I'd gladly lose me to find you
I'd gladly give up all I had
To find you I'd suffer anything and be glad

I'd pay any price just to get you
I'd work all my life and I will
To win you I'd stand naked, stoned and stabbed

I'd call that a bargain
The best I ever had
The best I ever had

I'd gladly lose me to find you
I'd gladly give up all I got
To catch you I'm gonna run and never stop

I'd pay any price just to win you
Surrender my good life for bad
To find you I'm gonna drown an unsung man

I'd call that a bargain
The best I ever had
The best I ever had

I sit looking 'round
I look at my face in the mirror
I know I'm worth nothing without you
And like one and one don't make two
One and one make one
And I'm looking for that free ride to me
I'm looking for you

I'd gladly lose me to find you
I'd gladly give up all I got
To catch you I'm gonna run and never stop

I'd pay any price just to win you
Surrender my good life for bad
To find you I'm gonna drown an unsung man

I'd call that a bargain
The best I ever had
The best I ever had



Lyrics submitted by Nelly

Track duration: 05:34

"Bargain" as written by Pete Townshend

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Bargain song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Although Pete T may be singing it about his spiritual adviser, in 1989 Glenn Kaiser of the Resurrection Band (Rez) covered it word for word to God and it is very powerful for a Christian, very similar to Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment" - not intending to insult any Who fans, but Rez's version artistically kicks it's butt. You can find the Resurrection band studio version on Spotify, live version on YouTube youtube.com/…
    Flag blcart95on January 20, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is absolutely not a "love letter to God" and has nothing to do with any monotheistic religion, not matter how badly you want it to. If you call yourself a real fan of The Who and you don't know what this song means, you may want to reconsider the title.

    "Townshend wrote “Bargain” as an homage to his spiritual advisor, Meher Baba (one of several songs he wrote to illustrate the life and philosophy of the Indian mystic). The first line (‘I’d gladly lose me to find you.’) is taken from Baba’s teachings. The song seems to suggest that losing all of one’s material goods for spiritual enlightenment is a good deal, the ‘bargain’ of the title. Roger Daltrey sings most of the lyrics, though Townshend contributes his voice for the middle section.

    Read more: Video Classics: ‘Bargain’ – The Who wnew.radio.com/2011/06/07/video-classic-2-5/"
    Flag potsoson August 29, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it could also be about the way money enslaves society for the sake of material possessions.
    Flag ConorVanekon January 06, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"And like one and one don't make two-One and one make ONE"

    Sung by one who has awakened to the realization of there being only one thing and he is that thing. Call it God, Great Spirit or what you will. I prefer The Absolute. The One manifest as many. The Thing as it IS rather than The Thing as it seems. Not that the singer IS God but instead, OF God. Just as a drop of The Ocean possesses all of the properties and characteristics of The Ocean, it is not The Ocean. For two decades I heard only a love song from a man to a woman. After experiencing a spiritual awakening myself, my wife and I were discussing how "When spirit speaks, spirit hears" and examples of such instances, that this song played and she said, "Like this one" and for the first time I actually heard it as it WAS rather than as it seemed! Awash in a tidal wave of illumined clarity, I listened anew to my old favorite. So very powerful! It is indeed a love song to God. The greatest ever, IMHO. And Kieth was just a conduit through which spirit poured unrestrained. No one mere mortal could possibly have struck such an immense set of drums as rapidly, powerfully as that. Absolutely Awe-inspiring! Long live ROCK!-Be it Dead or Alive!

    Flag ztraycaton November 10, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The Who is probably the most talented band ever!! You wanna hear some amazing Kieth Moon drumming?? Amazing Journey/Sparks Live at Leeds. But I love this song, and I love it even more knowing Pete's meaning behind it! yes!!
    Flag moon333on December 04, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Though it doesn't really mesh well with a death setting, I want this song to be played at my funeral (yes its pompous of me to think of myself as being a bargain, etc. buuuut...)

    Oh yea, and its my second favourite song ever. Awesome.
    Flag Truck101on May 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Pete T. did an acoustic version of this song and it is simpatico. The lyrics are so beautiful, and you can feel the heart in it...
    Flag maddywooon April 22, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:It's a love song to God. my dad is the ultimate WHO fan!! and he knows that this is about God. i looked it up to see what people would say its about.
    Flag Rosebud135on December 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I told a girl I was seeing that this song would be dedicated to her because she helped me through a tough time... it was one of the most emotionally strong songs to me then, and now it's obvious this song represents Love.
    Flag hockyjockyon September 23, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Who's the philosopher who talked about the God-shaped hole in man? I think it's about the hunger for the true higher being and the lengths he will go to find it and therefore find himself.

    One and one make one
    And I'm looking for that free ride to me
    I'm looking for you

    I think maybe drown an unsung man isn't him drowning anyone, but that he will drown in some figuative sense, and drown as an unsung man. Something about humility as a path to find what he's looking for.
    Flag squareon February 17, 2008   Link

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