I can only say these things to you while you're sleeping
I hear the hum from the wires the sounds of the morning creepin'
So I lie awake and pretend you can hear me

Tell that you're scared of turning into your mother
I feel myself turn into my father
We could lie to each other like they do and say we're so happy
It's easy when you're young and you still want it so badly

And I feel my heart pounding
And I think I might scream

I can tell you that you're all I ever wanted, dear
And I can utter every word that you ever hoped to hear
I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

Tonight you whisper like a ghost and you look so shaken
You're so quiet and small and you tell me you want to be taken
I just never think of you as the kind of girl that would say that
You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp

You eyes so wide, your face aglow
It's the face of someone I don't know

I can tell you that you're all I ever wanted, dear
And I can utter every word that you've ever hoped to hear
I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

All I can think is that it must be a kind of rebellion
To arm your fears like soldiers and slay them

I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted, dear
Thorough the din of your breathing while you're sleeping here
You wake and you ask me
If I'm going to be here forever, forever, forever

Your face so expressive
And your eyes a lie
I wanna to tell you I can change them
When you cry at night
But I'd be lying
Love is defying


Lyrics submitted by mooaura, edited by xkristinx, ForzaFerrari20

All I Ever Wanted Lyrics as written by Steve Chen Mikel Frans Jollett

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

All I Ever Wanted song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

20 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    I saw this song performed live, and I cried during it. It's such an emotional song I'm sure alot of people can relate too. When I saw them in concert, I was with my boyfriend with who we were having some relationship problems. And this song just hit home. It's a very very very good song.

    It's basically just talking about a young couple that really isnt working but they try to hold onto the relationship anyways.

    recyledxphraseson October 11, 2009   Link
  • +2
    Lyric Correction

    I can only say these things to you when youre sleeping I hear the hum from the wires the sounds of the morning creep in I lie awake and pretend you can hear me

    You tell me that youre scared that you're turning into your mother I feel myself turn into my father we could lie to each other like they do and say were so happy its easy when youre young and you still want it so badly

    I feel my heart burning and I think that I might scream

    I can tell you that youre all I ever wanted, dear I can utter every word you'd ever hope to hear I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

    At night you whisper like a ghost and you look so shaken You're so quiet and small and you tell me you want to be taken I just never think of you as the kind of girl who would say that You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp Your eyes so wide your face a glow It's the face of someone I don't know

    I can tell you that youre all I've ever wanted, dear I can utter every word you'd ever hope to hear I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

    all I could think is that it must be a kind of rebellion To own your fears like soldiers and to slay them.

    I can tell you that youre all I ever wanted, dear Through the din of your breathing while youre sleeping here you wake and ask me if I'm gonna be here forever, forever, forever

    Your face all twisted and your eyes a lie I want to tell you I can change it when you cry at night But Id be lying Love is defying Were slowly dying

    200DiscChangeron April 27, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction

    The lyrics from the live performance at the Disney Concert Hall:

    I can only say these things to you while you’re sleeping I hear the hum from the wires and the sounds of the morning creeping I lie awake and pretend you can hear me

    You tell me that you’re scared that you’re turning into your mother I feel myself turning into my father As we lie to each other like they do and say we’re so happy It’s easy when you’re young and you still want it so badly

    I turn over again and feel my heart beating faster I stare out the window and I think I might scream And I could tell you that you’re all I’ve ever wanted dear I could utter ever word you’ve ever hoped to hear I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

    And the time when we were alone together at the station You were so quiet like a child and you told me you want to be taken Just never thought of you as the kind of girl who would do that You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp

    And I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t find it exciting Your eyes all wet your face so warm and inviting And I could tell you that you’re all I’ve ever wanted dear I could utter ever word you’ve ever hoped to hear I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

    I could tell you that I’m always gonna love you like the virgin bride you were that night but I’d be lying Love is defying

    And all I can think is that it must be a kind of rebellion So on these fears like soldiers and slay them And I could tell you that you’re all I’ve ever wanted dear Through the dead of your breathing while you’re sleeping here And you waken and you ask me if I’m gonna be here forever, forever, forever

    Your face so twisted and your eyes alight I want to tell you I can save you when you cry at night but I’d be trying Love is defying Won’t you stop crying?

    dustycottonon February 05, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction

    There are definitely different version, the best I've seen on youtube is the 'bombastic one' - however, there are lyrics that people seem to consistently get wrong that are the same in every version I've heard...

    On this site: We�re on these fears like soldiers and we slay them.

    What I hear: To ARM these fears like soldiers and slay them

    Arming soldiers, giving them guns - makes more sense and now that you know it I'm sure you'll hear it too

    GrimGrizon October 08, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    When I first listened to this song it sounded like in most of it he was singing of a relationship falling to bits and how he felt like he was just going through the motions. Then end it takes a turn and he is saying these are just fears. Once he slays them in his mind he knows he truly does love her. Now that I've seen the video (youtube.com/watch

    FyreFiendon September 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Correct lyrics as well:

    I can only say these things to you when youre sleeping I hear the hum from the wires and the sounds of the morning creep in So I lie awake and I hope that you cant hear me

    I can tell that youre so scared of turning into your mother I feel myself turn into my father So we can lie to each other like they do and say were still happy I guess its easy when youre young and you know you still want it so badly

    I turn over again and I feel my heart beating faster I stare out the window and I think that I might scream

    I can tell you that youre all I ever wanted, dear And I still utter every word as I hold you near But I shudder when I think that we might not be here forever, forever, forever

    And then we find ourselves alone at the station And you smile like a child and you told me you want to be taken I never thought youd were the kind of girl that would say that And you suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my breast Id be lying if I said that I didnt find it exciting Your eyes all wet and your face so warm and inviting

    I can tell you that youre all I ever wanted, dear And I utter every word as I hold you near But I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

    Id tell you that Im always gonna love you like some pristine doll that you hold at night Id be lying Love is defying

    And all I could think is that there must be some kind of rebellion To all these fears like soldiers and we slay them.

    So I can tell you that youre all I ever wanted, dear I still feel you breathing while youre sleeping here And you wake and ask me if I thought Id be here forever, forever, forever

    Your face all twisted and your eyes a lie I want to tell you I dont see you when you cry at night But Id be lying Love is defying Were slowly dying

    All the sound qualities are bad, so these proally arent 100 percent either.

    recyledxphraseson October 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    gorgeous song. i think he switches up the lyrics for each show, or otherwise hasn't settled yet, so we probably won't know the official lyrics until the studio version comes out. for instance, sometimes he sings "i could utter every word as i hold you near," but in some versions it sounds like "i could utter every word you ever hoped you'd hear." also, sometimes he says "pristine doll," but others he says "virgin bride." so, yeah. but i absolutely cannot wait to have a studio version of this song, just so that i can have one that is good quality. i have two different live versions of it on my ipod and i listen to them all the time. the song is gorgeous.

    tinto1123on January 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Great song, cannot wait til the album drops. I can relate with this song so well...

    Kixur413on February 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The album version is amazing... I can't stop listening to this cd!

    Kixur413on April 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    My take: Last night spent with a girlfriend. He knows it's over.

    200DiscChangeron April 27, 2011   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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.