I Want To Be Loved
Bon Jovi Lyrics


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I had a roof overhead
Had shoes on my feet
Yeah, sure I was fed
But no one was there when I was in need, yeah

So who am I now?
Who do you want me to be?
I can forgive you but I won't re-live you
I ain't the same scared kid I used to be

I'm gonna live
I'm gonna survive
I don't want the world to pass me by
I'm gonna dream
I ain't gonna die
Thinking my life was just a lie
I want to be loved
I want to be loved

I found a picture
Our so-called family tree, yeah
I broke all the branches lookin' for answers
Don't you know that ain't how it's supposed to be?

I'm gonna live
I'm gonna survive
I don't want the world to pass me by
I'm gonna dream
I ain't gonna die
Thinking my life was just a lie
I want to give
I'm ready to try
Willing to lay it on the line
I want to be loved
I want to be

I ain't gonna cry, I don't want to scream
But I got so much left unsaid inside of me

I'm gonna live
I'm gonna survive
Don't want the world to pass me by
I'm gonna dream
I ain't gonna die
Thinking my life was just a lie
I want to give
I'm ready to try
Willing to lay it on the line
I want to beloved
I want to be loved




I just want to be love
I want to be loved [Repeat: x3]

Overall Meaning

The song "I Want to Be Loved" by Bon Jovi is a powerful and emotional tune about the need for love and the struggles that can come with it. In the first verse, the lyrics describe a childhood where basic needs were met but emotional support and love were lacking. The singer questions who they are now and expresses a desire to be loved for who they are, not who someone else wants them to be. The chorus asserts that the singer wants to live, survive, and dream rather than just exist in a world that could pass them by. They want to give and try, laying it all on the line for the chance to be loved.


The second verse brings up the theme of family and the struggle to find one's identity and place within it. The singer mentions a family tree but notes that they had to break all the branches to find answers that were not there. This highlights the difficulty of finding oneself when familial relationships are strained or non-existent. The repeated chorus emphasizes the desire to live, to love, and to be loved.


Overall, "I Want to Be Loved" is a deeply personal and honest song about the human need for emotional connection and the resilience required to keep seeking it out, even when it feels impossible.


Line by Line Meaning

I had a roof overhead
I had a place to live, a roof to protect me from the weather


Had shoes on my feet
I had footwear to protect my feet and to allow me to walk and run


Yeah, sure I was fed
I had food to eat, to sustain me and give me energy


But no one was there when I was in need, yeah
Even though I had basic necessities, I lacked emotional support and nobody was there for me when I needed them


So who am I now?
I am questioning my identity and who I have become


Who do you want me to be?
I am asking others what they expect of me and what kind of person they want me to be


I can forgive you but I won't re-live you
I am willing to forgive someone, but I don't want to go back to the way things were with them


I ain't the same scared kid I used to be
I have grown and changed as a person and I am no longer the fearful child I once was


I'm gonna live
I am going to actively participate in life and not just exist


I'm gonna survive
I am going to endure and overcome hardships


I don't want the world to pass me by
I don't want to miss out on opportunities or experiences in life


I'm gonna dream
I am going to have aspirations and hopes for my future


I ain't gonna die
I am not going to give up and let my dreams die


Thinking my life was just a lie
I don't want to look back on my life and think that it was all meaningless or unfulfilling


I want to be loved
I desire to be accepted and cherished by others


I found a picture
I came across a photograph


Our so-called family tree, yeah
I found a genealogy chart that is supposed to show my family relationships


I broke all the branches lookin' for answers
I searched through all the family connections for explanations, but I couldn't find any


Don't you know that ain't how it's supposed to be?
I am saying that the lack of answers and the brokenness of my family relationships is not the way things are supposed to be


I want to give
I want to be generous and give of myself to others


I'm ready to try
I am willing to make an effort and attempt something new


Willing to lay it on the line
I am prepared to take a risk and put everything on the line


I want to beloved
I want to be loved and accepted by others


I ain't gonna cry, I don't want to scream
I am saying that I will not let my emotions overwhelm me and cause me to break down


But I got so much left unsaid inside of me
I have a lot of things that I want to express and share with others but have been holding back


I just want to be love
I am emphasizing the desire to be loved and accepted by others as the main priority in my life


I want to be loved [Repeat: x3]
I repeat the desire to be loved for emphasis and as an expression of the importance of this desire to me




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: RICHARD SAMBORA, JOHN SHANKS, JON BON JOVI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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