Bootsy Collins

I'd Rather Be With You

7 Meanings

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I'd Rather Be With You Lyrics

I'd rather be with you, yeah
yeah, I'd rather be with you
I'd rather be with you, yeah
Yeah I'd rather be with you

I'd rather be with you until i'm through
Oh yes I do
I'd rather be with you until that day we'll fly away
I just love that smiling face in the early sun
If I can't have you to myself, then life's no fun

I'd rather be with you, yeah
yeah, I'd rather be with you
I'd rather be with you, yeah
Yeah I'd rather be with you
I wanna hold you hand
Oh, if I can just be your man
I wanna be you friend
Not now and then, but until the end
I just love the way you act, and that's a fact
I wanna be your number one, so picture that

Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
I'd rather be with you
Yeah
Yeah, I'd rather be with you

I'd rather be with you until I'm through
Oh, yes I do
I'd rather be with you until that day we'll fly away
I just love that smiling face in the early sun
If I can't have you to myself, then life's no fun

I'd rather be with you, yeah
Yeah, I'd rather be with you
I'd rather be with you, yeah
Yeah I'd rather be with you
Oh babe
Well, uh, you might think Ii'm trying to be funny
But I'm really serious this time, baby
(I'd rather be with you)
Even though, uh, it's a cold world, baby
But you know deep down inside that I do love ya
(I'd rather be with you)
I know I sound strange, but I really mean it
We gonna make it this time baby
(I'd rather be with you)
You're the only one I really love now
I'm coming at you with both hands tied behind my back, baby
(I'd rather be with you, yeah)
You got me, I'm coming at you, get ready
I'm gonna stick my love in your eye, baby
(I'd rather be with you, yeah)
You can see me coming baby, just coming all over you
(yeah I'd rather be with you)

Submitted by

gwalyn On Feb 05, 2006

Hollywood Squares

Play With Bootsy

If 9 Was 6 [Prince Paul Instrumental Mix]

Weapon of Choice [DVD][*]

Weapon of Choice

I'd rather be with you, yeah
yeah, I'd rather be with you
I'd rather be with you, yeah
Yeah I'd rather be with you

Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
Maybe the next time
I'd rather be with you
Yeah
Yeah, I'd rather be with you

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This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

Gwalyn

Submitter

2006-02-05 18:23:00

7 Meanings

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by ohwhocares

20y ago

I love this song

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by randomownage

20y ago

Wow, no one else other than ohwhocares has commented?

This song is amazing people!

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by 1alill

19y ago

This song really is an amazing song! He gets kind of carried away at the end, but I still love this song. It really makes me want to be with that special someone.

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by convince

17y ago

BOOTSY!! Cool beat. NWA snatched it in the 90's, but this version is smoooth. I feel like a pimp in the 70's when I jam it!

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by darkhelm33

17y ago

How is there only these few people to comment on this song. This is like the Purple Haze of the bass except not about drugs.

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by loves24jen

11y ago

...maybe the next time...(and he repeats it 4 times)

just the fact that it's in there makes me think of this theory that he's singing it to another women lol stay with me

! theory: as though he might be singing this song to another woman like cheating on the women he's with and...

the next time means the next time we hook up have sex what not/ and >the smile in the sun is the face that when he starts his day all he sees is her in his happiness etc/ and the part where he says until the day we'll fly away could simply mean like leave this mess(stress and chaos(like a lot of artists i think with this hope or aspiration to be with the one they love in paradise away from the "world" and the end of the song applies a lot more to this theory i think and muddles up my truth for the theory # 2. ANYWAY LOL SORRY

lifes no fun) without being able to have her ...he's depressed and thing that keeps him warm is he sees her face in the sun ...only time he can actually "see" her/ and dreams of the day they'll be able to be together and fly away....referencing death maybe?/ and thinks maybe the next time (as in life) they'll get the chance or he'll make the right choice? ....referencing death again maybe? with having to be believing in reincarnation lol/ and can only keep repeating he'd rather be with her... cause obviously would choose her if he could? and ..cleary just sayiing he'd rather be with her repeatedly is not wanting to be with the person he's with because he'd 'rather be with her'

there are a lot of instances that all add up together to make this theory legit for me lol i dunno

all and all i'm just sort of confused and wish he could just tell me the meaning lol

(sorry so long)

-Jen

My Interpretation

...maybe the next time...(and he repeats it 4 times)

just the fact that it's in there makes me think of this theory that he's singing it to another women lol
stay with me

! theory:
 as though he might be singing this song to another woman like cheating on the women he's with
and...
> the next time means the next time we hook up have sex what not/ and >the smile in the sun is the face that when he starts his day all he sees is her in his happiness etc/ and 
>the part where he says until the day we'll fly away could simply mean like leave this mess(stress and chaos(like a lot of artists i think with this hope or aspiration to be with the one they love in paradise away from the "world" 
>and the end of the song applies a lot more to this theory i think and muddles up my truth for the theory # 2.
ANYWAY LOL SORRY

theory # 2
he could also be singing to another women with the sense of being trapped with no choice.
^ but to live his life without her (or maybe she's already dead! ?? prob. not lol )
or!
 picture something like...while he's "trapped" or "stuck" in a marriage so to speak? 
or something like a forced marriage? 
or maybe serious catholic and met her after he was married or something?
and...
> lifes no fun)  without being able to have her ...he's depressed and thing that keeps him warm is
>he sees her face in the sun ...only time he can actually "see" her/ and 
>dreams of the day they'll be able to be together and fly away....referencing death maybe?/ and
>thinks maybe the next time (as in life) they'll get the chance or he'll make the right choice? ....referencing death again maybe? with having to be believing in reincarnation lol/ and 
>can only keep repeating he'd rather be with her... cause obviously would choose her if he could? and 
..cleary just sayiing he'd rather be with her repeatedly is not wanting to be with the person he's with because he'd 'rather be with her'

there are a lot of instances that all add up together to make this theory legit for me lol i dunno

all and all i'm just sort of confused and wish he could just tell me the meaning lol

(sorry so long)

-Jen

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by ashley7v4

5y ago

To me, this song is all about taking a little time out of your busy life and spend some of it with - in this case, your beloved cat. In fact I pick up a lot of feline references from the P-funk universe.

My Interpretation

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