"When You're Gone" received generally favourable reviews from music critics, who praised the production but criticized Melanie C's vocals. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and at number four on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. An accompanying music video was released by German film director Marcus Nispel, which depicts Adams and Melanie C inside a house. Adams recorded another version of "When You're Gone" with Canadian-American actress Pamela Anderson for his compilation album, Anthology (2005), and as a new version with Melanie C for his album of re-recordings, Classic Pt II (2022).
An accompanying music video was directed by German film director Marcus Nispel and released in 1998. It depicts Adams and Melanie C running around a house. Writing for The Guardian, Richard Benson described Adams' appearance as "green of face". On May 22, 2020, a high-definition (HD) version of the video was uploaded on YouTube. A new music video for the re-recorded version of "When You're Gone" by Adams and Melanie C was released in 2022.
"When You're Gone" is frequently performed at Adams' concerts as an acoustic version, which he picks an audience member to sing the song alongside him. Melanie C regularly included "When You're Gone" on the setlist of her live concerts. On January 8, 1999, Melanie C and Adams appeared on TOTP to perform "When You're Gone" as a duet. Adams performed "When You're Gone" in the first week of the live show on the third season of The X Factor Australia in September 2011. In November 2011, Adams appeared halfway through the contestants' group performance of the song on the eighth season of The X Factor UK. Melanie C performed "When You're Gone" with Irish singer Nathan Carter on the second season of The Nathan Carter Show on RTÉ One in November 2017, and with Adams during his concert in her hometown of Widnes in July 2022.
When You're Gone
Bryan Adams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been wanderin' around the house all night
Wondering what the hell to do
Yeah, I'm trying to concentrate but all I can think of is you
Well the phone don't ring 'cause my friends ain't home
I'm tired of being all alone
Baby when you're gone I realize I'm in love
Days go on and on and the nights just seem so long
Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should
Things just feel so wrong baby when you're gone
Yeah, I've been driving up and down these streets
Trying to find somewhere to go
Ya I'm lookin' for a familiar face but there's no one I know
Ah this is torture, this is pain
It feels like I'm gonna go insane
I hope you're coming back real soon 'cause I don't know what to do
Baby when you're gone I realize I'm in love
Days go on and on and the nights just seem so long
Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should
Things just feel so wrong, baby when you're gone
Baby when you're gone I realize I'm in love
The days go on and on and the nights seem so long
Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should
Things just feel so wrong baby when you're gone
Baby when you're gone, yeah
Baby when you're gone
"When You're Gone" is a song by Bryan Adams featuring Melanie C, which was released in 1998. The song is about missing someone and not being able to focus on anything else. The lyrics describe how the singer has been wandering around the house, trying to find something to do but cannot take their mind off the person they miss. They have been trying to concentrate on something, but all they can think of is this person.
The song talks about how the singer is tired of being alone and has the TV on to avoid thinking about the person they miss. The days seem long, and even the food doesn't taste good, which reflects the sadness and emptiness the singer experiences. They have been driving around, looking for some familiar place to go, but they cannot find anyone they know.
The chorus is the most memorable part of the song, as it expresses how much the singer realizes they are in love with this person when they are gone. The lyrics emphasize how everything feels wrong when they are not around.
Overall, "When You're Gone" is a heartbreaking song that captures the feeling of missing someone you love and the emptiness that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're gone
I miss you and I feel lost without you
I've been wanderin' around the house all night
I can't sleep because you're not here and I don't know what to do with myself
Wondering what the hell to do
I'm frustrated and confused because I can't stop thinking about you
Yeah, I'm trying to concentrate but all I can think of is you
You're always on my mind and I can't focus on anything else
Well the phone don't ring 'cause my friends ain't home
I'm lonely and my friends aren't available to talk to me
I'm tired of being all alone
I'm fed up with being by myself
Got the TV on 'cause the radio's playing songs that remind me of you
I'm distracting myself with TV because hearing music makes me think of you even more
Baby when you're gone I realize I'm in love
Being away from you makes me realize how much I love and need you
Days go on and on and the nights just seem so long
Time passes slowly and I feel the absence of your presence
Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should
I can't enjoy food or alcohol because I'm too preoccupied with missing you
Things just feel so wrong baby when you're gone
My life feels incomplete without you and everything seems off
Yeah, I've been driving up and down these streets
I'm searching for something to do or someone to see in order to distract myself from missing you
Trying to find somewhere to go
I'm looking for a place to escape to and forget about my feelings for you
Ya I'm lookin' for a familiar face but there's no one I know
I'm hoping to see someone who will make me feel less alone, but I don't recognize anyone
Ah this is torture, this is pain
Being without you is extremely difficult and emotionally painful
It feels like I'm gonna go insane
My emotions are overwhelming me and I'm worried I might lose control
I hope you're coming back real soon 'cause I don't know what to do
I'm counting on you returning to me soon because I can't handle being without you
Baby when you're gone I realize I'm in love
Being apart from you makes me recognize how important you are to me
The days go on and on and the nights seem so long
Time feels like it's standing still and I can't stop thinking about you
Even food don't taste that good, drink ain't doing what it should
My basic pleasures and comforts are gone because I'm so focused on missing you
Things just feel so wrong baby when you're gone
My world is incomplete without you and I feel lost and unhappy
Baby when you're gone
Without you, my life doesn't feel complete
Baby when you're gone
I miss you so much and I can't wait for you to come back
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eliot Kennedy, Bryan Adams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paji_jungcat
"When You're Gone"
I've been wandering around the house all night
Wondering what the hell to do
I'm trying to concentrate but all I can think of is you
Well the phone don't ring cuz my friends ain't home
I'm tired of being all alone
Got the tv on cuz the radio's playing songs that remind me
Of you
Baby when you're gone - I realize I'm in love
The days go on and on - and the nights just seem so long
Even food don't taste that good - drink ain't doing what it
Should
Things just feel so wrong - baby when you're gone
I've been driving up and down these streets
Trying to find somewhere to go
Ya I'm lookin' for a familiar face but there's no one I know
This is torture - this is pain - it feels like I'm gonna go
Insane
I hope you're coming back real soon - cuz I don't know what
To do
@achilles6541
2024 who's still listening?
@ItalianFlava83
Me me me!!!
@TheRobintje1999
Yes
@demontrader1222
I am. I am from that era, kept myself incredibly young looking, and am gonna recreate it to play...the cars, music, clothes. Love it! Especially with my business soaring. The energy of that era. Unmatched.
@Kenyagirly
Me
@merizanetaniel
❤
@CheetosBaccarat
January 2024 and I'm still loving this song. The good old times.
@tareqmare519
May 2022 and i'm still love that song, remind me when i was 16
@petenstein247
Same. Their voices work so well together.
@TheCrusader1000
He just did a gig in my city of Liverpool this month 😁👍