I Really Want You
James Blunt Lyrics

I really want you
The singer desires the love and attention of the person they are addressing

I really want you
Reinforcing the intensity of the singer's desire

Many Prophets preach on bended knees
Religious leaders often advocate passionately

Many clerics wasted wine,
Religious leaders often partake in excess, perhaps without accomplishing their goals

Do the bloody sheets and those troubled streets mean?
The artist is questioning the meaning or significance of violence and chaos in the world

I have wasted time,
The singer feels they have lost time or opportunities in life

Are there silver shores on paradise?
The singer wonders if paradise exists and if it is everything they imagine it to be

Can I come in from the cold?
The artist seeks warmth, both physically and emotionally

I killed a man in a far away land
The artist may be confessing to a past sin or expressing guilt

My enemy untold
The identity or nature of the artist's enemy is unspecified

No matter what I say or do
The singer feels as though their efforts are futile

The message isn't getting through
The artist's attempts to communicate their love and desires are going unheard

And you're listening to the sound
The person the singer is addressing is aware of the pain and heartbreak the singer is experiencing

Of my breaking heart
The singer is experiencing emotional pain and heartbreak

Is a poor man rich in solitude?
The singer is considering the concept of wealth and whether it is measured solely by material possessions

Or when mother earth complained
The artist is using personification to suggest that the earth may be experiencing pain or hardship

Did the beggar pray for a sunny day but
Even someone with very little may wish for something beyond their means or grasp

Lady luck for rain
Luck may come in unexpected or paradoxical forms

They say a million people bow and scream
The singer is considering the power of a collective and the influence of mob mentality

To an effigy of gold
The object of the worship is ultimately meaningless or trivial

As so life begin
The beginning of life and the meaning of existence are mysteries

And the ship we're in
The artist is acknowledging that they and their addressee are in the same boat or facing similar struggles

And history unfold
The course of human events and how they shape the present and future are unpredictable

I really want you to really want me
The artist is expressing the intensity of their desire for the other person's affection and attention

But I really don?t know if you can do that (really want you)
The singer is uncertain whether their love can be reciprocated

I know you want to know what?s right
The singer suggests the addressee is searching for answers or guidance

But I know so hard for you to do that (really want you)
The singer acknowledges that it may be difficult for the other person to understand or follow their heart

Time's running out as it often does
The artist is aware that time is fleeting and may be running out on their opportunity for love

And often dictates that you can't do that (really want you)
External factors may be preventing the addressee from reciprocating the artist's love

Fate can't break this feeling inside
The singer believes their love is stronger than any outside force or obstacle

That's burning up through my veins...
The intensity of the singer's love is consuming them

Now...
Emphasizing the immediacy of the artist's desire and need for love