All You Wanted
Michelle Branch Lyrics


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I wanted to be like you
I wanted everything
So I tried to be like you
And I got swept away

I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone to show you the way
So I took your hand and we figured out that
When the tide comes I'd take you away

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

I'm sinking slowly, so hurry hold me
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on
Please can you tell me
So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

All you wanted was somebody who cares
If you need me you know I'll be there
Oh, oh, whoa, yeah

If you want to I can save you
I can take you away from here (I can take you away)
So lonely inside
So busy out there
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

Oh oh (and all you wanted was somebody who cares)
Oh oh oh oh

If you want to I can save you (if you want to, oh)
I can take you away from here (I can take you away)
So lonely inside (from here)
So busy out there (oh oh)
And all you wanted was somebody who cares

Please can you tell me




So I can finally see
Where you go when you're gone

Overall Meaning

"All You Wanted" by Michelle Branch is a song about a relationship where one person wanted to be like the other and aspired to have everything that they had. The singer tries to emulate the person she admires, but ends up getting swept away and it's only then that she realizes how isolated and lonely the other person feels. She offers to save them from their unhappy state and provide the love and care they have been seeking.


The opening lyrics reflect the singer's admiration of the other person and her desire to be like them. She then realizes how "cold" it is to be in their shoes and how they need someone to help guide them. The line "and we figured out that when the tide comes I'd take you away" represents a commitment to being there for someone during difficult times. The chorus is a plea for the other person to lean on the singer when they need support, and an offer to take them away from their loneliness.


The second verse is arguably the most vulnerable part of the song, as the singer admits to sinking and needing the other person to hold her up. The final verse is a plea to the other person to reveal where they go when they are feeling absent as a way to deepen their connection. The chorus is repeated at the end of the song, emphasizing that all the other person wanted was somebody who cares.


Line by Line Meaning

I wanted to be like you
I idolized you and wanted to possess everything you had.


I wanted everything
I wanted to achieve all the success and possessions that you had.


So I tried to be like you
To fulfill my aspirations, I attempted to emulate your traits and lifestyle.


And I got swept away
However, by copying your actions and behaviors, I lost sight of who I truly am.


I didn't know that it was so cold
I was unaware of the negative emotions and feelings you were experiencing.


And you needed someone to show you the way
You required someone to guide you and help you through your struggles.


So I took your hand and we figured out that
I extended my support to you, and we worked together to resolve the difficulties.


When the tide comes I'd take you away
I promised to rescue and protect you from the dangers and problems that arise in life.


If you want to I can save you
I am willing and able to rescue you from any distressing situation.


I can take you away from here
I can relocate you to a safer and better place, away from whatever worries you.


So lonely inside
You may appear busy and successful, but deep down, you feel isolated and alone.


So busy out there
You remain occupied with your work and other activities.


And all you wanted was somebody who cares
You crave for the presence and care of someone who understands and empathizes with you.


I'm sinking slowly, so hurry hold me
I am slowly losing hope and need someone to hold and comfort me urgently.


Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on
Your support and care are the only things that prevent me from completely losing hope and falling apart.


Please can you tell me
I am curious to know and understand where you disappear to when you feel low.


So I can finally see
By understanding where you go when you're low, I can empathize better and comprehend your situation.


Where you go when you're gone
I want to know where you retreat to when you feel down or isolated.


If you need me you know I'll be there
I'm always available for you and willing to support you whenever you need me.


Oh, oh, whoa, yeah
An expression of understanding and agreement.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michelle Branch

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kagenotatsumaki

It's the realness of them.

When it's a break up song, you can feel the bitterness in the song.

If it's like a song calling people out for something, like Complicated by Avril Lavigne, you can feel how upset she is and how much she wants to get through to the person that they don't have to conform to others.

And if it's a song like this, Fly by Hillary Duff, Drive by Incubus or The Middle by Jimmy Eat World, it's a positive message to people to believe in yourself and don't let others or self doubt hold you back.

I don't hear a lot of new songs that feel real or have good, positive messages like that anymore, and part of the problem imo is that pretty much every Pop song now is produced, back in the 90's and 2000's, especially alt music, they were bands actually coming up with the music, now most pop singers have teams of people (I think some Beyonce song had 30 people writing it... X_X) writing the songs and producing the music for the sole purpose of making money.



