All You Wanted Lyrics

Lyric discussion by citydollj 

Cover art for All You Wanted lyrics by Michelle Branch

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.

My Interpretation