I Want You Back
Michael Jacksons and the Jackson 5 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uh-huh, huh, huh
Just let me tell you now
Uh-huh

When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around
Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took
Now it's much too late for me to take a second look

Oh, baby, give me one more chance (to show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me back in your heart
Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Yes, I do now (I want you back)
Ooh, ooh, baby (I want you back)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I want you back)
Na, na, na, na

Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night
Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground
Following the girl I didn't even want around
Let me tell you now

Oh, baby, all I need is one more chance (to show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me back in your heart
Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
But now since I see you in his arms, uh-huh

Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I want
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I need
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I want
Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
All I need

Oh, just one more chance to show that I love you
Baby (baby)
Baby (baby)
Baby (baby)

(I want you back)
Forget what happened then (I want you back)
Let me live again

Oh, baby, I was blind to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)

Spare me of this cause
Get back what I lost

Oh, baby, I need one more chance, ha
I tell ya that I love you
Baby (oh), baby (oh), baby (oh)




I want you back, ha
I want you back

Overall Meaning

The song "I Want You Back" by Michael and Jackson 5 begins by regretting the mistake of letting the person they love go. They confess that they didn't appreciate the person's presence when they had them to themselves, but now they can't stand seeing them with someone else. The person they love has become so important to them that they can't imagine living without them. They only need one more chance to show their love and get back in their heart.


The second verse highlights the pain they feel seeing the person they love with someone else. The singer admits to leaving tears on the ground as they follow them on every street, even though they didn't want them around before. They know the difference between right and wrong and promise to make things right if only given the chance. The song ends with a plea for one more chance to win the person they love back.


Line by Line Meaning

Uh-huh, huh, huh
The singer is getting excited and making a rhythmic noise to get the attention of the listener.


Just let me tell you now
The singer wants to explain something to the listener and asks for their attention.


When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around
The singer didn't appreciate the attention that other people were giving their lover when they were together.


Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd
The attractiveness of their lover made them noticeable among others.


But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took
Someone else showed interest in their lover and they were swept away with just one look.


Now it's much too late for me to take a second look
The singer regrets not appreciating their lover when they were together and now that they are no longer together, it's too late to make up for it.


Oh, baby, give me one more chance (to show you that I love you)
The singer wants their lover to give them another opportunity to prove their love.


Won't you please let me back in your heart
The singer is asking their lover to forgive them and let them back into their life.


Oh, darlin', I was blind to let you go (let you go, baby)
The singer realizes now that they made a mistake by letting their lover go and they are sorry for it.


But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Seeing their lover with someone else has made the singer realize how much they want them back.


Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night
The singer finds it difficult to go on with their life without the love of their lover.


Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right
The singer wants to prove to their lover that they have learned from their mistakes and are willing to do better.


Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground
The singer is so upset by the absence of their lover that they cry every time they think of them.


Following the girl I didn't even want around
The singer realizes that they were wrong for not wanting their lover around and now they can't bear to be without them.


Ah, buh bum, bum, bum
This is a musical interlude that builds excitement and anticipation.


All I want
The singer only wants one thing, which is to have their lover back.


Forget what happened then (I want you back)
The singer wants to move past whatever caused their separation and focus on getting their lover back.


Let me live again
The singer feels like they can't truly live without their lover and wants to be given a chance to have them back in their life.


Spare me of this cause
The singer doesn't want to suffer through the pain of losing their lover anymore.


Get back what I lost
The singer wants to regain the love that they lost when they let their lover go.


Oh, baby, I need one more chance, ha
The singer reiterates that they need another chance to make things right with their lover.


I tell ya that I love you
The singer wants their lover to know that they truly love them and are committed to making things work.


Baby (oh), baby (oh), baby (oh)
This is a repetition of the word 'baby' that emphasizes the singer's feelings and desire for their lover.


I want you back, ha
The song's title and main refrain, indicating the singer desperately wants to reunite with their lover.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Deke Richards, Berry Gordy Jr

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@AmazingErrChannel

Look at the Jackson 5 reunited

Michael- 43
Marlon- 44
Jermaine- 47
Jackie- 50
Randy-40
Tito- 48

@EXTENDED_05

God they look younger here

@BigWilt2000

@@EXTENDED_05 Right

@daasx

.

@alibazzi6914

I’m sorry I don’t know much about the Jackson 5 why are they the Jackson 5 if you named 6 of them??

@mollylea2643

@@alibazzi6914 Randy, their younger brother, joined them later and they became “The Jacksons”. But “I Want You Back” was an original Jackson 5 song.

9 More Replies...

@frenchfries8386

This boy was living in 2020 with all those amazing moves

@rmcadmin

IT WILL NEVER ENDDD

@carloshernandez3255

french fries :/ frrrrr

@hatsunemikuchannel2023

Kyun...So Awesome!! 😄😄😍🥰😍🥰🤗🤗

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