Something is wrong
With the sum of us
That I can't seem to erase
How can I be
The only one
Without a smile on my face
When now

[Chorus]
You're laughing out loud
At just the thought of being alive
And I was wondering
Could I just be you tonight?

You show your pain
Like it really hurts
And I can't even
Start to feel mine
And I'm standing in place
With my head first
And I shake I shake I shake
And I see your progress
Stretched out for miles
And miles

[Chorus]

This is the sound that I make
These are the words I chose
But somehow the right thing to say
Just won't come out

Ccause you're laughing out loud
At just the thought of being alive
And I was wondering
Could I just be you tonight?
I was wondering
Could I just be you
Tonight?


Lyrics submitted by ruben

Could I Be You Lyrics as written by Paul Doucette

Lyrics © Sentric Music

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Could I Be You song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is abot a break up. He tells her she's laughing out loud just at the thought of being alive...meaning he's hurting inside and she seemed to have moved on so easily. that's why he want to be her...

    MeShellon May 13, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think that that lyric ('you're laughing out loud, at just the thought of being alive') is incredibly beautiful. He's looking at this girl and he wants to be her because she can see the joy in life and he can't.

    falling_from_graceon May 24, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was actually written by Paul, one of the members of the band. He was writing about how he was somewhat jealous of Rob getting all the attention of the band and all the fame, and how for one night it would be good just to be Rob and bask in the glory of fame or something. Rob saw the lyrics and decided to make it a song. Which means that when Rob sings this song, he's singing to/about himself, from Paul's point of view. Kinda creepy.

    bbf2on September 18, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Paul wrote the song about a person that hides his or her pain really well. He wishes he could be that person because he just can't hide his pain.

    diegorockusaon September 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it could be either about Rob or a girl ... it's just about being free for once, finally letting go. You've got all this crap inside and you see this other person whose got the same crap just throwing it off. If you read the lyrics you can really see the struggle for the poetry in song writing that Rob uses, "somehow the right thing to say, just won't come out" So, I think it could be about just about anyone, it's being jealous of someone who can let go, who can deal with their problems ... "I see your progress stretched out for miles"

    Jag3892on October 15, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    How about this...total 180, but what about... A drug addict or alcoholic who is trying to get clean. But he/she just cant bring themself to do so. And this whole time, they see these other addicts getting help/getting clean. And they envy that. just a thought.

    kevs240sxon October 17, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i can see y ud say that actually. i mean, its obviously not about that, but i can totally see that it cud b!

    torrance21on December 02, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Actually I thought it was abt how he sees a kid enjoying life and he wishes he could be dat kid again.

    'You're laughing out loud At just the thought of being alive' and ' You show your pain Like it really hurts And I can't even Start to feel mine'

    sortof affirms dat. But I'll take bbf2's word for it.

    Earnest lyrics.

    wif_attitudeon January 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think its about a guy who breaks up with a girl and decides to go out and be with a lot of other girls. the girl can't get over him, but she wants to and be with someone else, too.

    happily_sullenon April 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    diegorockusa i don't see how it is about someone hiding pain because of these lyrics

    "You show your pain Like it really hurts And I can't even Start to feel mine"

    luapmiton May 02, 2005   Link

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