Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013… Read Full Bio ↴Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013, posting song covers on the video-sharing application Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manager Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton, which led to him signing a deal with the record label. Mendes's self-titled debut EP was released in 2014, followed by his debut studio album Handwritten in 2015. Handwritten debuted atop the US Billboard 200, making Mendes one of five artists ever to debut at number one before the age of 18. The single "Stitches" reached number one in the UK and the top 10 in the US and Canada.

His second studio album Illuminate (2016) also debuted at number one in the US, with its singles "Treat You Better" and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" reaching the top 10 in several countries. His self-titled third studio album (2018) was supported by the lead single "In My Blood". The album's number one debut in the US made Mendes the third-youngest artist to achieve three number one albums. In 2019, he released the hit singles "If I Can't Have You" and "Señorita", with the latter peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100. His fourth studio album, Wonder (2020), made Mendes the youngest male artist ever to top the Billboard 200 with four studio albums.

Among his accolades, Mendes has won 13 SOCAN awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards, eight Juno Awards, eight iHeartRadio MMVAs, two American Music Awards, and received three nominations for a Grammy Award and one nomination for a Brit Award. In 2018, Time named Mendes as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list.

Like to Be You
Shawn Mendes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't cry, or do whatever makes you feel comfortable
I'm tired, too
There's nothin' left to say, let's call a truce
'Cause I don't really wanna go to bed like this

I'm so sorry
That we're still stuck in the middle
I'm so sorry

'Cause in the moment I

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you

Can I kiss you or not?
'Cause I'm not really sure right now of what you want
Are you still mad at me? I'm hopin' not
'Cause maybe we could go to the movies
I know that always cheers us up, hey

I'm so sorry
Though we're still stuck in the middle
Yeah, I'm so sorry
'Cause in the moment I

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you

Tell me what's inside of your head
No matter what you say I won't love you less
And I'd be lying if I said that I do

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like to be you

I get worried
I might lose you a little
Every time we
Every time we argue and get caught up in the moment

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you

So tell me what's inside of your head
No matter what you say I won't love you less
And I'd be lying if I said that I do

I don't know what it's like to be you

I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like

Overall Meaning

"Like To Be You" is a heartfelt, apologetic song by Shawn Mendes that highlights the difficulty of understanding one's partner in a relationship. The song is about a couple who had a fight, and the singer is trying to make peace by asking the other person what they want - whether it's a kiss or going to the movies. He says, "I don't know what it's like to be you, but I'm dying to" to empathize and connect with the other person's perspective. He then asks them to share what's in their head, pledging that he won't love them any less for it. He reaffirms that he doesn't know how it feels to be them but wants to understand and support them.

The chorus "I don't know what it's like to be you, but I'm dying to, If I could put myself in your shoes, Then I know what it's like to be you" conveys the message that, even though he doesn't fully comprehend the other's position in the argument, he wants to, and he wants to show them that he cares. The song reflects how easy it is for misunderstandings to arise, how difficult it is to reconcile, and how we all want to be understood - particularly by those who matter most to us.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't cry, or do whatever makes you feel comfortable
Don't hold back your emotions, you can express them in any way that makes you comfortable.

I'm tired, too
I'm also exhausted and don't have the energy for any more arguments or fights.

There's nothin' left to say, let's call a truce
We've said everything we need to say, let's make peace and move forward.

'Cause I don't really wanna go to bed like this
I don't want us to end our day on a negative note or with any unresolved issues.

I'm so sorry
I apologize sincerely for my role in our recent conflict.

We're still stuck in the middle
We haven't reached a resolution yet and are still in the midst of our problem.

'Cause in the moment I
Because in that moment, I acted without thinking and ended up causing harm or hurt.

I don't know what it's like to be you
I can't fully comprehend or understand your thoughts, feelings, or experiences.

I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
I'm eager to try and understand you better, even if I can never truly see things from your perspective.

If I could put myself in your shoes
If I could truly imagine myself going through what you are going through.

Then I know what it's like to be you
Only then could I begin to understand your experiences and emotions.

Can I kiss you or not?
I'm unsure of what level of physical or romantic intimacy you desire right now.

'Cause I'm not really sure right now of what you want
I'm feeling uncertain or confused about your current feelings or needs.

Are you still mad at me? I'm hopin' not
I hope that any lingering anger or resentment has dissipated, and we can move on from our disagreement.

'Cause maybe we could go to the movies
Perhaps a lighthearted or entertaining activity could help cheer us up and repair our relationship.

Tell me what's inside of your head
Please communicate to me what thoughts, emotions, or concerns are consuming your mind.

No matter what you say I won't love you less
I will love and care for you despite any struggles or problems we may face, and your honesty won't change that.

And I'd be lying if I said that I do
I would be dishonest if I pretended to have all the answers or fully understand your inner world.

I get worried
I experience anxiety and fear when it seems like our relationship may be in jeopardy.

I might lose you a little
I fear that our connection may weaken or deteriorate because of our recent conflict or misunderstandings.

Every time we argue and get caught up in the moment
Each time we engage in conflict or heated discussions, I worry about how it may impact our bond or future together.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Julia Michaels, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS