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You Really Got Me
The Kinks Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Girl, you really got me goin'
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me

See, don't ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me
Oh no

See, don't ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me

Overall Meaning

The Kinks’ hit song “You Really Got Me” is a classic rock tune about the overwhelming power of love. The song is about a man who has been taken over by the feelings of love he is experiencing for a woman. He is so consumed by these feelings that he can no longer think clearly or function as he used to. The repetition of the line “you really got me” throughout the song emphasizes the fact that the woman has taken control of his life and he is completely under her spell. The chorus reflects the singer’s feelings by repeatedly telling the woman that she has truly “got him.”


The verses of the song reveal the depth of the singer’s obsession with the woman. He tells her that he cannot sleep at night because he is so consumed by thoughts of her. The line “don’t ever set me free” reflects his desire to be with her at all times, and shows that his love for the woman has become an addiction he cannot live without. The lyrics of the song are simple and direct, but it is the raw emotion in Ray Davies’ delivery that makes the song so powerful.


Overall, “You Really Got Me” is a testament to the power of love and the hold that it can have on a person’s life. The song’s lyrics are a testament to the intensity of love and the way it can completely change a person’s life.


Line by Line Meaning

Girl, you really got me goin'
The girl has an irresistible power over the singer, causing him to be completely consumed with her.


You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
The girl's influence has made the singer become so absorbed in her that he has become disoriented and lost touch with reality.


Yeah, you really got me now
The girl's power over the singer has only gotten stronger over time, making him even more dependent on her.


You got me so I can't sleep at night
The girl's hold is so strong that the singer cannot even rest peacefully without her presence.


See, don't ever set me free
The singer is pleading with the girl to never let him go because he is afraid of losing the intense connection he feels with her.


I always wanna be by your side
The singer's desire to be with the girl is constant and unwavering, as he feels incomplete without her.


Oh no
This exclamation could signify the singer's realization that he is completely bound to the girl, whether it is a positive or negative realization is up to interpretation.


You really got me
The girl's grip on the singer cannot be understated, as she has completely taken over his life.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Ray Davies

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@FULLmeltHASH

For 1964 this was wayyy ahead of its time

@tguthrie6

i thought this was a 90's song when i first heard it lol

@jennyjenny8662

Sound so good and I was born in 75 this rhythm is younger than me now...forever young ..Forever The Kinks

@jeromedavis8575

This song would be good for an IHOP commercial!

@josieposie5678

@@jeromedavis8575 ....that's so random lol

@jeromedavis8575

@@tguthrie6 so did I. This goes to show that songs like this last forever!

104 More Replies...

@Good_Guitarist

Fun fact: this iconic guitar riff was originally played on the saxophone, it was "jazzy" before they decided to play it on fuzz guitar and it totally changed everything for the world of rock 'n roll!

@magicianASMR

cool

@aadenlee4888

@@magicianASMR YEAH COOL

@joesimon2018

Fun fact. The guitar amp's speaker was torn into with a knife to get that sound

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