I Want You
Janet Jackson Lyrics

Feel like things are goin
It feels like things are progressing in the relationship, but then suddenly they're over.

And then there gone
The relationship seems to end abruptly and without warning.

Your like a maze, I can't get through
The person is difficult to read or understand, like a complex maze that can't be navigated easily.

Should I go left? Should I go right?
The artist is unsure which direction to take in the relationship, whether to move forward or end it entirely.

Should I let you stay for the night?
The artist is considering whether or not to spend the night together, yet still has doubts about what that might mean for the relationship overall.

It's like a see-saw when it comes to your love
The ups and downs of the person's affection create an unstable and uncertain dynamic in the relationship.

Boy when your up, this girl is down
When the person is showing love or interest, the singer feels low or left behind.

And I just can't figure it out
Despite the shifting dynamic, the artist is struggling to comprehend what the other person wants or needs in the relationship.

'Cause you know that I want you
The artist wants the person in question to understand that she desires them deeply.

(Yeah)
An affirmative exclamation to emphasize this desire.

And you know that I need you
Not only does the singer want the person, but she feels that she requires them in some way.

(Yeah)
Again, an affirmative exclamation serves to emphasize her statement.

Is that anyway to be?
Despite the statement of deep desire, the singer expresses doubts as to whether or not such intense need or desire is healthy for her.

Just have your way with me
Despite those doubts, the singer is willing to submit or follow the other person's lead in the relationship.

My body is cryin' and
The singer's physical desire or arousal is so intense that it feels emotional and overwhelming.

(Yeah)
Once again, an affirmative exclamation to place emphasis on the strong feelings being expressed.

These tears can you wipe them?
Despite the physical desire, the artist is still in need of emotional support and care from the other person.

(Yeah)
Another affirmative exclamation to bring emphasis to the need for support and care.

I'm going out with guys
The singer is having trouble finding satisfaction or fulfillment outside of her relationship, and is resorting to attracting other men.

That I don't wanna go
Despite her efforts, she has no interest in dating these men who are not the person she truly wants.

To places that I been before
In addition to going out with men she doesn't want to be with, she's being taken to places that don't hold any personal meaning to her.

(They pitching the same game)
The men she's going out with are saying the same things as one another, and aren't offering anything new or interesting in terms of their approach to dating or relationships.

Ha, boy it's a damn shame
The singer feels disappointed or disgusted by the men she's dating, and finds it a sad state of affairs.

(How I wish it was you)
The artist is still hoping and wishing that the person she truly desires would be the one taking her out on these dates.

(I want it to be you)
She is openly declaring her desire for the person and her wish that he was the one taking her out.

Holdin' me
The singer wants to be held by the person, implying a need for safety, comfort, and intimacy.

(Boy it needs to be you)
The singer is emphasizing not only her desire but her belief that being held by this particular person would fulfill her emotional needs.

Kissin' me-e
The artist desires not only physical touch, but specifically kissing, which suggests a deep emotional connection.

Listen
The artist is attempting to draw in the other person's attention, as if to implore them to hear what she's saying next.

(Have your way with me)
The singer is urging the other person to have complete control over the relationship and take what he wants from her.

Have your way with me
Repeating this line serves to emphasize the singer's desire for submission and surrender.

(Anytime or anywhere, have me)
The artist is willing to give her body and submission to the other person anywhere or anytime they desire, emphasizing the depth of her need.

(However I don't care)
Despite her earlier doubts and insecurities, the artist is now fully prepared to cast them aside in order to fulfill her desire for the other person.

(I'll be your everything tonight)
The artist is willing to be essentially anything the other person desires for tonight, as long as he maintains control.

(Boy tonight)
The emphasis on “tonight” implies that the singer is willing to fulfill the other person's desires, but only for a limited time or in a specific context.

Oooh ahhh
A sound of desire or arousal that plays off of the earlier line, “My body is cryin'.”