Sitting here, on this lonely dock
Watch the rain play on the ocean top
All the things I feel I need to say
I can't explain in any other way

I need to be bold
Need to jump in the cold water
Need to grow older with a girl like you
Finally see you are naturally
The one to make it so easy
When you show me the truth
Yeah, I'd rather be with you
Say you want the same thing too

Now here's the sun, come to dry the rain
Warm my shoulders and relieve my pain
You're the one thing that I'm missing here
With you beside me I no longer fear

I need to be bold
Need to jump in the cold water
Need to grow older with a girl like you
Finally see you are naturally
The one to make it so easy
When you show me the truth
Yeah, I'd rather be with you
Say you want the same thing too

I could have saved so much time for us
Had I seen the way to get to where I am today
You waited on me for so long
So now, listen to me say

I need to be bold
Need to jump in the cold water
Need to grow older with a girl like you
Finally see you are naturally
The one to make it so easy
When you show me the truth
Yeah, I'd rather be with you
Say you want the same thing too
Say you feel the way I do


Lyrics submitted by shrodes, edited by ahmad11393

I'd Rather Be With You Lyrics as written by Joshua Ryan Radin

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

I'd Rather Be With You song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

15 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    Lyric Correction

    Am I the only one who is bothered by the fact that is says "I need to bold" when it's clearly "I need to be bold"?

    LNikkyon September 15, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think the title says it all really

    scrubssamon August 30, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    agree 100% with hanski

    the guy has known the girl forever, but he finally realizes his true feelings for her. she had feelings for him all along, but he was always with other girls...

    "Finally see you were naturally The one to make it so easy when you show me the truth"

    (realizes how he feels)

    "You waited on me for so long"

    (shows she put up with him being with other girls)

    gagagirlon November 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    GREAT SONG! romatic love song.

    kelshamrockson September 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Sure, it's self-explanatory, but the imagery is what makes it a great song. Sitting on the dock, looking at the water. Maybe it's raining, maybe the water's too cold for swimming, but damn it he wants to!

    Jumping into cold water is a metaphor for making the first move in a relationship. There's no going back, and maybe it's not the smartest idea, but definitely take the chance my friends. Don't wait.

    Always take the chance...

    davidecoyoteon September 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    WTF. so cute.

    xxmodernloveon October 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    It seems to me that he definitely is very interested in a girl and that he knows it's important to break free of any hesitations and "jump in the cold water", but there's more to it. He talks about her waiting so long for him and that he wants her to say the same thing too. It's been like this for a while, and because maybe he's screwed up a few times or whatever, she's not really into him anymore... And that's the sad part: He finally sees that he needs to be with her, but she no longer will accept it. And that's the fight he has to go through now.

    IketheHeroon November 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    To me this song is about a guy who is absolutely enamoured with a girl. He "needs to jump in the cold water" this means to me that he needs to be up front with her and tell her how he feels. Then whenever he finally does talk to her, she is also into him..

    mubrian11on December 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I interpreted it a lot like how Ike the Hero did, but a little differently.

    I think that he likes the girl, but rather than screwing up, there has just been situations where they haven't been able to go out for whatever reason, whether she has had a boyfriend or whatever. She knew he liked her but they kind of just kept going on as friends until he finally decided he was going to do something.

    christchin910on February 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree w/ christchin910. . . I really love this song (:

    BECKERZ13on April 19, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.