I Won't Be Long
Beck Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

What you really need in this life is to be, or go insane
Adjust, to get you through the day
Wear your face inside your face
No one really gives a damn

They don't, they don't see you anyway
So I won't be sorry
For the things I never did
No I won't be sorry
For the things inside my head

All those things you did
They got inside, took my heart
But stole my pride
Again, after all the things I tried

So I won't be sorry
For the things I never did
No I won't be sorry
For the things inside my head

All in all
That's all we are

For the things inside my head
All the things I never said
For the times that you see red
For the things I left for dead

No I won't be sorry
No I won't be sorry




No I won't be sorry
No I won't be sorry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Beck's song "I Won't Be Long" reveal the struggles of feeling invisible and unrecognized in a world that often seems to overlook individuals. The first stanza highlights the importance of finding a way to cope with the hardships of life without losing one's mind. The singer suggests that one must adjust and wear a mask to make it through the day. Yet, underneath the outer facade, the singer acknowledges that no one really cares, and he or she feels hidden from view. This sentiment is reinforced in the following stanza when the singer expresses that these struggles have caused his or her heart to be taken, and pride to be stolen. The singer has tried to make things better, but despite their efforts, they remain unrecognized and ignored.


The chorus "So I won't be sorry for the things I never did, no I won't be sorry for the things inside my head" suggests that the singer will not apologize for not conforming to others' expectations or for holding onto inner desires and dreams. At times, these dreams and aspirations may be seen as a form of madness. However, the singer is unwilling to conform to the standards of others and is determined to pursue what is inside his or her head. The last stanza is a repetition of these themes, emphasizing that we are all just trying to make our way through the world, and it's important to remain true to oneself and to hold fast to one's dreams and inner self.


Line by Line Meaning

What you really need in this life is to be, or go insane
To cope with life, you need to either accept the madness or become mad yourself


Adjust, to get you through the day
Make adjustments to survive the day and its challenges


Wear your face inside your face
Put on a mask or facade to hide your true emotions and thoughts


No one really gives a damn
People are indifferent or apathetic towards your problems or concerns


They don't, they don't see you anyway
People do not notice or acknowledge you, even when they are around you


So I won't be sorry
I will not apologize or feel regret for my thoughts and actions


For the things I never did
I am not sorry for missed opportunities or things I did not do


No I won't be sorry
Repeating that there is no need to apologize


All those things you did
Referring to someone else's actions


They got inside, took my heart
Those actions affected me emotionally and hurt me deeply


But stole my pride
Those actions also affected my self-esteem and confidence


Again, after all the things I tried
Despite my efforts to make things work, I am still hurt and affected by those actions


For the things inside my head
Referencing the thoughts and emotions that are not expressed or shared with others


All in all
Overall or all things considered


That's all we are
We are defined by our thoughts, emotions, and experiences


For the things inside my head
Repeating the reference to unspoken thoughts and emotions


All the things I never said
Referring to the things that were left unsaid or unexpressed


For the times that you see red
For those moments of intense anger or frustration


For the things I left for dead
Regret for not pursuing certain things or not following through on certain actions


No I won't be sorry
Repeating that there is no need to apologize


No I won't be sorry
Repeating that there is no need to apologize


No I won't be sorry
Repeating that there is no need to apologize


No I won't be sorry
Repeating that there is no need to apologize




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@DeathInANuse

This is why Beck never faded into obscurity, he always puts out an instant classic like this just when you forgot about him.

@makavelismith

@Audriana Pequeno His last 2 albums were pretty forgettable.

@Gnix1996

@Dermot Moriarty blasphemy. They were great for the genre they were.

@makavelismith

@Gabriel Nixon No, they were shit.

@Gnix1996

@Dermot Moriarty what makes that so?

@makavelismith

@Gabriel Nixon You'd have to ask Beck but I tried to like them. They are just awful. I find it weird that anyone could possibly enjoy them.

@AbleFoxie

I really wish he made a whole album like this song, defriended, and gimme. I've always loved the style of all three of these songs.

@mykeanthony519

same those 3 are my favorite beck songs ever

@theneedledrop

that instrumental bridge in the middle is pretty.

@flynnexe

you're pretty, melon

More Comments

More Versions