Enya has noted that the song specifically addresses the fact that while time may not completely erase a "wound," it provides the healing necessary to return to a sense of normalcy.
The track features Enya’s signature "choir of one" technique, where hundreds of her own vocal tracks are layered to create a rich, instrument-like sound. Enya - Only Time Lyrics
The central theme is that only time can reveal the outcome of our paths, heartbreaks, and choices. Enya has noted that the song specifically addresses
It became Enya's most successful solo single in the U.S., reaching number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Enya - Only Time Lyrics
The lyrics are structured as a series of rhetorical questions about the unpredictability of life and love.