I Wanna Shout
The Hollies Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do you find it hard to tell me
To tell that you really love me
'cause I find it hard to tell you
To tell you that I really love you

And I know what's in your heart
In your mind, in your body, and your soul
But it's easy when we whisper
Not letting people know.

We want to shout it out loud
But we can't let people know
We want to shout it out loud
But our love is not for show

[Chorus:]
I've got something you've got nothing
A child, a home of my own
It's so hard for me to break it
I can't break it, I can't make it on my own





[Chorus:] x2

Overall Meaning

The Hollies' song "I Wanna Shout" features lyrics that are centered around the idea of love and being unable to express it openly. The song is essentially a conversation between two people who love each other but are unable to express it fully due to societal constraints. The first verse reveals that both parties find it difficult to express their love for each other, despite knowing it's there. They both keep it a secret, whispering to each other when no one is around.


The chorus, which is repeated twice throughout the song, talks about their love as something that cannot be known by the public. They want to "shout it out loud," but they can't let people know about it. The reason for this is explained in the second verse, where the singer reveals that they have "something" that the other person doesn't have: a child and a home of their own. This creates a situation where expressing their love openly could lead to unwelcome consequences.


Overall, the song perfectly captures the feeling of being unable to express something that you know is there. The Hollies do an excellent job of using lyrics that are clear and to the point, which makes the song easily relatable.


Line by Line Meaning

Do you find it hard to tell me
Do you struggle to express your love for me?


To tell that you really love me
To verbally communicate that you have deep affection for me


'cause I find it hard to tell you
Because I have trouble uttering that I love you


To tell you that I really love you
To inform you of the extent of my caring towards you


And I know what's in your heart
I comprehend what emotions reside inside of you


In your mind, in your body, and your soul
In your thoughts, physique, and spirit


But it's easy when we whisper
However, it's effortless to speak softly and discreetly


Not letting people know.
Ensuring that others are unaware


We want to shout it out loud
We have a desire to proclaim our love audibly


But we can't let people know
However, we must keep our affections hidden


We want to shout it out loud
We want to proclaim our love loudly


But our love is not for show
However, our love isn't just for display


I've got something you've got nothing
I possess something that you lack


A child, a home of my own
Specifically, offspring and a domicile unique to myself


It's so hard for me to break it
It's challenging for me to terminate this relationship


I can't break it, I can't make it on my own
I am incapable of ending it or overcoming it independently




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN CLARKE, TERRY SYLVESTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

veraluciasc

Allan's voice is amazing! Thanks for posting the video.

David Bailey

Great to hear Terry belting out that first verse!

R Martin

This is good, but I think Wicked Lester did it even better.

GrayWoIf

Don't care who sings it this song is just so good no matter what

THE CLARENCES

Wicked Lester did a great version of this song. xoxo The Clarences

Phillip Anderson

Something wrong with the way the vocals are mixed, or perhaps it's just lousy production. But it is a good song.

ALLNEWSUX

No shit, Wicked Lester? I'll have to check out that version as well.

Kevin Jokipii

Good luck finding a clear recording of it. I have a boot on cassette and it sounds like it was taped over the phone.