I'll Stand By You
The Pretenders Lyrics


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Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through

'Cause I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

So if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too

Well I'm a lot like you
When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you

And when
When the night falls on you, baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour




And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you

Overall Meaning

The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You" is an emotional anthem about support and loyalty, with lyrics that express a willingness to stand by someone's side through thick and thin. The opening lines ask why the subject looks so sad and encourages them to come to the singer for support. The chorus leads with a bold, powerful statement; the singer will stand by their loved one no matter what, refusing to let anyone else hurt them. The second verse echoes the first, with the singer declaring that they are just like the person they are trying to help, and that they understand what it feels like to be lost and unsure of what to do next. The bridge of the song is perhaps the most powerful part, with the singer offering to stand by the person even in their darkest hour, never deserting them or leaving them alone.


Taken together, the lyrics of "I'll Stand By You" form a message of unwavering loyalty and support, promising to be a constant presence in another person's life. It's a song that many people can relate to, as it speaks to the universal desire for someone to stick with us through thick and thin, to stand by us when we're feeling lost or unsure, and to offer unconditional love and support no matter what.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, why you look so sad?
I see that you are sad and I am concerned.


Tears are in your eyes
I see that you are crying.


Come on and come to me now
Come to me and let me help you.


Don't be ashamed to cry
It's okay to cry and show your emotions to me.


Let me see you through
I will support you through this.


'Cause I've seen the dark side too
I have also been through difficult times.


When the night falls on you
When you are feeling lost or hopeless.


You don't know what to do
You are feeling unsure of how to handle the situation.


Nothing you confess
No matter what you tell me about yourself or the situation.


Could make me love you less
I will not judge you or love you any less for what you share with me.


I'll stand by you
I will support you no matter what.


Won't let nobody hurt you
I will protect you from harm.


So if you're mad, get mad
It's okay to be angry.


Don't hold it all inside
Don't keep your emotions bottled up.


Come on and talk to me now
Open up and talk to me about what is bothering you.


Hey, what you got to hide?
Don't be afraid to be honest with me.


I get angry too
I also experience anger and frustration.


Well I'm a lot like you
I understand where you're coming from.


When you're standing at the crossroads
When you are faced with a difficult decision.


And don't know which path to choose
When you are uncertain about what to do.


Let me come along
I will support you through the decision-making process.


'Cause even if you're wrong
I will still stand by you even if you make a mistake.


Take me in, into your darkest hour
Allow me to be with you during your most difficult times.


And I'll never desert you
I will never abandon or leave you.


And when
When the situation arises.


When the night falls on you, baby
When you are faced with darkness or difficult times.


You're feeling all alone
When you feel isolated and unsupported.


You won't be on your own
I will be there to support you.


Won't let nobody hurt you
I will protect you from harm and danger.




Lyrics © Regard Music, O/B/O DistroKid, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Billy Steinberg, Chrissie Hynde, Thomas Kelly

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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