In 1990 Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, which was organized by local music svengali, Darryl Wheeler and then he decided to pursue a career in music. Aside from recording, Usher has ventured into business. He has established his own record label, US Records, and is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. He has also dabbled in acting, with a recurring role on the teen sitcom Moesha, and roles in the films The Faculty (1998, with Josh Harnett) She's All That (1999, with Freddie Prinze, Jr.) and Texas Rangers (2001, with Ashton Kutcher).
Can You Help Me
Usher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why?
Why?
Living on the edge, out of control
And the world just won't let me slow down
But in my biggest picture
Was a photo of you and me
I work hard to provide all the material things
That I thought would make you happy
I'm confused, can you make me understand?
'Cause I tried to give you the best of me
I thought we were cool, maybe I was blind
But never took time to see
Can you help me?
Tell me what you want from me
Can you help me?
Tell me why you wanna leave
Baby, help me
Without you, my whole world is falling apart
And I'm going crazy
Life's a prison when you're in love alone
(Ooh, girl, I love you) I need you to come back home
(You know I need you) I don't wanna be alone
Why?
Girl, I put your love up on a shelf
And I guess I just left it to die
Now we're not together
'Cause I hurt you too many times
And now you're not around
I wish for every moment of time that got wasted
We used it to make sweet love
Baby, be my guide, please take my hand
Want you to know that I got you if you need it
Don't wanna be on the outside looking in
I gotta have you girl, can't you see?
Will you help me? (Will you help me?)
Tell me what you want from me
Can you help me?
Tell me why you want to leave
Baby, help me
'Cause without you, my whole world is falling apart
And without you, I think I'll go crazy
Life's a prison when you're in love alone
(Ooh, girl, I love you) I need you to come back home
(You know I need you) I don't wanna be alone
Baby, would you please?
Please say to me
Oh, please stay, don't go
I don't want it to be over
Give me another chance, I wanna be your man
Girl, you got me down here on my knees
Crying, begging, pleading
I'll do anything for your love, whoa-oh
Would you help me? (Help me)
Tell me what you want from me (whoa-oh, oh-oh, help me)
Can you help me?
Tell me why you want to leave (I don't understand, girl, I'm just a man, help me)
Baby, help me
Without you, my whole world is falling apart
And without you, girl, I'm going crazy
Life's a prison without your love
Can you help me?
Tell me why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why
Can you help me?
Girl, I'll never stop 'cause you're all I got, baby (please stay, don't go, don't wanna be alone)
Can you help me?
Help me understand, I can't be your man
It's driving me crazy (crazy, crazy, crazy)
Oh, baby (ooh-oh, no, no)
Ooh, girl, I love you (said I love you, girl)
You know I need you (ooh I need you)
I can't live without you (I can't go one day without you)
Ooh, girl, I love you (ooh, girl, I need you)
You know I need you (ooh)
I can't live without you (can I have you?)
Ooh, girl, I love you (na-na, na, na-na-na-na)
You know I need you (na-na, na, na-na-na-na)
I can't live without you
Ooh, girl, I love you
If you understand, can you help me now? (You know I need you)
Sing along
I can't live without you (yeah, babe)
You know I need you (hey baby, baby)
The lyrics of Usher's song Can You Help Me express the plea of a man who is desperate to get his woman back. He feels like he is living life on the edge and is out of control, but his world won't let him slow down. In the biggest picture of his life, he sees a photo of himself and his woman, but it seems that she has left him. He is confused and doesn't know what he did wrong. He thought he gave her the best of him, but maybe he was blind and never took the time to see. Now, he wants to understand why she wants to leave him, and he is asking for her help. He can't imagine his life without her, and he is willing to do anything to get her back.
The song reveals the common dilemma that many couples face when they fail to communicate effectively. The man thought he had given his woman everything she wanted, but he was wrong. He was too busy providing her with the material things he thought would make her happy, but he forgot to give her the emotional support she needed. The woman, on the other hand, felt neglected and hurt, and she decided to leave him. The man is begging her to help him understand what he did wrong so he can make it right. He needs her to tell him what she wants from him because he doesn't want to lose her.
Line by Line Meaning
Living on the edge, out of control
I feel like I am on the brink of losing control over my life
And the world just won't let me slow down
I am under constant pressure from the world to keep going and I cannot find a moment of peace
But in my biggest picture
Despite all the chaos and confusion, you are the constant and the only thing that really matters in my life
Was a photo of you and me
A memory of the beautiful moments we shared together
Girl, you know I tried
I did my best to be the kind of man you wanted and to make you happy
I work hard to provide all the material things
I thought that providing you with luxurious things would show you how much I cared, but I was wrong
That I thought would make you happy
I was misguided in believing that material things would bring you happiness
I'm confused, can you make me understand?
I am struggling to understand where we went wrong and what I can do to make things right again
'Cause I tried to give you the best of me
I gave you my all, but it seems like it was not enough
I thought we were cool, maybe I was blind
I believed that we were doing well, but perhaps I was naive or ignorant
But never took time to see
I failed to see that our relationship was falling apart until it was too late
Can you help me?
I am lost and I need your guidance to find my way back to you
Tell me what you want from me
I want to understand what I need to do or change to make you happy again
Tell me why you wanna leave
I need to know what went wrong and why you no longer want to be with me
Baby, help me
Please, I am begging you for your help
Without you, my whole world is falling apart
I cannot imagine a life without you, you are my everything
And I'm going crazy
Without you, I am losing my mind
Life's a prison when you're in love alone
Being in love but alone is like being trapped in a prison, it's agonizing
Ooh, girl, I love you
I love you so much
I need you to come back home
I need you to come back to me and to our home
I don't wanna be alone
I cannot bear the thought of living without you
Girl, I put your love up on a shelf
I neglected your love and did not cherish it the way I should have
And I guess I just left it to die
My negligence caused our love to die
Now we're not together
Our relationship has ended because I failed to nurture it
'Cause I hurt you too many times
I caused you pain and heartbreak too many times
And now you're not around
You have walked away and I am alone without you
I wish for every moment of time that got wasted
I regret wasting the precious moments we had together
We used it to make sweet love
I wish we had used that time to be intimate with each other
Baby, be my guide, please take my hand
I am reaching out to you for help and guidance
Want you to know that I got you if you need it
I want you to know that I am here for you and you can count on me
Don't wanna be on the outside looking in
I don't want to be excluded from your life, I want to be a part of it
I gotta have you girl, can't you see?
I must have you in my life, it's essential for me to be happy
Will you help me? (Will you help me?)
Will you please help me?
I don't understand, girl, I'm just a man, help me
I am a flawed human being and sometimes I need your help to understand things
Oh, please stay, don't go
I am afraid to lose you, please don't leave me
I don't want it to be over
I don't want our relationship to end
Give me another chance, I wanna be your man
Please give me another chance, I want to show you that I can be the man you deserve
Girl, you got me down here on my knees
I am begging you to forgive me and to come back to me
Crying, begging, pleading
I am in pain and desperate for reconciliation
Would you help me? (Help me)
Could you please help me?
Can you help me?
I am asking for your assistance and guidance
Girl, I'll never stop 'cause you're all I got, baby (please stay, don't go, don't wanna be alone)
I will never stop loving you and needing you, please don't leave me, I cannot bear the thought of being alone
Help me understand, I can't be your man
Please help me to understand what I need to do in order to be the man you need me to be
It's driving me crazy (crazy, crazy, crazy)
I am going crazy with worry and anxiety
If you understand, can you help me now? (You know I need you)
If you understand my pain and my need for you, please help me now
Sing along
Join me and sing this song to express our love and longing for each other
Yeah, babe
I am talking to you, my beloved
Hey baby, baby
I am calling out to you, my beautiful sweetheart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: James Samuel III Harris, Terry Lewis, Usher Raymond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind