Johnny Cash – It Ain't Me Babe

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Go away from my window;
Leave at your own chosen speed;
I'm not the one you want, babe;
I'm not the one you need;
You say you're looking for someone
Who's never weak but always strong
To protect you and defend you
Whether you are right or wrong –
Someone to open each and every door,
But it ain't me babe;
No, no, no, it ain't me babe;
It ain't me you're looking for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe;
Go lightly on the ground;
I'm not the one you want, babe;
I'll only let you down;
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll promise never to part –
Someone to close his eyes to you –
Someone to close his heart –
Someone to die for you and more,
But it ain't me babe;
No, no, no, it ain't me babe;
It ain't me you're looking for, babe.


You say you're looking for someone
To pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
And to come each time you call
And will love you for your life
And nothing more,
But it ain't me babe;
No, no, no, it ain't me babe;
It ain't me you're looking for, babe.

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Lyrics submitted by tantalumtelluride

Track duration: 03:02


It Ain't Me Babe song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song is about loving someone so much when you know you probably aren't the right one for them and you try to give them every reason in the world to not want you yet they still do. You can be so right for each other yet be in a bad situation that you know you'll never be able to give eveything that the other person deserves. When he tells her this, she still wants him even more because she accepts it anyways...that's how I interpret it, but maybe because that's the situation i'm in right now.
    Flag dcpolon January 10, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:pretty much this song means that you are not willing to commit. Right?
    Flag ohsillyannaon October 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:God... this song. One night, I sang it to my girlfriend. It was just before she left me. So when she was gone, all I could think was, "you say you're looking for someone who's never weak but always strong. To protect you and defend you, whether you are right or wrong. Someone to open each and every door... But it ain't me babe. No, no, no it ain't me babe. It ain't me you're looking for." Its about knowing that you can't love the person because you're not strong, and you're not true, and you're not worth wanting. Intense stuff. Makes me feel deep in the core of my spirit.

    I love how joaquin phoenix is smiling when he sings it in the movie.
    Flag Electriccuton August 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:dylan sings this beautifully as well. but it's so right that cash covered it. "what do i get" is right, dylan's version seems to have a double entende, it sounds as if though he's singing to American government...ugh amazing song.
    Flag cremon166on August 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Its originally by Bob Dylan..recorded in 1964 by him...johnny cash's version gives the song only one meaning, the whole, you shouldnt love me because im not the one for you meaning..Dylan's version gives it that meaning too, but when you hear it from him, it does sound like an anti-war song...i dont want to explain that part, its been done for me, just look through the comments left in Dylan's version of this same song
    Flag what do i geton August 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song was originally recorded by The Turtles and covered by Dylan and Cash.

    :)
    Flag dandelionthelionon July 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I feel like this. Women seem to want a knight in shining armour and feel "it's all about them".

    However after getting fucked over enough times you don't really want to put that amount of effort in again and you start to look for a girl that's more into making you happy rather than you making her happy.

    Maybe it's just a sone about not wanting a selfish woman.
    Flag d9930380on October 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OMFG! I really love this song, it is like great. I've been a Johnny Cash fan since like I was a baby. I have at least 7 of his CD's and 2 of June's.
    Flag tryusingmynameon August 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is great. He doesn't think he's good enough to be what either 1) a lady wants him to be or 2) what all these fans, even worshipers, want him to be.
    Flag Hamathyon June 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Johnny Depp's character in the movie Blow quotes the title of the song to the judge when he's trying to get out of jail time.
    Flag samwaltonon June 06, 2007   Link

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