Why Not Me – English Lyrics

• By: Enrique Iglesias

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional landscape of Enrique Iglesias's "Why Not Me," a quintessential pop ballad that speaks to universal feelings of unrequited desire. By exploring its sincere English lyrics, you can appreciate the raw vulnerability and melodic charm that makes this track a favorite for fans seeking catharsis through music.

[English]

Escaping nights without you with shadows on the wall

My mind is running wild tryin hard not to fall

You tell me that you love me but say I’m just a friend

My heart is broken up into pieces

Cause i know i’ll never free my soul

It’s trapped in between true love and being alone

When my eyes are closed the greatest story told

I woke and my dreams are shattered here on the floor

Why oh why tell me why not me

Why oh why we were meant to be

Baby I know I could be all you need

Why oh why oh why

I wanna love you

If you only knew how much i love you

So why not me

The day after tomorrow I’ll still be around

To catch you when you fall and never let you down

You say that we’re forever our love will never end

I’ve tried to come up but it’s drowning me to know

You’ll never free my soul

It’s trapped in between true love and being alone

When my eyes are closed the greatest story told

I woke and my dreams are shattered here on the floor

Tell me baby why oh why tell me why not me

Why oh why we were meant to be

Baby i know i could be all you need

Why oh why oh why

I wanna love you

If you only knew how much i love you

So why not me

You won’t ever know

How far we can go (go)

You won’t ever know

How far we can go (go)

Why oh why tell me why not me

Why oh why we were meant to be

Baby i know i could be all you need

Why oh why oh why

Why oh why tell me why not me

Why oh why we were meant to be

Baby I know I could be all you need

Why oh why oh why

I wanna love you

If you only knew how much i love you

So why not me

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or strong feeling of attraction verb - to feel deep affection for someone
heart /hɑːt/ A2	noun - the organ that pumps blood; the center of emotion
soul /soʊl/ B2	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a person, regarded as immortal
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ B1	adjective - damaged and no longer in one piece; emotionally hurt verb - to cause something to become broken
free /friː/ A2	adjective - not under control or restraint; without cost verb - to release from captivity or bondage
trapped /træpt/ B2	adjective - caught in a place or situation from which escape is difficult verb - to catch or hold something so it cannot move
true /truː/ A2	adjective - in accordance with fact or reality; genuine
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - without other people; solitary
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep; an aspiration verb - to experience dreams while sleeping; to imagine something desired
shattered /ˈʃætərd/ C1	adjective - broken into many pieces; emotionally devastated verb - to break something into many pieces
escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ B1	verb - to get away from a place or situation, especially a dangerous one noun - the act of escaping; a way out
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot verb - to operate or manage (a business, a program, etc.)
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to drop down to the ground or a lower level noun - the act of falling; an autumn season
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential or necessary noun - something that is required or wanted
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
shadow /ˈʃædoʊ/ B1	noun - a dark shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
friend /frɛnd/ A1	noun - a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations

Key Grammar Structures

• Escaping nights without you with shadows on the wall

  ➔ Present‑participle (gerund) clause used as a noun phrase

  ➔ The word **Escaping** introduces a gerund phrase that describes the situation.

• My mind is running wild tryin hard not to fall

  ➔ Present continuous tense + infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The verb **is running** is in the present continuous, and **to fall** is an infinitive indicating what the mind tries to avoid.

• You tell me that you love **me** but say I’m just a friend

  ➔ Simple present with a 'that'-clause and coordination using 'but'

  ➔ The word **that** introduces a content clause reporting what is said.

• My heart is broken **up** into pieces

  ➔ Passive voice (present simple) with a phrasal verb 'break up'

  ➔ The verb **is broken** shows the passive form; **up** is part of the phrasal verb meaning 'into pieces'.

• Cause I know I’ll never **free** my soul

  ➔ Future simple with 'will' + bare infinitive

  ➔ The auxiliary **will** contracts to **’ll** and is followed by the bare infinitive **free**.

• It’s trapped in between true love and being **alone**

  ➔ Passive verb 'be' + past participle + gerund phrase as complement

  ➔ The adjective **alone** is part of the gerund phrase **being alone**, which functions as the complement of the passive verb **is trapped**.

• When my eyes are **closed** the greatest story told

  ➔ Reduced passive relative clause (past participle) and noun phrase with past participle as adjective

  ➔ The past participle **closed** forms a reduced clause “when my eyes are closed”; **told** modifies **story** as a past‑participle adjective.

• I’ll still be around to **catch** you when you fall and never **let** you down

  ➔ Future simple with ‘will’, infinitive of purpose (to catch), and coordination of infinitives (catch… let)

  ➔ The infinitive **to catch** expresses purpose; **let** is another bare infinitive linked by **and**.

• You won’t ever **know** how far we can **go**

  ➔ Future negative with ‘will not’ contracted, verb ‘know’ + indirect question clause, modal ‘can’ + bare infinitive

  ➔ The contraction **won’t** (= will not) negates **know**; **can** introduces the ability‑statement **go**.