You only stay with me in the morning
You only hold me when I sleep
And I was meant to tread the water
But now I've gotten in too deep
For every piece of me that wants you, mm-mm
Another piece backs away

'Cause you give me something
That makes me scared, alright
This could be nothing
But I'm willing to give it a try
Please give me something
'Cause someday I might know my heart

You only waited up for hours
Just to spend a little time alone with me
And I can say I've never bought you flowers
Mmm-mm, I can't work out what the mean
I never thought that I'd love someone
That was someone else's dream

As you give me something
That makes me scared, alright
This could be nothing
But I'm willing to give it a try
Please give me something
'Cause someday I might call you from my heart

But it might me a second too late
And the words that I could never say
Are gonna come out anyway

Mmm-mm, mm-mm-mm
'Cause you give me something
That makes me scared, alright
This could be nothing
But I'm willing to give it a try

Please give me something
Mmm, 'cause you give me something
That makes me scared, alright
This could be nothing
But I'm willing to give it a try
Please give me something
'Cause someday I might know my heart

Know my heart, know my heart, know my heart


Lyrics submitted by flawedheroine, edited by social_sadness

You Give Me Something Lyrics as written by Francis Anthony White James Morrison Catchpole

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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You Give Me Something song meanings
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45 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    This song Is so beautiful and I just love it!

    To me its saying that he knows someone likes him but he's not sure if it will work out between them because he's never really thought about love.

    When he does think about love though the concept scares him a little and although he wants to be with this girl he's still scared of love.

    Then he realises that he wants to be with the girl and wants to grasp the chance before its too late (But it might me a second too late, And the words I could never say Gonna come out anyway.)

    Then he realises that he might really truely love the girl if he has enough time to get to know his heart. ('Cause Someday I might know My Heart)

    Thats all Lol :p Peace out!

    FinalPrincesson March 29, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's saying that there are two people together, but the guy doesn't know if he loves the girl or not. He's young and not too sure if this is the real thing or not. Doesn't know if this is love or not. I saw an interview with James Morrison and he said that many people mistook this for a beautiful love song, but if you listen to the lyrics it's not quite so ideal anymore.

    carrie89on August 11, 2006   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    You want to stay with me in the morning You only hold me when I sleep, I was meant to tread the water Now I've gotten in too deep, For every piece of me that wants you Another piece backs away.

    first two lines have to do with his uncertainty, does she or doesn't she want him. second set of two refers to how he's liking her more than he intended to, maybe too much to be comfortable with hence the last two lines. he wants her but he's hesitant for whatever reason

    You already waited up for hours Just to spend a little time alone with me, And I can say I've never bought you flowers I can't work out what the mean, I never thought that I'd love someone, That was someone else's dream.

    first two lines, her putting effort... she gives a lot to receive a little. second set is him not trying so much and giving his "valid reason" why. the last two are him being conflicted for loving her. she does things that guys would love, and he never dreamt of it (maybe he didn't want commitment).

    But it might me a second too late, And the words I could never say Gonna come out anyway.

    When he finally reaches out to her to let her know how he feels, he's worried he may be too late. whether he is late or not, he is going to end up telling her things he was never able to before (like when someone has always been too guarded to tell someone they love them, but finally the feeling is overwhelming and it comes out anyway)

    I think the chorus is pretty straight forward. He's scared of the way he feels but he hopes she continues giving her love cause maybe one day he'll be able to reciprocate.

    hope I did a good job, this is my first interpretation =)

    decipherthison June 03, 2009   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    The girl is completely in love with him. He is attracted to her and enjoys her affection:

    You already waited up for hours Just to spend a little time alone with me

    but he is not really in love. He realises that if he was really in love, he would automatically want to do things to show the girl his love:

    And I can say I've never bought you flowers

    And the words I could never say Gonna come out anyway

    The girl is moving things forward with the non-physical parts of the relationship (maybe going on vacation or moving in together). The guy feels like he ought to tell her that he loves her less than she loves him but he knows that it could break the girl's heart. It's easier to just go with the flow:

    I was meant to tread the water Now I've gotten in too deep

    Another piece backs away

    He is confused by his feelings and can't work out whether or not his feelings are love or just lust and love of being loved. She is probably his first girlfriend, so he decides to just keep going with the relationship as it is a novel experience in the hope that they soon become equally in love with each other:

    But I'm willing to give it a try

    But what are his muddled thoughts about in the following lines: ?

    I can't work out what they mean I never thought that I'd love someone That was someone else's dream

    I think he had never had success with girls and had pretty much written himself off and expected never to find himself in a relationship. He likes the feeling now but it has taken him by surprise and shocks him. He just needs some time because:

    'Cause someday I might know my heart

    My main thing I can't work out is: What is the something in "Please give me something"?

    Perhaps he is asking simply for some time to grow up and listen to his heart.

    Anyway, a beautiful song, but a sad one.

    social_sadnesson May 08, 2016   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Am suprised no one has commented yet, i think this is a beautiful song. The music that plays just before the first verse and at the end is really nice, it's a v. romantic song.

    Jessopson July 06, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song makes you realize that even men are hopeless romantics.

    According to what I read, "When James Morrison was in New Zealand, and appeared on the New Zealand Idol show, the two finalists asked Morrison what the meaning behind the song was, and Morrison said that it was intended to be a 'harsh love song', and the lyrics mean that the protagonist of the song does not love the person as much as she loves him, but is willing to give the relationship a try."

    I guess people perceived the song in a completely different light. But hey, it worked too.

    WeAreLikeGiantson January 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I can totally see his point of view for this song. "You already waited up for hours Just to spend a little time alone with me, And I can say I've never bought you flowers" Here you see that the guy does not love the person as much as she loves him, like WeAreLikeGiants said. PS: how do you relate the video to the song ??

    rockouton April 21, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is amazing, it means so much to me and I finally realise what it really means and the hurt it really feels to be a girl to whom we play it... it's about a guy full with doubts, but who wanna give it a try cause he really like the girl and feels there's something special... and maybe he'll finally open his heart to someone, maybe it'll be her... maybe not...

    Amyhopeon November 29, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The acoustic version is absolutely exquisite.

    saundraaaon April 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Agree totally with Jessops, I just cat stop playing this song, its A-Mazing! Anyways, I think this song is pretty straight forward, the guy only wanted a casual relationship with this girl, yet he finds himself falling for her. As he learns more about her, he learns more about himself.

    My favourite lyrics just have to be: 'I never thought that I'd love someone, That was someone else's dream.'

    precious_mon July 26, 2006   Link

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