She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000), which was a critical and commercial success that spawned two top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light". The first of the two singles won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Furtado's introspective folk-heavy 2003 second album, Folklore, explored her Portuguese roots. Its singles received moderate success in Europe, but the album's underperformance compared to her debut was regarded as a sophomore slump.
Furtado's third album, Loose (2006), was a smash hit and became her bestselling album, with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, also making it one of the bestselling albums of the 2000s. Considered a radical image reinvention, Furtado continued to explore her Portuguese heritage while leaning heavier into hip hop. The album spawned four successful number-one singles worldwide; "Promiscuous", "Maneater", "Say It Right" and "All Good Things (Come to an End)".
She released her first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, in 2009, which won her a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. In 2012, Furtado released her nostalgia-inspired fifth album The Spirit Indestructible. Furtado split with her management and went independent thereafter, releasing her indie-pop sixth album, The Ride, in 2017 under her own label Nelstar Entertainment.
She has won many awards throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from seven nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, ten Juno Awards, one BRIT Award, one Billboard Music Award, one MTV Europe Music Award, one World Music Award, and three Much Music Video Awards. Furtado has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and was awarded Commander of the Order of Prince Henry on February 28, 2014, by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the then-President of Portugal.
Somebody To Love
Nelly Furtado Lyrics
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It's taking up all of my time
Waiting for you to adore me
Come sit and drink from a cup
Don't leave until you're full up
You're tired of all of your travelling
I don't need nothing at all
Nothing but your arms
I don't need nothing at all
But somebody to love
Somebody to hold
Somebody that I can feel in my blood
Somebody to hold
Somebody to own
Somebody to make me feel I'm in love
I know I'm missing for a word
I'm not trying to say a thing
I'm trying to live in this moment
Count all the sins, what it says
Tell me how long it'll take
To unravel your body
I don't need nothing at all
Nothing but your touch
Nothing but your hand
I don't need nothing at all
But somebody to love
Somebody to hold
Somebody that I can feel in my blood
Somebody to hold
Somebody to own
Somebody to make me feel I'm in love
I need somebody to love
Somebody to hold
Somebody that I can feel in my blood
Somebody to hold
Somebody to own
Somebody to make me feel I'm in love
The lyrics of the song "Somebody to Love" by Nelly Furtado convey the singer's longing for a deep, emotional connection with someone. The opening lines, "You got your ways and I've got mine, it's taking up all of my time" suggest a disconnect between the singer and her lover. She then goes on to plead for his attention, asking him to "Come sit and drink from a cup... Don't leave until you're full up."
The chorus of the song repeatedly emphasizes the singer's desire for someone to love and hold, to feel in her blood, and to own. She sings of needing nothing else besides the touch, kiss, or arms of her lover. She admits to missing a word, suggesting that she's struggling to articulate her emotions, but ultimately concludes that all she needs is "somebody to make me feel I'm in love."
Overall, the song captures the intense yearning one can feel for love and companionship, and the emptiness that can ensue when those longings go unfulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
You got your ways and I've got mine
We are different people with our own paths and approaches
It's taking up all of my time
This difference is becoming an obstacle that consumes me
Waiting for you to adore me
I desire your love and affection
Come sit and drink from a cup
Spend some time with me and enjoy the simple things in life
Don't leave until you're full up
Stay until you are satisfied and content
You're tired of all of your travelling
You are exhausted from your constant movement
I don't need nothing at all
I don't need anything else
Nothing but your kiss
All I desire is your intimate affection
Nothing but your arms
All I want is to be embraced by you
But somebody to love
However, all I truly need is someone to cherish
Somebody to hold
A person that I can physically embrace
Somebody that I can feel in my blood
Someone who I can feel deeply connected to
Somebody to own
Someone who I can possess in a loving way
Somebody to make me feel I'm in love
A person who generates intense affection within me
I know I'm missing for a word
I feel like I can't fully express myself
I'm not trying to say a thing
I'm not trying to convey a particular message
I'm trying to live in this moment
I want to cherish and appreciate the present time
Count all the sins, what it says
Think about all the past mistakes and their impact on the present
Tell me how long it'll take
How long do we have to wait for things to fall into place?
To unravel your body
To understand you deeply and intimately
Nothing but your touch
All I crave is your physical presence
Nothing but your hand
All I want is to hold your hand
I need somebody to love
I'm acknowledging my desire and longing for a loving companion
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nelly Furtado, Rick Nowels
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind