The song "I've Been Driftin' / Once Upon A Time" by Eric Burdon and Jimmy Witherspoon is a blues ballad about a person feeling lost and alone in the world. The lyrics describe the feeling of drifting aimlessly, like a ship out at sea. The protagonist expresses their loneliness, stating that they don't have anybody to care for them. The phrase "once upon a time" suggests that there was a time when things were better, implying that the person had experienced love and a sense of purpose in their life. However, something changed, symbolized by the line "the sun began to melt our lives started turning." This event caused the person to start drifting and feeling lost. The repetition of the word "drifting" in the lyrics emphasizes the sense of aimlessness and lack of direction that the protagonist is experiencing. They feel like they're constantly being carried away by life's storms, just like a ship on the stormy sea. Overall, the song conveys a deep sense of longing and melancholy, expressing the emotional turmoil and loneliness of the protagonist. Their story, told through the lyrics, captures the universal feeling of being adrift in life, searching for meaning and connection.
