This song was originally released in 2006 by the “Plain White T’s”, a virtually unheard-of group. Wiki says that the song reached #1 on the Billboard charts in 2007. “Delilah” is allegedly “Delilah DiCrescenzo”, a nationally awarded runner, who the singer, Tom Higgenson had met.
When the song was recorded in 2006, Delilah would have been 23, so some of the lyrics don’t make complete sense, until you start reading that they met in 2002, when she was 19 and finishing college.
However, I agree with the reader who submitted the song to us … it COULD be about a 15-16 year old girl who will finish school and be able to move out on her own with the singer. For that reason alone, I decided to include it on the list of Underage Love Songs.
Another reader had submitted it with the comment that “in the US, the age to quit school is 16, so he could be writing about a 13 or 14 year old who will be quitting school in two years to go and meet him!” Yeah, I get that, but I think that is a stretch! Especially since we actually know what he was singing about!
If you would like to know more about delilah, go here: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/8910175/plain-white-t-lead-singer-tom-higgenson-dedicated-hey-there-delilah-runner-delilah-dicrescenzo-espn-magazine
The song gained new attention in 2010, when Louis Tomlinson performed the song on Xfactor.
“Hey There Delilah”
What’s it like in New York City?
I’m a thousand miles away
But girl, tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can’t shine as bright as you
I swear it’s true
Hey there Delilah
Don’t you worry about the distance
I’m right there if you get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice, it’s my disguise
I’m by your side
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
What you do to me
Hey there Delilah
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me, girl
Someday I’ll pay the bills with this guitar
We’ll have it good
We’ll have the life we knew we would
My word is good
Hey there Delilah
I’ve got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I’d write it all
Even more in love with me you’d fall
We’d have it all
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
A thousand miles seems pretty far
But they’ve got planes and trains and cars
I’d walk to you if I had no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
And we’ll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have felt this way
Delilah I can promise you
That by the time we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you’re to blame
Hey there Delilah
You be good and don’t you miss me
Two more years and you’ll be done with school
And I’ll be making history like I do
You’ll know it’s all because of you
We can do whatever we want to
Hey there Delilah here’s to you
This one’s for you
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
Oh it’s what you do to me
What you do to me.