridges I’d lose
I should’ve seen the signs, they were there all along
But sometimes the truth hides in the loudest song

I Shoulda Seen the Signs –Music and Lyrics by Alan Nafzger

Songwriter’s Perspective: Tangled Hearts in Neon Lights

Comments by Alan Nafzger a the Texas Songwriters Symposium, Oct 5th, 2024 (Fort Worth, TX)

As a songwriter, I’ve always been drawn to the stories that unfold in the dim corners of bars, where the glow of neon signs casts long shadows over personal dramas. The song “Neon Signs and Broken Lines” was born from such a scene—a tumultuous breakup that spiraled into a fleeting, regretful encounter.

In the first verse, the protagonist steps into the bar, a place bathed in the artificial glow of neon—supposedly a sanctuary from her troubles. She notices the signs, both literal and metaphorical, that she’s entering a space charged with unspoken tensions and unresolved conflicts. The neon cowboy hat, a beacon by the door, signals more than just a kitschy welcome; it’s a harbinger of the chaos to come.

The chorus reveals her slow realization. The empty chair at the bar isn’t just an open seat; it’s a vacancy left by someone who needed to escape. The fading smiles and the superficial revelry mask deeper discontent, something our protagonist feels but can’t yet articulate. She thought she was walking into a simple night out, but the signs point to complexities she hadn’t anticipated.

Verse two dives deeper into the aftermath of the argument she walked into. The broken glass and the bartender’s weary expression speak volumes about the regularity and intensity of such disputes in this place. A woman’s ring, hastily discarded next to a half-empty glass, lies as a testament to broken promises and swift exits. The protagonist observes these details, yet she’s too caught up in her own world to heed their warnings.

The encounter unfolds quickly. Another woman, blissfully unaware of the preceding conflict, engages in conversation with the cowboy, who is all too ready to move on from the drama. This second woman, initially oblivious, becomes a reluctant participant in a recurring cycle of brief encounters and swift regrets.

As the song progresses to the bridge, the weight of the missed signs and ignored warnings begins to bear down on our protagonist. Historical references to legends like Bob Wills, who played in bars where the echoes of old tunes linger, remind her that she’s out of place in this narrative that repeats itself like a scratched record.

In the final chorus, she reflects on the cracked mirror behind the bar—not just a physical crack, but a metaphor for her fractured perception. Her reflection is as unclear as her understanding of the situation she’s stumbled into. The neon signs, once merely part of the decor, now flash their warnings with increased urgency.

The outro brings a quiet, reflective moment. Perhap years later, our protagonist sits alone, contemplating the clues she overlooked—the neon signs that offered more insight than she was willing to accept at first. The bridges she’s lost aren’t just connections with others, but with parts of herself she ignored in pursuit of oblivion.

Basically, she arrived only seconds after the man’s “bad breakup” with his wife or partner. Has she not been in this daze and haze, she’d have never signed up for this man. Years later, she’s regretting meeting and then “going with” the cowboy. She’d missed the signs that he blows through relationships, from one woman another in literally a few seconds.

“Neon Signs and Broken Lines” isn’t just a recount of a night gone wrong; it’s a contemplation on how often we choose to ignore the signs that might lead us away from heartache. In the loudest rooms, the quiet truths are the hardest to hear, yet they resonate the longest after the music stops. This song, like many others I’ve written, aims to peel back the veneer of rowdy bar scenes to reveal the poignant realities hidden beneath.

Thank you and I’m damn glad to see ya!

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