I Got You – English Lyrics

• By: Jack Johnson
• Album: From Here To Now To You

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Jack Johnson's 'I Got You' is a perfect starting point for English learners. The song's clear, simple lyrics and recurring chorus make it easy to follow and sing along. You'll learn common expressions of love and support in a sweet, melodic context. What makes this song special is its universal message of love and companionship, making it a joy to learn and understand.

[English]

♪♪♪

♪ BACK WHEN ALL MY LITTLE GOALS SEEMED SO IMPORTANT ♪

♪ AND EVERY POT OF GOLD FILLING FULL OF DISTORTION ♪

♪ HEAVEN WAS A PLACE STILL IN SPACE NOT IN MOTION ♪

♪ BUT SOON ♪

♪♪♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I DON'T NEED NOTHING MORE THAN YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪♪♪

♪ WE WENT WALKING THROUGH THE HILLS TRYING TO ♪

♪ PRETEND THAT WE BOTH KNOW ♪

♪ MAYBE IF WE SAVE UP WE COULD BUILD A LITTLE HOME ♪

♪ BUT THEN THE HAIL STORM CAME ♪

♪ IT YELLED "YOU NEED TO LET GO YOU'VE GOT NO CONTROL" ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I DON'T NEED NOTHING MORE THAN YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪♪♪

♪ THIS WEIGHT'S TOO MUCH ALONE ♪

♪ SOME DAYS I CAN'T HOLD IT AT ALL ♪

♪ IF YOU TAKE IT ON FOR ME ♪

♪ WHEN TOMORROW IS TOO MUCH ♪

♪ I'LL CARRY IT ALL ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ WHEN TOMORROW IS TOO MUCH ♪

♪ I'LL CARRY IT ALL ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪ I DON'T NEED NOTHING MORE THAN YOU ♪

♪ I GOT EVERYTHING ♪

♪ I GOT YOU ♪

♪♪♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
goal /ɡoʊl/ A2	noun - something that you try to achieve
important /ɪmˈpɔr.tənt/ A2	adjective - having a big effect or meaning
distortion /dɪˈstɔr.ʃən/ B2	noun - a change to the intended or true meaning of something
heaven /ˈhɛv.ən/ A2	noun - the place where God lives and where good people go after they die
walking /ˈwɔk.ɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move on foot
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ A2	verb - to behave as if something is true when it is not
build /bɪld/ A2	verb - to make or construct something
hail /heɪl/ B1	noun - small balls of ice that fall like rain
storm /stɔrm/ A2	noun - a violent weather condition with strong winds and heavy rain
control /kənˈtroʊl/ A2	noun - the power to make decisions or influence events
weight /weɪt/ A1	noun - how heavy something is
carry /ˈkær.i/ A1	verb - to hold and take something from one place to another
tomorrow /təˈmɑr.oʊ/ A1	noun - the day after today
everything /ˈɛv.riˌθɪŋ/ A1	pronoun - all things
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential

Key Grammar Structures

• BACK WHEN ALL MY LITTLE GOALS SEEMED SO IMPORTANT

  ➔ Past Subjunctive/Conditional (Seemed)

  ➔ The verb "seemed" expresses a state that was true in the past, but with a sense of unreality or subjectivity. It's used to describe how the goals *felt* at the time, rather than stating a definite fact. The phrase 'back when' sets a past context.

• HEAVEN WAS A PLACE STILL IN SPACE NOT IN MOTION

  ➔ Inversion for Emphasis, Static vs. Dynamic Verbs

  ➔ The sentence structure is inverted ("Was heaven a place...") to emphasize the concept of heaven. "In space" describes a static location, contrasting with "in motion" which implies dynamic change. 'Still' reinforces the static quality.

• MAYBE IF WE SAVE UP WE COULD BUILD A LITTLE HOME

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ This is a classic example of the second conditional: "If + past simple, would + base form". It describes an unreal or hypothetical situation and its likely result. The 'could' indicates possibility rather than certainty.

• IT YELLED "YOU NEED TO LET GO YOU'VE GOT NO CONTROL"

  ➔ Imperative Mood, Present Perfect

  ➔ "You need to let go" is a direct command (imperative). "You've got no control" uses the present perfect to state a current state resulting from a past lack of control. The quotation marks indicate direct speech.

• SOME DAYS I CAN'T HOLD IT AT ALL

  ➔ Modal Verb (Can't), Adverb of Degree (At all)

  ➔ "Can't" expresses inability. "At all" intensifies the negation, meaning 'not even a little'. It emphasizes the complete lack of ability on those days.