I Didn't Want To Need You – English Lyrics

• By: Heart

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the power of emotional vulnerability in Heart's "I Didn't Want To Need You." The song's clear and direct lyrics offer a great opportunity to explore expressions of surprise, resistance, and eventual surrender to love. It's a classic power ballad that showcases how language can be used to describe a profound internal change, making it a special song for learning to articulate complex feelings.

[English]

(upbeat music)

♪ Baby, I never gave my heart to anyone, oh no ♪

♪ I used to think that love was a game ♪

♪ I used to make it just for fun, oh yeah ♪

♪ When we spent the night together ♪

♪ Didn't mean it meant that much ♪

♪ Now I just can't live without your touch ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna want you like I do ♪

♪ I didn't mean to fall ♪

♪ I didn't wanna care at all ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no, like I need you now ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ Oh, I can't get no sleep ♪

♪ 'Cause I keep thinking of you ♪

♪ All through the night, oh yeah ♪

♪ My eyes can't wait to see you again ♪

♪ My arms can't wait to hold you tight oh yeah ♪

♪ And when you're laying here beside me ♪

♪ There is nothing else I need ♪

♪ Never thought that this could ever be ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, oh no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna want you like I do ♪

♪ I didn't mean to fall ♪

♪ I didn't wanna care at all ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no, like I need you now ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ I've always been free ♪

♪ To leave when I wanted to leave ♪

♪ But it's not up to me anymore ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna want you like I do ♪

♪ I didn't mean to fall ♪

♪ I didn't wanna care at all ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna want you like I do ♪

♪ I didn't mean to fall ♪

♪ I didn't wanna care at all ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no but I need you now ♪

♪ I need you now ♪

♪ I need you now ♪

♪ I need you baby ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you, no, no ♪

♪ I didn't wanna need you ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential or very important
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to move downward, often accidentally or unintentionally verb - to develop feelings of love or attraction
care /keə(r)/ A1	verb - to feel concern or interest
touch /tʌtʃ/ A1	noun - the act of physical contact verb - to come into physical contact with
sleep /sliːp/ A1	noun - a natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body verb - to rest in a state of sleep
think /θɪŋk/ A1	verb - to have a particular opinion, belief, or idea
hold /həʊld/ A1	verb - to have or keep something in one's hand or arms
free /friː/ A1	adjective - not imprisoned or enslaved
leave /liːv/ A1	verb - to go away from a place or person
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period between sunset and sunrise
together /təˈɡeθər/ A1	adverb - in or into one company or group
mean /miːn/ A2	verb - to intend to express or refer to
lay /leɪ/ A2	verb - to put or set something down
wait /weɪt/ A1	verb - to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event
game /ɡeɪm/ A1	noun - an activity with rules, often for entertainment or competition

Key Grammar Structures

• I didn't wanna need you, no, no

  ➔ Past negative with modal verb

  ➔ This uses "didn't" + base verb to form the past negative, with "wanna" as a colloquial form of "want to". The structure expresses a past desire not to feel something.

• I used to think that love was a game

  ➔ "Used to" for past habits

  ➔ "Used to" + base verb describes a habit or state that was true in the past but is no longer true now. In this line, "used to think" shows a previous belief about love that has changed.

• Now I just can't live without your touch

  ➔ Modal verb of inability in present tense

  ➔ "Can't" is used to express inability or impossibility in the present. The structure "can't live without" is an idiom expressing strong dependency or need for someone or something.

• I didn't mean to fall

  ➔ "Mean to" for intention

  ➔ "Didn't mean to" + verb expresses that something was not intentional. In this line, "didn't mean to fall" suggests that falling in love was not planned or intended by the speaker.

• Oh, I can't get no sleep

  ➔ Double negative

  ➔ This uses two negative words ("can't" and "no") in the same clause. In standard English, this would be "I can't get any sleep", but double negatives are common in informal speech and song lyrics for emphasis.

• But it's not up to me anymore

  ➔ "Be up to" for responsibility

  ➔ The phrase "be up to someone" means that a decision or responsibility belongs to that person. "Not up to me" indicates the speaker no longer has control or decision-making power in the situation.

• I've always been free

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The present perfect "have been" is used to describe a state that started in the past and continues to the present, or has relevance to the present. "I've always been free" suggests a continuous state of freedom from the past until now.

• To leave when I wanted to leave

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive "to leave" is used to express purpose or intention. It explains the reason for having freedom - the ability to leave whenever one wanted. This structure shows the purpose or result of an action.