(wee-ooh-ooh)
(ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
(ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)

I'm on the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
An' I wanna be, an' I wanna be back on the inside wi-ith you
You are with somebody new and I don't know what to do
'cause I'm still in love with you (in love with you)

I'm on the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be left on the outside all alone
Well, I guess I've had my day and you left me go my way
Now it's me who has to pay-ay-ay

I never should have gone away, I never should have gone away a-and left you like I did
(hoop-woo-ooh)
With tears in your ey-e-e-e-e-e-e-s
(hoop-woo-ooh)
I thought you'd take me back
But now, to my surprise (to my surprise)

<"I'm" sung as a sigh>

On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Gotta find a way, gotta find a way back to your heart, dear, once again
Won't you take me back again? I'll be waiting here till then
On the outside looking in (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

Won't you take me back again? I'll be waiting here till then
On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh)
(ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, looking in
(ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be looking in
[Fade]

Overall Meaning

The song "I'm on the Outside Looking In" by Little Anthony & the Imperials is about heartbreak and the longing to be back with a former love. The lyrics suggest that the singer is watching their former lover be with someone else, and they desperately want to be back with them. The chorus repeats the title line, emphasizing the feeling of being outside and excluded from the relationship. The lyrics express regret for leaving their lover in the first place and the hope to be taken back.

The use of repetition in the song adds to the sense of longing and desperation. The "oohs" and "ahs" in the background create a feeling of melancholy, which fits well with the theme of heartbreak. The line "I thought you'd take me back but now, to my surprise" shows the singer's shock and sadness at not being accepted back into the relationship. Overall, the song captures the universal feeling of wanting to be loved and accepted.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm on the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Feeling excluded and isolated from you and your new partner.

An' I wanna be, an' I wanna be back on the inside wi-ith you
I deeply desire to be reunited with you and our former relationship.

You are with somebody new and I don't know what to do
I am struggling with the fact that you have moved on and are now seeing someone else.

'cause I'm still in love with you (in love with you)
My feelings for you have not changed and I am still deeply in love with you.

I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be left on the outside all alone
I do not want to be left feeling lonely and abandoned.

Well, I guess I've had my day and you left me go my way
I understand that you have moved on and left our past relationship behind.

Now it's me who has to pay-ay-ay
I must deal with the consequences of my actions and my decision to leave you.

I never should have gone away, I never should have gone away a-and left you like I did
I regret leaving you and abandoning our relationship as I did.

(hoop-woo-ooh) With tears in your ey-e-e-e-e-e-e-s (hoop-woo-ooh)
I remember how you cried when I left and how much pain I caused you.

I thought you'd take me back
I foolishly believed that you would forgive me and take me back into your life.

But now, to my surprise (to my surprise)
I am shocked by the reality that you have moved on and do not want me back.

Gotta find a way, gotta find a way back to your heart, dear, once again
I must figure out a way to win back your heart and begin a new relationship with you.

Won't you take me back again? I'll be waiting here till then
I plead with you to take me back, and I am willing to wait until you are ready to forgive me.

On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I am still excluded from your life and relationships and feel like an outsider looking in.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, looking in
I am still stuck outside, and it feels lonely and painful.

I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be, I don' wanna be looking in
I do not want to continue feeling excluded from your relationships and want to be reunited with you.

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