Lyrics Page
Say
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Sep 23, 2026 updated
Behind The Eyes (25th Anniversary Expanded Edition) album
Verified editorial review
Song Meaning
Amy Grant addresses someone keeping real feelings hidden behind secondhand reports in "Say" — "she said you were upset, I never knew, he said you are about to come unglued, she said he said I said it was true, everybody's talking but you." The frustration is named specifically: everyone else has an opinion except the person actually going through it.
"Say what you want to say, what you want to, dear, what you want to say, not what I want to hear" repeats as a direct invitation rather than a demand, making clear the goal is honesty rather than a particular answer. "The way you look at your life never gets told, keep stuff bottled inside, you could explode" names the risk of continued silence plainly.
"Who cares how it sounds? You never know, maybe it could lighten your load" closes the song by lowering the stakes of speaking up, treating imperfect honesty as still better than the alternative of staying quiet.
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team
She said you were upset, I never knew
He said you are about to come unglued
She said he said I said it was true
Everybody's talking but you
Say what you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say, not what I want to hear
What you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say right here
Time's up, time's a wasting, time to explore
All the feelings that you tend to ignore
Step up, give it a shot, you've got the floor
I can take it, give me what for
Say what you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say, not what I want to hear
What you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say right here
The way you look at your life never gets told
Keep stuff bottled inside, you could explode
Who cares how it sounds? You never know
Maybe it could lighten your load
Say what you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say, not what I want to hear
What you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say right here
Say what you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say, not what I want to hear
What you want to say, what you want to, dear
What you want to say right here