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I Don't Know
Jamie Foxx Lyrics


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Yeah, Right [Repeat: x5]

[Chorus:]
I don't know why (I don't know why)
She keeps on passing me by,
Maybe her eye is on just some other guy,
And I'll forever be that fella on the side,
She passes me by

As I hopped off the train this shawty caught my eye,
I asked her for her name she gave me no reply,
She left me standing there with arrows in my heart,
But yet and still I'm wanting her,
And later on that week while driving in my car,
I could of sworn I saw that shawty walking down the road,
I thought she passed at me while I was staring from afar,
Or is just my young mind wishing

[Chorus]

Come back come back come back come back
Come back
(Come back come back come back come back)
I said come back baby
(Come back come back come back come back) [Repeat: x2]
I want you here by me (Come back come back come back come back) [Repeat: x3]

It gets so confusing this game,
I met a lot of girls but never felt this way,
I get strange pleasure though from going through this pain,
And like a ghost I'm haunting her,
I often fantasize about walking hand in hand
But I don't know her name or if she's got a man,
And the only thing that gives me hope to stay
Is maybe one day she'll notice me

[Chorus]

(Come back come back come back come back)
Why wont you come back (Come back come back come back come back)
I know you want to (Come back come back come back come back)
(Come back come back come back come back)

Overall Meaning

The song "I Don't Know" by Jamie Foxx talks about a man who is infatuated with a woman but has little knowledge about her. The song reportedly revolves around unrequited love, and the man seems to be in a longing state of mind. As the song starts, the man wonders why the woman keeps passing him by without taking any notice of him. He concludes that maybe the woman has her eyes set on someone else and that he will always be the guy left on the side. He exclaims, "I don't know why, she keeps passing me by, maybe her eye is on just some other guy, and I'll forever be that fella on the side."


However, the man's desire to meet this woman persists. He narrates how he met her the first time and tried to engage in conversation, but she didn't reply, making him stand there with arrows in his heart. He later spots her walking down the road and wonders if she noticed him too. The man's thought process is slightly erratic, and he feels that it gets confusing, especially as he has met a lot of women but never felt this way before. The man does not even know her name and is not sure whether she has a man. The uncertainty leads him to fantasize about walking hand in hand with her, hoping that one day she will notice him.


Overall, the song is a story of the man's obsession with a woman he barely knows. The man is in the stage of infatuation, and his emotions lead him to make sense of his desires. The song leaves us with the aftermath of the man's long quest to have his love reciprocated, yet he remains hopeful.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't know why (I don't know why)
I am confused by this woman's behavior towards me


She keeps on passing me by,
She consistently ignores me


Maybe her eye is on just some other guy,
Perhaps she is interested in someone else


And I'll forever be that fella on the side,
I will always be the unimportant person on the sidelines


As I hopped off the train this shawty caught my eye,
I noticed this woman as I was disembarking from the train


I asked her for her name she gave me no reply,
When I tried to speak with her, she ignored me


She left me standing there with arrows in my heart,
She hurt me emotionally by ignoring me


But yet and still I'm wanting her,
Despite her behavior, I am still attracted to her


And later on that week while driving in my car,
Several days later, I was driving and happened to see her again


I could of sworn I saw that shawty walking down the road,
I believe I saw her walking on the street


I thought she passed at me while I was staring from afar,
I believed she made eye contact with me while I looked at her from a distance


Or is just my young mind wishing
Alternatively, I may have imagined this interaction


Come back come back come back come back
I want her to return


I want you here by me
I desire her presence


It gets so confusing this game,
This situation is difficult to understand


I met a lot of girls but never felt this way,
I have dated many women, but none has had the same impact as this woman


I get strange pleasure though from going through this pain,
I find some enjoyment in the emotional turmoil she causes me


And like a ghost I'm haunting her,
I continue to think about her and pursue her even though she does not reciprocate my interest


I often fantasize about walking hand in hand
I daydream about having a romantic relationship with her


But I don't know her name or if she's got a man,
I do not even know her name or if she is in a relationship


And the only thing that gives me hope to stay
My only hope to continue pursuing her


Is maybe one day she'll notice me
Is that she may one day take notice of my interest in her


Why wont you come back
I am frustrated by her lack of interest in me


I know you want to
However, I believe she may secretly desire me




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Terri E. Robinson, Dwight Myers, Jean Claude Olivier

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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