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I Want You Back
The Jackson 5 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uh-huh, huh, huh
Just let me tell you now
Uh-huh

When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around
Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took
Now it's much too late for me to take a second look

Oh, baby, give me one more chance (to show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me back in your heart
Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Yes, I do now (I want you back)
Ooh, ooh, baby (I want you back)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I want you back)
Na, na, na, na

Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night
Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground
Following the girl I didn't even want around
Let me tell you now

Oh, baby, all I need is one more chance (to show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me back in your heart
Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
But now since I see you in his arms, uh-huh

Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I want
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I need
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I want
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I need

Oh, just one more chance to show that I love you
Baby (baby)
Baby (baby)
Baby (baby)

(I want you back)
Forget what happened then (I want you back)
Let me live again

Oh, baby, I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)

Spare me of this cause
Get back what I lost

Oh, baby, I need one more chance, ha
I tell ya that I love you
Baby (oh), baby (oh), baby (oh)
I want you back, ha
I want you back

Overall Meaning

In the opening lines of the song, the singer is regretting ignoring someone he had in his life, but took for granted. The person had a unique beauty that made them stand out in a crowd, and he didn’t appreciate their worth until they were out of his life. The singer is asking for another chance to show his love for the person and prove how much he needs them in his life, by begging for them to let him back in their heart.


In the second verse, the singer emphasizes the pain he is going through as a result of losing this person, stating that trying to live without them is one long, sleepless night. He goes on to say that he has left tear stains on the ground following the person because he now sees that he needs them, even though he didn’t want them before. The song concludes with the repetition of his plea for another chance to show his love, and the phrase “I want you back” repeated several times as the climax of his passionate begging.


Line by Line Meaning

Uh-huh, huh, huh
An emphatic sound indicating agreement or affirmation


Just let me tell you now
I want to share this information with you immediately


When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around
I didn't appreciate you when you were mine exclusively


Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd
Others were attracted to you because of your attractive appearance


But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took
However, someone recognized your worth and took you away with a single glance


Now it's much too late for me to take a second look
It's too late for me to reconsider my decision to let you go


Oh, baby, give me one more chance (to show you that I love you)
I am imploring you to grant me another opportunity to prove my affection for you


Won't you please let me back in your heart
Can you allow me to restore your love for me?


Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
I see now how foolish I was to let you leave me


But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Seeing you with someone else has made me realize that I still want you


Yes, I do now (I want you back)
I am certain that I want to be with you again


Ooh, ooh, baby (I want you back)
My desire to be with you is strong


Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I want you back)
I am definitely sure that I want to be with you once again


Na, na, na, na
A rhythmic utterance with no particular meaning


Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night
I found it impossible to cope with life after we broke up


Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right
I want to demonstrate that I have the judgement to make good decisions


Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground
Seeing you makes me so emotional that I leave visible signs of my distress


Following the girl I didn't even want around
Ironically, I find myself pursuing the same girl that I once ignored


Oh, baby, all I need is one more chance (to show you that I love you)
I am asking for the opportunity to convince you that I am sincere


Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
A nonsensical vocalization with a rhythmic pattern


All I want
My desire for you is singular


Oh, just one more chance to show that I love you
I am begging for another opportunity to express my affection


Baby (baby)
An affectionate term of address


Forget what happened then (I want you back)
I am willing to overlook our past issues in the hope of being reunited


Let me live again
I feel like I am reawakening now that I see the possibility of a future with you


Spare me of this cause
I hope you will show me mercy and give me a break


Get back what I lost
I want to reclaim what I foolishly let slip away


Oh, baby, I need one more chance, ha
I truly require another opportunity to make things right


I tell ya that I love you
I am confessing my love for you


Ha
An exclamation of emotion


I want you back, ha
I want to be in a relationship with you again




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Deke Richards, Berry Gordy Jr

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Cris Sabanpan

Hlo

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@thiagomendes-ki4sz

Uh-huh huh huh huh
Let me tell ya now
Uh-huh

Verse 1:
When I had you to myself
I didn't want you around
Those pretty faces always made you
Stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch
One glance was all it took
Now it's much too late for me to take a second look

Chorus:
Oh baby give me one more chance
(show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me
(back to your heart)
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
(let you go baby)
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)
Yes I do now
(I want you back)
Ooh ooh baby
(I want you back)
Ya ya ya ya
(I want you back)
Na na na na

Verse 2:
Tryin' to live without your love
Is one long sleepless night
Let me show you girl
That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on
I leave tearstains on the ground
Following the girl
I didn't even want around
Let me tell you now

Chorus:
Oh baby all I need is one more chance
(show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me
(back to your heart)
Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go
(let you go baby)
But now since I see you in his arms

Uh-huh
A buh buh buh buh (2 times)
All I want
A buh buh buh buh
All I need
A buh buh buh buh
All I want
A buh buh buh buh
All I need

(Jermaine):
Oh just one more chance
To show you that I love you
Baby (6 times)

(I want you back)
(Jackie):
Forget what happened then
(I want you back)
(Jermaine):
Let me live again

Oh darling I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)
(Jackie):
Spare me of this cause
(Jermaine):
Gimme back what I lost

Oh baby I need one more chance ha
I tell ya that I love you



All comments from YouTube:

@t.j.williams4063

This man NEVER had a real childhood. Been a mega star since a fuckin child and never got a break. As talented as he was, as much as he accomplished, shit like dat jus heartbreaking.

@number9dreamz

monster of a father too, his home environment was absolute hell

@EvaSchroeder-lb8lx

It ruined his life frankly

@xmochix604

Agree. They say that many times you just never grow up emotionally with trauma and horrible childhood, and that’s why he was always ridiculed by media and people.

@jeanprimeau5689

fuck man , so true, genius like mozart honestly.

@erlindadimas8628

@@jeanprimeau5689 ĺv b 7

61 More Replies...

@codyjaymz

This dude came out the womb spinning and singing like an angel. What an absolute ICON.

@milesjohnson5487

Ew !

@ToxPhy

Moonwalked into the world.

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