I wanted to be like you
I wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away

I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone to show you the way
So I took your hand and we figured out that
When the tide comes I'd take you away

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

I'm sinking slowly, so hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

All you wanted was somebody who cares
If you need me you know I'll be there
Oh, oh, whoa, yeah

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here (I can take you away)
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

Oh oh (and all you wanted was somebody who cares)
Oh oh oh oh

If you want to I can save you (if you want to, oh)
I can take you away from here (I can take you away)
So lonely inside (from here)
So busy out there (oh oh)
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone


Lyrics submitted by baby_jane

All You Wanted Lyrics as written by Michelle Branch

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

All You Wanted song meanings
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120 Comments

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  • +14
    General Comment

    A young woman, untouched by heartbreak, becomes involved with a man who has become hardened against matters of love. So in self-preservation, she attempts to be like him, and remain emotionally unnattached, and becomes overwhelmed by how lonely and cold that makes her feel. So she begins to try and prove to him that not everyone is a player, intent on damaging him. And she wants him to trust her enough to let his guard down enough to see that she will do nothing but love him and adore him, his heart is safe from harm. She wants him to forger all his bitterness and skepticism where love is concerned. And determined than all get out, she vows to always be there for him no matter what.

    LittleCryson March 01, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    youtube.com/watch

    she talks about it herself, here.

    she has a tendency to fall in love with guys who have problems, and as a woman has also a naive tendency to think she can change them.

    which is so true... all we want to do is save them, and take them away.

    randimarshon March 14, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I always thought the song was about how she has a friend who is suicidal and she tries so hard to save him/her but is unable to and the friend commits suicide anyway. That's why at the end of the song, she asks, 'Please can you tell me so I can finally see, where you go when you're gone?' Does anyone else see where I'm coming from or am I totally crazy?

    CAMeans19on July 17, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    most of you are wrong.....this song is about a girl who likes this guy and he is "in love" with someone else but the girl knows he's not happy with her.....the girl also knows she can be "all he wanted" hence the name

    dodgevpr03on April 28, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I highly doubt this is about love, more like trying to be someone popular, and finding out how isolated it is and the problems that the person she's trying to be like is, and trying to fix their problems.

    macman2511on October 01, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I think the song has two meanings. One meaning is love addiction. Other meaning is about drug addiction.

    I think the beginning means that she wanted to be like the guy and wanted to go through the same things he was going through (drugs and that lifestyle) and she ended up getting very involved in that lifestyle and ended up very deep into it/addicted. Next part — the girl realizes the addiction is a very cold way of life and empty. She wants to take the guy out of that life so she gives him an escape and tells him that when he’s ready for it, she will give him a safe place to go. I believe the song is about the great attempt to reach inside someone and try to understand what that person is going through. It says the guy is doing just great on the outside and looks so held together, but on the inside he is actually just lonely, lost and feels cold. Then it says she’s sinking too far into the addiction and she is on the edge of completely losing control and she just wants him to give her the word so they can get away before it’s too late. She says she wants him to tell her where he goes when he’s gone. Like the guy is so gone and so into the drugs that she doesn’t even recognize him at times. She also wants him to know she’s always within reach whenever he is ready to surrender to her. She’s ready to runaway with him and get out of there. “Please can you tell me so I can finally see where you go when you’re gone.” She wants him to talk to her and open up to her so she can help him. He’s gone in his mind. “I'm sinking slowly, so hurry hold me. Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on.” — This line maybe him talking to her or it could be her talking to him. I don’t know. Can go either way.

    2nd meaning - I think that in the beginning of the song, “I wanted to be like you…but I got swept away.” I believe that means she wanted to be ‘like a guy’ and not feel anything for the guy but she fell in love anyway. “I didn’t know that it was so cold..” She didn’t realize that his heart is so cold and he doesn’t feel anything for her. She believes he needs someone to show him there are good girls with good hearts out there and she believes she is that girl for him. As soon as he is ready to feel something for a girl and he is ready to be her boyfriend, she’ll take him away [from his single life]. “…and all you wanted was somebody who cares..” She believes that deep inside he does want to feel love but he is putting on his front and protecting his heart by staying busy. “I’m sinking slowly…” She is waiting for him and is so lost in love for him, but she is also falling away from him as more time passes. She just waits for that small sign from him to make her feel a connection to him and that sign that he does care about her. So she continues to hold on a little longer. “Please can you tell me so I can finally see where you go when you’re gone..” This line has me perplexed. I’m trying to get its meaning. Maybe it’s that for a moment, she sees that he is showing signs that he does love her but then he falls away from her again. Like he has a memory of someone who hurt him and that memory makes him turn away from her love and he doesn’t allow himself to fall for her. I think both meanings have the same idea — She wants him to open up to her and talk to her and allow her to be part of his life. She wants him to allow himself to be loved.

    citydolljon May 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a tight song. In the video it seems as if she's trying to get the guy's attention. I'm not exactly sure what it's all about though. What's everyone elses' opinion?

    incubus4everon February 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it means that she loves someone, and he loves her..but he doesn't always pay attention, and give her what she needs. But she cares for him so much, that she doesn't want to give up

    Adidasgirl1040on February 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    She gets ignored by the person she loves. All she wants is for that person to pay attention to her, and be loved by him........There is someone she likes, and she's not sure if he likes her. He doesn't notice her all the time. Before i started going out w/ my boyfriend, it seemed like he couldn't see me and i wanted him to see me. He finally did

    Adidasgirl1040on February 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Im with LittleCrys here...... spot on!

    Andaahon March 02, 2002   Link

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