@vampirehunter533

This song hits me on a truly deep, personal, and spiritual level.
My father died April 24 of this year 2023. He was a disabled Navy vet both mentally and physically disabled with a list of medical and mental issues "bipolar and manic depression" among other things, that he had to take a fist full of meds for. It was a Sunday night and I was sitting in his room with him sitting on his bed. I was trying to spend time with him before going too pick my mother up from work. It was always in the back of my mind to try and spend as much time with him as I could not knowing how much time he had left especially after one of his brothers had past away a while prior. Well my mother and I didn't get home until about 11P.M. upon getting inside I went to his room to check on him I quietly opened his door with him snoring. So my mom and I went ahead and went to bed. Next morning I got up to get my dad up for his morning meds too mind him laying on his bed dead, "possibly" from either a seizure or cardiac arrest or combination of the two. I suspect that based on the fact he had just been in the hospital recently prior due to dangerously low sodium levels.
Basically I was the last one with him and I was the one who walked in and found him.


Now with this song, it hits me deep because when I was in middle school my father and I were riding around out in the country and were parked out in a field. My father had spotted something in the sky. I looked and I saw a large shinning cross shinning through the clouds, and too pile onto it we had the radio going in our viechel and "THIS SONG" just happened to be playing. If you want to I can save you. I myself tried observing the phenomenon and saw what appeared to be a human shaped figure in the center of the cross shape. We thought it was the way the light was shining through the clouds but that it was some kind of reach out from the Lord.
P.S. there was an alleged incident with the Roman emperor Constantine who witnessed seeing a cross in the sky with his army before achieving a major military victory and afterwards converted to Christianity and made it the religion of the Roman empire.
So I find that pretty intense what my father and I witnessed, and I rest in comfort knowing the time came and he was taken away by the father, maybe what Michelle Branch could be referring to in her song "when the time comes I'll take you away" and also " please can you tell me so I can finally see where you go when your gone." also if you WANT to I can save you. I can take you away from here.
😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢



@mbh1156

The '90s, oh, what a time it was. I remember it like it was yesterday, and the memories never fail to bring a tear to my eye. It was a decade of simple pleasures, a time when life moved a bit slower, and we connected with each other in a way that felt real and meaningful.

The '90s meant Saturday mornings spent in front of the TV, eagerly waiting for our favorite cartoons to begin. We'd grab a bowl of sugary cereal and get lost in the colorful adventures of characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and the beloved Looney Tunes. The sound of those catchy theme songs and the excitement of new episodes were pure magic.

There was a unique charm to the '90s music scene that still tugs at my heartstrings. We rocked out to grunge bands like Nirvana, got lost in the smooth melodies of R&B, and danced to the infectious beats of hip-hop. It was a time when music videos on MTV were a big deal, and we'd eagerly await the world premiere of the latest Michael Jackson or Spice Girls video.

The '90s were also about the simple joys of outdoor play. We'd ride our bikes around the neighborhood, explore the woods, and have epic water balloon fights. Our most prized possession was a Tamagotchi or a slap bracelet, and we traded Pogs like they were made of gold.

As we reminisce about the '90s, it's hard not to think of the iconic fashion. Baggy jeans, flannel shirts, and scrunchy socks were all the rage. The "Rachel" haircut, made famous by Jennifer Aniston in "Friends," was on every girl's wishlist. And the Beanie Babies craze had us collecting stuffed animals with wild enthusiasm, hoping they'd be worth a fortune someday.

But what truly makes the '90s era unforgettable is the warmth of family and friends. It was a time when we gathered around the dinner table for home-cooked meals, played board games on lazy afternoons, and had heart-to-heart conversations without the distractions of smartphones. We forged bonds that lasted a lifetime.

The '90s may be in the past, but its influence lives on in the way we cherish nostalgia, authentic connections, and simpler joys. It was a time when life felt like a beautiful mixtape of laughter, friendship, and the promise of endless possibilities. Those teary-eyed reminiscences of the '90s are a reminder of the innocence, wonder, and love that defined that unforgettable era.



All comments from YouTube:

@betico-cule3337

I miss the 2000's, with Michelle branch, avril lavigne, the calling, LeAnn rimes, simple plan, sum 41, blink 182... It Was the best times

@WhateverWhenever888

Tons of pop punk, it still exists with many, unfortunately avril lavigne went full on pop

@RaffeSan

Simple plan was the best.

@pinoyofwnursetv9562

😌😌😌 early 2000’s was my rock n roll music days 🤘🏼

@christophersorick4929

Alanis Morissette was still around with "Hands Clean", "Everything", & "Crazy"!

@christophersorick4929

"Where you go when you're gone????"

453 More Replies...

@ladiibug3318

Listening to songs from the 2000s always get me in my feelings. I’m 34 now, but this era will always be my favorite!

@southernbandit93

Same‼️ perfectly said

@chrishuston7162

I just turned 31 2 days ago 💪💪💪💪🤘🤘🤘🤘

@MJockeyRitonga

Im 34 too lol

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