If I Needed You
Andrew Bird Lyrics


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If I needed you would you come to me
Would you come to me, for ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain

In the night forlorn when the morning's born
And the morning shines with the lights of love
You will miss sunrise if you close your eyes
And that would break my heart in two

The lady's with me now since I showed her how
To lay her lily hand in mine
Loop and Lil agree she's a sight to see
And a treasure for the poor to find





If I needed you would you come to me
Would you come to me, for ease my pain?

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Andrew Bird's song "If I Needed You" suggest an intimate and vulnerable relationship between the singer and the person he's addressing. He is asking them if they would be there to ease his pain if he needed them, expressing his need for comfort and support. In turn, he assures them that he would be just as devoted to easing their pain, even going so far as to "swim the seas." This reciprocation of emotional support and care is the foundation of the song's sentimentality.


The second verse paints a picture of a beautiful morning and the possibility of missing it if one keeps their eyes closed. It's a metaphorical plea for the person he's addressing to embrace life and not let it pass them by. The singer's statement that it would "break my heart in two" if they miss the sunrise suggests a deep emotional connection between the two parties. He cares deeply for them and doesn't want them to miss out on things that would bring them joy.


The final verse shifts the focus from the singer and the person he's addressing to a third party - a woman who is now with him. The imagery of her "lily hand" in his suggests a delicate and pure connection between the two of them. The use of the names "Loop and Lil" is interesting - they are both musicians who wrote the original version of this song in the 1980s. This could be a nod to them as the inspiration for this version - a tribute to their work and an indication of Bird's respect for their talent. The final lines circle back to the central theme of the song, with the singer asking once more if the person he's addressing would be there for him if he needed them.


Overall, "If I Needed You" is a song about the importance of emotional support in a relationship. It emphasizes the need for vulnerability and reciprocity, with the singer making it clear that he would be just as devoted to easing the other person's pain as they would be to easing his.


Line by Line Meaning

If I needed you would you come to me
Asking if the person he cares about would be there for him in his time of need


Would you come to me, for ease my pain?
Asking if they would be willing to come to him to provide comfort and relief from the pain he may be feeling


If you needed me
Assuring the other person that he would be there for them if they needed him, just as he is asking them to be there for him


I would come to you
Explicitly stating that he would be willing to go to the other person to help them in any way he could


I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain
Using a vivid metaphor to convey the depths of his willingness to help the other person, suggesting that he would go to great lengths for their sake


In the night forlorn when the morning's born
Setting the scene of a lonely night where the dawn brings new hope and a break from the darkness


And the morning shines with the lights of love
Linking the dawn with love, implying that the new day brings with it new opportunities for love to shine


You will miss sunrise if you close your eyes
Warning the other person not to miss out on the chance for love by ignoring it or shutting it out


And that would break my heart in two
Expressing how much it would pain him to see the other person miss out on love, suggesting that he cares deeply about them


The lady's with me now since I showed her how
Revealing the artist's success in helping a woman find happiness and love, implying that he may be offering the same help to the person he is addressing in the song


To lay her lily hand in mine
Using poetic language to describe the intimacy and connection between the singer and the woman he helped


Loop and Lil agree she's a sight to see
Referring to the opinions of Loop and Lil (whoever they may be) as a way of emphasizing how beautiful and desirable the woman is


And a treasure for the poor to find
Highlighting the valuable nature of the woman the singer helped, as well as perhaps implying that he is offering the same kind of treasure to the person he is addressing in the song




Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TOWNES VAN ZANDT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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