We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy

I just want to tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

[Chorus:]
Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

We've known each other for so long
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it
Inside we both know what's been going on
We know the game and we're gonna play it

And if you ask me how I'm feeling
Don't tell me you're too blind to see

[Chorus x2]

(Ooh give you up)
(Ooh give you up)
(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give (give you up)
(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give (give you up)

We've known each other for so long
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it
Inside we both know what's been going on
We know the game and we're gonna play it

I just want to tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

[Chorus]



Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Track duration: 03:33

"Never Gonna Give You Up" as written by Matthew James Aitken, Peter Alan Waterman, Michael Stock

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Never Gonna Give You Up song meanings
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41 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation:The singer is definitely singing this for a love interest of his.

    "We're no strangers to love/You know the rules and so do I"
    Both the singer and the love interest have experienced love before

    "A full commitment's what I'm thinking of/You wouldn't get this from any other guy"
    The singer is ready to fully commit to the love interest in a way he believes nobody else would.

    "I just want to tell you how I'm feeling/Gotta make you understand"
    The singer has maybe never proclaimed his true feelings, or at least the love interest has not fully understood his intentions.

    "Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down"
    Pretty straightforward, if you know that the "you" in this song refers to the love interest.

    "Never gonna run around and desert you"
    This shouldn't be taken literally; the singer just means he intends to never leave the love interest.

    "Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye"
    Again not literal, at least the "say goodbye" part. The singer most definitely might say "goodbye" as a , just not farewell for good.

    "Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"
    The singer intends to be honest to the love interest and not hurt her(/him?) physically nor emotionally.

    "We've known each other for so long/Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it"
    The singer and the love interest have known each other for some time. The singer assumes that the love interest has also had feelings towards the singer, but has not admitted them due to shyness or fear of rejection.

    "Inside we both know what's been going on"
    Here, the singer suspects that they both already know that the romantic interest is mutual.

    "We know the game and we're gonna play it"
    Now that the singer has opened up, he believes that this love interest will develop to a romantic/erotic relationship, as in to "play" the "game" of romance.

    Interestingly, there is the line "Ooh give you up" in the breakdown section, sung by a female voice. The purpose of this line is probably just musical and not lyrical and should not be interpreted as the woman being willing to give up the man.

    There, I deciphered the lyrics for you all!
    Flag raketooyon August 11, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Back in the day Smash Hits mag called him "Dick Spatley".
    He was a cutie(gotta thing for the ginger boys ;)),his voice is so strong&clear.
    This song is about a guy who somehow figures out that a "friend" is all about him...and no matter
    what even if they decide friends with benefits doesn't work-he'll *sniff,sniff* never give her up.
    Or them or he or who ever,could be a little gray alien for all that we know.
    Flag Thia007on November 16, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Actually, This song can be seen as an answer to "wherever i lay my hat" by Paul Young! In the Paul Young song we have as:

    "and i love them and i leave them break their hearts and deceive them everywhere i go"

    and here in this song we have :

    "never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down,
    never gonna run around and desert you".

    I believe this two songs are totally related!
    Flag aarminaon August 08, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:who does'nt love this song...............rick your the shit lol
    Flagged wonderwhatsnexton April 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I lost the game.
    Flagged GeniusFaceon September 23, 2009   Link
  • -3
    General Comment:puke puke puke puke puke
    Flagged terribleon May 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Look at this remix of the song and tell its not a beautiful love song..
    youtube.com/…
    (Serious. Not a rick roll).
    Flag Wengleon March 01, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:he is a lovable ginger nerd! duh? and he has a great voice
    a catchy song! i genuinely like it
    I had never known about rickrolling i was trying to find out this singer with what i had remembered from watching the vid ages ago. a ginger. by a wall. dancing girls... it was hard work! but i finally found him lol
    Flag jump up!on February 21, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Some people get pissed off when they get "Rick Rolled" I however, and hopefully countless others, enjoy it, and get a good laugh, and maybe even sing along such as myself. Good work Mr. Astley, it's just a shame you couldn;t keep it up.
    Flag za-ch!on December 08, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song is about getting Rick Rolled.
    Flag OMFG_Philon December 02, 2008   Link

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