I only say these things to you when you’re sleeping
I hear the hum from the wires and the sounds of the morning creep
I lie awake and pretend you can hear me

You tell me that you’re scared of turning into your mother
And I can feel myself turn into my father
We can lie to ourselves like they do and say we’re so happy
It’s easy when you’re young and you know still want it so badly

I feel my heart beating faster and I think that I might scream

I can tell you that you’re all I ever wanted, dear
And I still utter every word as I hold you near
But I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

The night you whispered like a ghost you look so shaken
you're so quiet and small and you tell me you want to be taken
I just never think of you as the kind of girl who would say that
You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp

But you're eyes so wide your face aglow
The face of someone I don't know

I can tell you that you’re all I ever wanted, dear
And I still utter every word as I hold you near
But I shudder when I think that I might not be here forever, forever, forever

All I can think is that it must be a kind of Rebellion,
To arm your fears like soldiers and slay them...

And I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted dear,
Through the din of your breathing while you're sleeping here,
You wake and you ask me if I'm gonna be here forever, forever, forever.

Your face so twisted and your eyes alight,
I wanna tell you I can change you when you cry at night.
But I'd be lying.
Love is defying.



Lyrics submitted by mooaura, edited by xkristinx

Track duration: 04:18


All I Ever Wanted song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:When I first listened to this song it sounded like in most of it he was singing of a relationship falling to bits and how he felt like he was just going through the motions. Then end it takes a turn and he is saying these are just fears. Once he slays them in his mind he knows he truly does love her.
    Now that I've seen the video (youtube.com/…
    Flagged FyreFiendon September 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, the song speaks of being in a relationship where you wish you could be who they want you to be... You know exactly how to, but you can't bring yourself to fake it.
    And yet, neither of you will leave because you have hope that one day things will change and suddenly, it'll be perfect, just like you want it to be. You're in love, but at the same time, you're just in love with the idea of love.
    Flag tempestinedenon April 07, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My immediate thought process for this song related to my relationship. I can't tell if this band is on the same emotional wavelength as me...i dont think so. But heres my thought on the lyrics:

    Like everyone else has said, its about a couple with relationship problems. the way it rings home with me is in the lyrics, "I can tell you that you're all i've ever wanted dear, I can utter ever word you've ever hoped to hear."

    Its not that the couple are breaking up..its just the opposite. They are stuck in a failing relationship with no way out. The guy has become trained to say what the girl wants to hear. The girl, to me, sounds as if she wants the relationship to last, but can ever so slightly tell that the guy is checking out.
    Flag fr0st2kon January 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:Correct Words from latest MP3
    I'll star the lines that were corrected:

    *I can only say these things to you *while you're sleeping.
    *I hear the hum from the wires, the sounds of the morning *creeping.
    I lie awake pretending you can hear me.

    You tell me you're scared that you're turning into your mother.
    I feel myself turn into my father.
    *We could lie to each other like they do and say we're *so happy.
    It's easy when you're young and you still want it so badly.
    *N'I feel my heart pounding and think I might scream.

    I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted, Dear.
    I can utter every word you've ever hoped to hear.
    *I shudder when I think *that I might not be here forever, forever, forever.

    *All the nights *you whisper like ghosts and you look so shaken.
    You're so quiet and small, you tell me you want to be taken.
    I just never think of you as the kind of girl who would say that.
    You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp.

    *Your eyes *so wide, your face aglow.
    It's the face of someone I don't know.

    I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted, Dear.
    I can utter every word you've ever hoped to hear.
    *I shudder when I think *that I might not be here forever, forever, forever.

    And all I can think is that it must be a kind of rebellion -
    To arm your fears like soldiers and slay them.

    *I can tell *that you that you're all I ever wanted, Dear,
    Through the din of your breathing while you're sleeping here,
    You wake and ask me if I'm going to be here forever, forever, forever.
    Your face so twisted and your eyes alight,
    I want to tell you I can change it when you cry at night, but I'd be lying.

    Love is defying.
    Flag fr0st2kon January 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:These are the lyrics from the CD booklet:

    I can only say these things to you when you're sleeping.
    I hear the hum from the wires, the sounds of the morning creep in.
    I lie awake pretending you can hear me.

    You tell me you're scared that you're turning into your mother.
    I feel myself turn into my father.
    We could lie to each other like they do and say we're still happy.
    It's easy when you're young and you still want it so badly.
    I feel my heart pounding and think I might scream.

    I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted, Dear.
    I can utter every word you've ever hoped to hear.
    I shudder when I think I might not be here forever.

    All the nights we whisper like ghosts and you look so shaken.
    You're so quiet and small, you tell me you want to be taken.
    I just never think of you as the kind of girl who would say that.
    You suddenly seem like some faceless thing in my grasp.

    Your eyes alight, your face aglow.
    It's the face of someone I don't know.

    I can tell you that you're all I've ever wanted, Dear.
    I can utter every word you've ever hoped to hear.
    I shudder when I think I might not be here forever.

    And all I can think is that it must be a kind of rebellion -
    To arm your fears like soldiers and slay them.

    I can tell you that you're all I ever wanted, Dear,
    Through the din of your breathing while you're sleeping here,
    You wake and ask me if I'm going to be here forever.
    Your face so twisted and your eyes alight,
    I want to tell you I can change it when you cry at night, but I'd be lying.

    Love is defying.
    Flag Lynnafredon December 25, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:What a beautiful song!!
    I saw them way back in May and hearing this song live, and watching how passionate the lyrics were sung and just the combination of it all was just such an awesome, emotional feeling.
    One of my favorite songs by them.
    But anyways, I think it is just about a crumbling relationship; in the beginning it had such high hopes and it was a love that you thought would last forever.
    But as it goes on she starts to lose faith and the love starts to slowly die, and he fights so hard to keep the flame going and to pretend or more like ignore her unhapiness until he can't do it anymore.
    As much as they don't want to admit to it, they have to face the reality that it is coming to an end.
    He is always going to love her, but is willing to sacrifice love for her happiness.
    It is all just a plethora of raw emotion. Beautiful.
    That is my take on it at least.
    Flag Alejandoron November 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:200DiscChanger's lyrics are far more correct than the posted ones.

    This is an excellent song - I'm going to see them play live next month. I bought the tickets on the strength of Sometime Around Midnight and I'm really glad that I did now. This song is incredible.
    Flag lrb85on October 21, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:There are definitely different version, the best I've seen on youtube is the 'bombastic one' - however, there are lyrics that people seem to consistently get wrong that are the same in every version I've heard...

    On this site:
    We�re on these fears like soldiers and we slay them.

    What I hear:
    To ARM these fears like soldiers and slay them

    Arming soldiers, giving them guns - makes more sense and now that you know it I'm sure you'll hear it too
    Flag GrimGrizon October 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"In my grasp" makes so much more sense then "in my breast." She's completely under his control and "I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it exciting." He enjoys being in control of her, of having her at his mercy, even though he knows it's wrong.
    Flag Dreamwardon September 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's more of a marriage. A dying marriage and all, since he references their parents' lies. She tries to mix it up (as he points out in the second verse) and it makes him feel uncomfortable. He knows that they're dying and he knows that he can't do a thing about it.

    This song is the greatest on the album, maybe the best they've written. It's so profound and emotional. It kills me everytime.
    Flag xDesertPunkon May 15, 2011   Link

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