When I Was Your Man
Sabrina Lyrics


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Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name

It all just sounds like ooh
Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
But she's dancing with another man

My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
'Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh oh
And it haunts me every time I close my eyes

It all just sounds like ooh
Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby's dancing
But she's dancing with another man

Although it hurts
I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
I know I'm probably much too late
To try and apologize for my mistakes
But I just want you to know

I hope he buys you flowers
I hope he holds your hand
Give you all his hours
When he has the chance
Take you to every party
'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance
Do all the things I should have done
When I was your man




Do all those things I should have done
When I was your man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sabrina's song "When I Was Your Man" speak to the regret and longing of a man who realizes too late the mistakes he made in a past relationship. The introduction of the lyrics sets the scene of familiarity but also emphasizes the emotional distance that now exists between the couple. The line "Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now" suggests that despite physically being in the same place, their emotional connection has diminished.


The mention of their song playing on the radio, but it not sounding the same, indicates that the memories associated with the song have lost their sweetness due to the heartbreak. When the singer hears about their ex-partner from friends, it only brings him pain. The line "Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name" exposes the lingering love and longing he still carries for the person he let go.


The chorus reflects on the singer's realization of his past foolishness. He realizes now that he was too young and naïve to understand the value of the relationship he had. He acknowledges that he should have made more effort and expresses regrets for not doing so. The lines "Should have bought you flowers, and held your hand, should have gave you all my hours, when I had the chance" highlight his unfulfilled responsibilities and missed opportunities to show love and appreciation.


The second verse delves into how the singer's pride, ego, needs, and selfish ways led to the demise of the relationship. He recognizes that his actions caused a strong woman like his ex-partner to leave him. He laments that he can never fix the mess he created and expresses how these thoughts haunt him when he closes his eyes, symbolizing the weight of his regrets.


The chorus is repeated, and in the final verse, the singer accepts his wrongdoings and admits that it may be too late to apologize or make amends. However, he wishes his ex-partner the happiness he failed to provide. He hopes that the next person in her life will do all the things he should have done, buying her flowers, holding her hand, and giving her the love and attention she deserves.


Overall, "When I Was Your Man" is a heartfelt ballad that explores the pain and remorse of lost love, highlighting the importance of appreciating and cherishing relationships before it's too late.


Line by Line Meaning

Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our shared space feels empty and lonely since you're no longer in it.


Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same
Hearing our song on the radio brings back memories, but it doesn't bring me the same joy anymore.


When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
Whenever our friends mention you, it fills me with sadness and heartbreak.


'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
Just hearing your name causes my heart to ache and shatter a little bit more.


It all just sounds like ooh
Everything reminds me of the pain and regret I feel.


Ooh too young, too dumb to realize
I was naive and foolish back then, unable to grasp the consequences of my actions.


That I should have bought you flowers
I should have shown you more affection and appreciation by giving you flowers.


And held your hand
I should have physically and emotionally supported you by holding your hand.


Should have gave you all my hours
I should have dedicated all my time and effort to making you happy.


When I had the chance
But I took for granted the opportunities I had to do so.


Take you to every party
I should have taken you to every social gathering and event, fulfilling your wishes.


'Cause all you wanted to do was dance
You loved to dance, and I should have embraced and supported that passion of yours.


Now my baby's dancing
Now you're happily enjoying yourself, dancing without me.


But she's dancing with another man
However, it pains me to see you dancing with someone else now.


My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
My excessive pride, ego, self-centered desires, and selfish actions


'Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Resulted in losing a wonderful, resilient woman like you from my life.


Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh oh
I now realize I will never get the chance to fix the damage I caused.


And it haunts me every time I close my eyes
Regret and guilt linger in my mind, tormenting me whenever I try to rest.


Although it hurts
Despite the pain I feel


I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
I take full responsibility and admit that I made mistakes.


I know I'm probably much too late
I am aware that I have likely missed the opportunity for redemption.


To try and apologize for my mistakes
To attempt to apologize and make amends for the wrongs I committed.


But I just want you to know
I want to convey to you


I hope he buys you flowers
I hope your current partner shows you the love and attention I failed to provide.


I hope he holds your hand
I hope he offers you the support and companionship that I neglected to give.


Give you all his hours
I hope he dedicates his time and effort to making you happy and fulfilled.


When he has the chance
Taking advantage of every opportunity to cherish and appreciate you.


Take you to every party
Accompanying you to all social events, fulfilling your desires.


'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance
Knowing that you adored dancing, and he should embrace that passion as I failed to do.


Do all the things I should have done
I hope he does everything I should have done to make you feel loved and valued.


When I was your man
When I had the privilege of being your partner.


Do all those things I should have done
I wish he fulfills all the actions I neglected to take during our relationship.


When I was your man
When I had the opportunity to be the man you deserved.




Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew Wyatt, Ari Levine, Peter Gene Hernandez, Philip Martin II Lawrence

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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