I Bet You Won't Stay
The Cascades Lyrics


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You say you'll be home today
But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay
You say you'll be coming home
But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay

I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling
I know that you like to be free, my darling
You say what you like, you do what you want
But you don't have to stay with me if you don't want
You don't have to stay with me

You say you'll be coming home
But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay
You say you'll be home today
But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay

I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling
I know that you like to be free, my darling
You say what you like, you do what you want
But you don't have to stay with me if you don't want
You don't have to stay with me

But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay
But I bet you won't stay
I bet you won't stay

I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling
I know that you like to be free, my darling
You say what you like, you do what you want




But you don't have to stay with me if you don't want
You don't have to stay with me

Overall Meaning

The Cascades's song, "I Bet You Won't Stay", portrays a sense of uncertainty and apprehension about a relationship that is on the brink of ending. The singer seems to have lost faith in their partner, who promises to come home but doesn't follow through. This leaves the singer feeling rejected and convinced that their partner won't stick around.


The chorus repeats "I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling, I know that you like to be free, my darling," highlighting the contrast between the singer who wants to hold on to the relationship and their partner who cherishes their independence. The singer acknowledges that their partner can say and do anything they want, yet they can't force them to stay if they don't want to. Ultimately, the message is that the singer is resigned to the possibility that their partner won't stay.


Overall, "I Bet You Won't Stay" is a somber reflection on a relationship that is losing its foundation, as the singer begins to lose faith and trust in their partner's commitment.



Line by Line Meaning

You say you'll be home today
You claim that you'll return home today


But I bet you won't stay
However, I doubt you'll remain with me


I bet you won't stay
I'm sure that you won't stay for long


You say you'll be coming home
You assert that you'll come back home


But I bet you won't stay
But, I suspect that you won't stick around


I bet you won't stay
I'm confident that you'll leave soon enough


I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling
I'm pretty sure you won't be with me for long, my love


I know that you like to be free, my darling
You're someone who yearns to be independent, my dear


You say what you like, you do what you want
You speak and act as you please


But you don't have to stay with me if you don't want
But, you're not obligated to remain by my side if you don't desire to


You don't have to stay with me
It's not necessary for you to stay with me


But I bet you won't stay
Despite all this, I'm convinced you'll still leave


I bet you won't stay
I'm sure that you won't stay for long


But I bet you won't stay
However, I don't think you'll stay around


I bet you won't stay
I'm confident that you won't remain here


I bet you won't stay here with me, my darling
I'm almost sure that you won't stay with me for long, my love


I know that you like to be free, my darling
You're someone who craves independence and freedom, my dear


You say what you like, you do what you want
You communicate and act in the way you prefer


But you don't have to stay with me if you don't want
However, it's not compulsory for you to continue with me if you don't desire to


You don't have to stay with me
You need not stick around with me




Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@nilocdlo

Wow! The Cascades sounding like 'The Byrds'!!

@paulrawes

Just love this cover! Cheers!

@claudiodean6363

Liberty Recording

@rcpinsa

the image is not The Cascades who did this but a Liverpool group Sonny Webb and The Cascades

@pelacanyes45

rcpinsa Oops, I'm sorry. Thanks for the clarification

@rcpinsa

no problem thanks for the post.

@danharris4512

Ray Davies wrote this

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