"All I Want Is You" was released in the UK as a single on 13 June 1989. The B-Sides featured covers of the Righteous Brothers', "Unchained Melody", and a cover of Love Affair's "Everlasting Love". It reached #4 in the UK charts and #2 in Australia, #12 on the Dutch Top 40, but only reached #83 in the North American charts. It appeared on the soundtrack for the 1994 film Reality Bites. The popularity of the song in the film led to a re-release in 1994 where it reached #38 in the US Top 40 Mainstream charts. The single was rereleased in the Netherlands with "Everlasting Love" now being the a-side. Everlasting Love reached number 10 in the Dutch Charts, in January 1990. In 2004, it was ranked #9 in Entertainment Weekly's list of "The 50 Greatest Love Songs".
Music video:
Director Meiert Avis shot the promotional video in the town of Ostia, outside Rome on 18 April 1989. Written by Barry Devlin, the video takes an unusual cinematic approach to the song, with U2 band members making only brief cameo appearances. The video tells the story of a dwarf (played by Paolo Risi) who falls in love with a trapeze artist (played by Paola Rinaldi), one of whom apparently dies towards the end. While there is disagreement amongst fans about exactly who has died, The Edge was quoted as saying it is the trapeze artist who dies.[2] This video pays homage to Fellini, who, synchronistically, was shooting his last movie, "La Voce Della Luna" only a few miles away from the U2 set, and also to Tod Browning's 1932 film Freaks.[3]
All I Want Is You
U2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want
Your story to remain untold
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You say you'll give me
A highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night
You say you'll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbor in the tempest
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You say you want
Your love to work out right
To last with me through the night
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold
All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You all I want is
You all I want is
You all I want is
You
"All I Want Is You" is a love song that explores the idea of true love and companionship above all else. The lyrics are presented in two parts with the verses led by the singer's partner, who promises wealth and security in the relationship (diamonds, treasure, riches), while the choruses bring out the singer's simple yet heartfelt desire for the person he loves (all he wants is them). The promises made in life often fall short, but the singer knows that all he truly wants is his partner by his side.
The opening lines reveal the partnerās desire for lavish displays of affection, "diamonds on a ring of gold." They also desire to keep their story untold - possibly indicating that the lover wants to keep the details of their relationship private. The chorus highlights the disconnect between the material possessions and the authentic love that is eternal, stating that no matter the riches promised, all they want is their partner. The final verse brings together both partnersā desires as they both seek a love that lasts, shown through the line "Your love not to grow cold." The song ends with the repetition of the line "You all I want is You," underlining that oneās affection and attention can be entirely focused on the person they cherish most.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You desire material riches and an extravagant symbol of your love
You say you want
Your story to remain untold
You crave privacy and wish to keep the intimate details of your relationship to yourself
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
Despite all the lofty aspirations and grandiose plans we make in life, all I really desire is you
You say you'll give me
A highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night
You promise to provide me with solitary experiences of beauty and wealth
You say you'll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbor in the tempest
You vow to be there for me through the toughest times, offering comfort and support when all seems lost
You say you want
Your love to work out right
To last with me through the night
You hope for a lasting and fulfilling relationship with me, one that can withstand the challenges that come with time
Your love not to grow cold
You hope that our love remains passionate and warm, rather than fading away over time
All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
Despite our best intentions, we often fall short of our promises and dreams, but ultimately all I really want is you
You all I want is
You all I want is
You all I want is
You
You are the only thing that truly matters to me, and all I want is to be with you
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tspot816
1:40 When she looks at him and knows;
1:46, when the Strongman looks at his friend and immediately knows how lost his friend is in love and knows it will only bring pain to his friend;
I always was so grateful to the strong man for being his friend;
3:16 with the ring and that smile;
3:24 hopping in the Strongman's sidecar, meaning his buddy had his back on the trip;
3:47 That heartbreaking smile he shoots her;
4:01 Dashed;
4:50 ending the only way it could ever end.
6:00 Tossing the ring into the grave because his love died (or did he die);
6:03 The Strongman sees the ring and shares the pain with his friend and knows what a loss this is for his friend.
Amazing video. One of the all time greats.
@lucianolovito7283
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want
Your story to remain untold
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You say you'll give me
A highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night
You say you'll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbor in the tempest
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You say you want
Your love to work out right
To last with me through the night
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold
All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you
You all I want is
You all I want is
You all I want is
You
Rattle and Hum album.
@damianjackson6835
I sang this song to my new wife at our wedding reception. Later that night on the way back to our hotel, as we were driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this song came onto the radio. It was such a surreal moment!
@davejmanning544
No such thing as coincidence Damien.
@brandinickole7161
Perfect Wedding Song. š
@DeuceBiggerHo
Yeah I think itās a great choice for a song at a wedding. First dance or whatever. The other one I thought of was U2ās ālove rescue meā. However I think playing it on a first date like the guy above said is putting the poor girl under too much pressure! šÆItās a very emotional song.
@alibrown5917
Amazing your a top guy
@redrobin7868
It's my fantasy proposal. We are someplace special and he steps out and I hear this song outside. He is holding something that is playing this like in the John Hughes movie or has musicians playing the string instalment like the song while he sings to me
@deanetteknight4565
This song takes me to my late husband. I lost him to pancreatic cancer March 1st, 2006. He's visited me 3 times in my dreams since 2012 warning of the times we're in now in the world. I cry everytime I hear it now. I miss him.
@fernandeaux1631
Beautiful.
@ericac.brooks1851
Im sooo sorry for your loss i loss my very deer friend we were secteatly inlove and i did not knnow that the last time i saw him would be the it rip chris a.k.a crispy i will always love u
@stevemeyer6308
So sorry for your loss