When I Was Your Man
Jake Barker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
It all just sounds like ooh
Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
But she's dancing with another man
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
'Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh oh
And it haunts me every time I close my eyes
It all just sounds like ooh
Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
But she's dancing with another man
Although it hurts
I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
I know I'm probably much too late
To try and apologize for my mistakes
But I just want you to know
I hope he buys you flowers
I hope he holds your hand
Give you all his hours
When he has the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance
Do all the things I should have done
When I was your man
Do all those things I should have done
When I was your man
The lyrics to Jake Barker's song "When I Was Your Man" paint a vivid picture of a man who has lost his love and is filled with regrets for not cherishing her enough while they were together. The first verse sets the scene of a shared bed that feels somehow emptier, with their song playing on the radio but with a new significance as it now makes him miss his lost love even more. When friends mention her name, all he is left with is the pain of the breakup. The second verse makes it even clearer that he was to blame for his partner walking out on him, as his ego and selfishness caused him to neglect the needs of his "good strong woman". He now regrets not having given her more of his time, attention, and love.
The chorus, "it all just sounds like ooh," is an expression of the pain and frustration that he feels knowing that he has lost something valuable, but realizing it too late. The repetition of the phrase, "too young, too dumb, to realize," emphasizes his youthful naivete and lack of understanding about what he had. The list of specific things he should have done for her, like buying her flowers, holding her hand, and taking her to parties, is a poignant reminder of what he could have had if he had only been more thoughtful and caring.
Overall, the song is a lament for love lost, and a powerful message to others to cherish the ones they love before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Sleeping in the same bed but it feels more empty after the woman left
Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
Their shared song reminds him of the woman he lost and he feels empty
When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
Hearing about her through friends causes him to feel emotional pain
'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
Hearing her name causes him emotional pain and heartbreak
Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
He was young and foolish, didn't understand the importance of the relationship
That I should have bought you flowers
He should have made more romantic gestures to show his love for her
And held your hand
He should have been more affectionate towards her
Should have gave you all my hours
He should have spent more time with her
When I had the chance
When they were together he didn't give her the love and attention she deserved
Take you to every party
He should have included her in all aspects of his life
'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
She loved to dance and he should have indulged in her interests
Now my baby's dancing
She moved on and is happy now
But she's dancing with another man
She found someone else to love and dance with
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
He was consumed with his own pride and ego which ultimately ruined their relationship
'Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
His selfishness caused a strong woman to leave him
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh oh
He never got to fix the damage he caused
And it haunts me every time I close my eyes
He is tormented by his mistakes and regrets them every night
I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
He acknowledges his mistakes and takes ownership of his wrongdoings
I know I'm probably much too late
He knows it's too late to make things right
To try and apologize for my mistakes
He wants to apologize for his mistakes and make amends
I hope he buys you flowers
He hopes the new man in her life treats her better and makes romantic gestures
I hope he holds your hand
He hopes the new man in her life is more affectionate towards her
Give you all his hours
He hopes the new man in her life spends lots of time with her
Do all the things I should have done
He hopes that the new man in her life loves and cares for her in the way he regrets not doing
When I was your man
He is reflecting on the past and wishing he had been a better partner
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Andrew Wyatt, Ari Levine, Philip Lawrence, Peter Gene Hernandez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Armine Abrahamyan
this song reminds me of my young and careless days....love it so much