All I Really Want to Do
The Byrds Lyrics


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I ain't lookin' to compete with you
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby be friends with you

No, I ain't lookin' to fight with you
Frighten you or tighten you
Drag you down or drain you down
Chain you down or bring you down
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don't want to fake you out
Take or shake or forsake you out
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me
See like me or be like me

I don't want to meet your kin
Make you spin or do you in
Or select you or dissect you
Or inspect you or reject you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you




Baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Byrd's song "All I Really Want to Do" express the singer's desire for friendship and connection with another person. The lyrics make it clear that the singer is not interested in competing, fighting, or manipulating the other person. Instead, the singer seeks a genuine human connection that is devoid of power struggles or ulterior motives. The singer wants to be friends with the other person without trying to change them or make them conform to his own point of view.


The lyrics use a series of contrasting statements to emphasize the singer's desire for a simple and honest connection. The singer rejects the idea of simplifying or classifying the other person, instead seeking to accept them for who they are. The singer rejects the idea of frightening or tightening the other person, instead seeking to avoid any harm or negative influence. The singer also rejects the idea of making the other person feel like him or changing their beliefs, instead seeking to meet the other person where they are and build a genuine friendship based on mutual respect.


The overall message of the song is that true human connection requires honesty, empathy, and an acceptance of each other's differences. The song implicitly critiques the many ways in which people try to manipulate, control, or compete with each other in relationships. Instead, the song suggests that the most important thing is to simply be present with another person and seek to understand and appreciate them for who they are.


Line by Line Meaning

I ain't lookin' to compete with you
I have no intentions of competing with you


Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Nor will I ever try and beat, cheat, or mistreat you in any way


Simplify you, classify you
I refuse to simplify or classify you, for those are not my own judgements to make


Deny, defy or crucify you
I wouldn't dare try to deny, defy, or crucify you for being uniquely you


All I really want to do
Simply put, all I want is to


Is, baby be friends with you
be nothing more than friends with you, as equals


No, I ain't lookin' to fight with you
I don't desire to fight, neither physically nor verbally, with you


Frighten you or tighten you
And likewise, I don't seek to frighten or tighten my grip over you


Drag you down or drain you down
I refuse to drag you or drain the good out of you


Chain you down or bring you down
I won't, in any way, restrict or bring you down


I don't want to fake you out
I have no intentions of deceiving you or making false promises


Take or shake or forsake you out
I would never take advantage of you, shake your confidence, or forsake you in your time of need


I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me
You don't have to feel the way I do to be my friend


See like me or be like me
Nor should you necessarily see or be like me either


I don't want to meet your kin
I'm not solely interested in meeting your family or loved ones


Make you spin or do you in
I don't want to manipulate or take advantage of you in any way


Or select you or dissect you
I am not interested in picking apart or analyzing every aspect of your being


Or inspect you or reject you
I will not scrutinize or reject you because of your qualities or quirks


All I really want to do
In the end, all I want is to


Is, baby, be friends with you
be good friends with you, and nothing more




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan

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

Jan den Hartog

I ain’t lookin’ to compete with you
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

No, I ain’t lookin’ to fight with you
Frighten you or tighten you
Drag you down or drain you down
Chain you down or bring you down
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don’t want to fake you out
Take or shake or forsake you out
I ain’t lookin’ for you to feel like me
See like me or be like me

I don’t want to meet your kin
Make you spin or do you in
Or select you or dissect you
Or inspect you or reject you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you



木倉谷哲也

Lyrics:

I ain’t lookin’ to compete with you
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

No, I ain’t lookin’ to fight with you
Frighten you or tighten you
Drag you down or drain you down
Chain you down or bring you down
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don’t want to fake you out
Take or shake or forsake you out
I ain’t lookin’ for you to feel like me
See like me or be like me

I don’t want to meet your kin
Make you spin or do you in
Or select you or dissect you
Or inspect you or reject you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you
Baby, be friends with you



비정한세상

All I really want to do
내가 정말로 하고 싶은 것
Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)

I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
당신과 다투고 싶지 않았어요
Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
싸우고, 속이고, 홀대하고
Simplify you, classify you,
쉽게 생각하고, 멋대로 판단하고
Deny, defy or crucify you.
어기고, 반항하고, 괴롭히고 싶지 않아요

All I really want to do
내가 정말로 하고 싶은 것은
Is, baby, be friends with you.
당신과 친구가 되는 거예요.

No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
당신과 싸우고 싶지 않아요
Frighten you or uptighten you,
겁을 주고, 긴장하게 만들고,
Drag you down or drain you down,
끌어내리고, 말려버리고
Chain you down or bring you down.
사슬에 묶고, 해를 입히고 싶지 않아요

I ain't lookin' to block you up
당신을 가로막고 싶지 않아요
Shock or knock or lock you up,
놀래키고, 눕히고, 가두고
Analyze you, categorize you,
멋대로 분석하고, 정렬하고
Finalize you or advertise you.
판단하고, 자랑하고 싶지 않아요

I don't want to straight-face you,
당신에게 정색하고 싶지 않아요
Race or chase you, track or trace you,
쫓고, 쫓기고, 뒤쫓고, 추적하고
Or disgrace you or displace you,
모욕하고, 쫓아내고
Or define you or confine you.
판단하고, 가두고 싶지 않아요

I don't want to meet your kin,
그대의 친척을 만나고 싶지 않아요
Make you spin or do you in,
그대를 난처하게 하고, 가두고,
Or select you or dissect you,
잡고, 분석하고
Or inspect you or reject you.
심문하고, 거부하고 싶지 않아요

I don't want to fake you out,
그대를 속이고 싶지 않아요
Take or shake or forsake you out,
쫓아내고, 뒤흔들고, 버리고 싶지 않아요
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
저와 같은 느낌을 갖고,
See like me or be like me.
저처럼 보고, 저와 같아지길 바라지 않아요



All comments from YouTube:

PseudoFox

Power pop anthem that's aged like a fine wine! I love the Byrds so much! One of America's all time greatest bands! Yes! <3

José Pedro Pablo González

Los Grandes grupos de músicos y cantantes made in usa, make love, not te war. Asi conquistaron paises y estrellas en el cielo, eso es power"

Ingo Besser

Probably one of the best folk rock bands ever

Inko Infinity2

Not probably, most definitely

Ludanne Lasyvyus

Buffalo Springfield also were tops, just look at who the members are.

Clarity Dreamsleeves

@Ludanne Lasyvyus Byrds had 4 legit stars. Gene Clark and Chris Hillman along with Crosby and McGuinn? What a line-up!

Phil Marasco

Just a grate band and song too..🎶🎶🎶❤️

Egorchese

@Clarity Dreamsleeves who was the fifth I don't remember

Mike France

One of my favorite songs when I was very young !

Santiago Sánchez Blanco

Pasan los años y The Byrds cada vez son mejores.💐🌠🏜️

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