I Need You
The Beatles Lyrics

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You don't realize how much I need you,
Love you all the time
And never leave you.
Please come on back to me.
I'm lonely as can be.
I need you.
Said you had a thing or two to tell me.
How was I to know

You would upset me?
I didn't realize
As I looked in your eyes
You told me, oh yes, you told me you don't want my lovin' anymore.
That's when it hurt me and feeling like this
I just can't go on anymore
Please remember how I feel about you,
I could never really live without you
So, come on back and see
Just what you mean to me
I need you
But when you told me, you don't want my lovin' anymore
That's when it hurt me and feeling like this, I just can't go on anymore

Please remember how I feel about you,
I could never really live without you
So, come on back and see
Just what you mean to me
I need you

I need you
I need you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Beatles' song "I Need You" are a plea from the singer to a former lover whom he feels he can't live without. The first verse sets the stage for the song, with the singer telling the former lover that he loves and needs them all the time, and can't bear to be without them. The second verse reveals that the former lover has said something to upset the singer, something that the singer didn't see coming. The chorus then repeats the plea for the lover to come back, with the singer explaining that he can't go on without them.

The third verse mirrors the second, with the singer reiterating how much he needs the former lover, and asking them to come back and see just what they mean to him. The song ends with the singer repeating the phrase "I need you" several times, in a final plea for the former lover to return.

One possible interpretation of the song is that it's about the pain of a relationship ending unexpectedly. The singer seems blindsided by the former lover's words, and can't imagine going on without them. The repetition of the phrase "I need you" underscores the depth of feeling behind the plea - it's not just a desire for the former lover to come back, but a fundamental need.

Another interpretation could be that the song is about the fear of being alone. The singer paints a picture of emptiness without the former lover, indicating that life would be unbearable without them. In this case, the plea is less about a specific person and more about a desire for companionship and connection.

Line by Line Meaning

You don't realize how much I need you,
You are unaware of the extent of my need for you,

Love you all the time
I love you consistently and constantly,

And never leave you.
I will not abandon you,

Please come on back to me.
Please return to me,

I'm lonely as can be.
I am incredibly lonely without you,

I need you.
I require your presence and love,

Said you had a thing or two to tell me.
You mentioned that you had some information to share with me,

How was I to know
I had no way of being certain

You would upset me?
That what you had to say would be distressing to me?

I didn't realize
I failed to recognize

As I looked in your eyes
When I gazed into your eyes