Song Description

The regret of a dad that has made a lot of mistakes but has seen his daughter grow from a distance, but trying to make amends..

Lyrics

"If I Had More Time"
Yves Stilmant © 2025 ASCAP

[Verse 1A]
I watched from the shadows as you grew up fast
Too scared to reach out, stuck in the past
You needed a father, I looked away
Afraid of the truth I couldn't say
[Verse 1B]
I missed all the birthdays, the tears, and the smiles
Thought I'd catch up in just a while
But while I was waiting, the days slipped through
And I lost more than I ever knew
[Pre-Chorus 1]
I told myself you'd understand
But now I wish I took your hand
[Chorus]
Oh, if I had more time
I'd rewrite every line
I'd sit by your side
And finally make it right
It's the ache I still carry
It's the price I still pay
All the love I didn't show
And the words I couldn't say
[Verse 2A]
You asked me to listen, I turned away
Hiding in pride, too lost to stay
Now the years are a river I can't cross
And your face in my dreams reminds me of loss
[Verse 2B]
I see you in pictures, frozen and still
A life that I missed by my own will
I held back the love you deserved each day
Now silence is all I've got left to say
[Pre-Chorus 2]
I thought there'd always be one more call
But time don't wait--it takes it all
[Chorus]
Oh, if I had more time
I'd rewrite every line
I'd sit by your side
And finally make it right
It's the ache I still carry
It's the price I still pay
All the love I didn't show
And the words I couldn't say

[Bridge]
If I could go back to the sound of your voice
I'd trade every wrong for a single right choice
But the past doesn't bend, and regret doesn't fade
It just plays in your mind like a song you replay

[Final Chorus]
Oh, if I had more time
I'd rewrite every line
I'd hold back the pain
And stop letting it define
It's the ache I still carry
It's the price I still pay
For the daughter I loved
And the words I couldn't say

[Outro]
So I whisper your name like a prayer in the dark
And hope you remember I gave you my heart
Though I never was there, my love never strayed
And I live every day... with what I didn't say