You’ll Never Know by Ariana Grande Lyrics Meaning – The Missed Chance Explored
Lyrics
Guess your words just came a little too late
All the drama boy it’s overkill
Don’t be mad at me ’cause you been replaced,
Know your place
But if you woul’da manned up,
Put your hand up, stand up, tell me how you really felt
Then maybe it’d be different
If you spoke I would’ve listened, but now I’m with somebody else
And he loves me, too much for me to mess this up
And it sucks to be all in your head
Wondering, where this thing could go, but
You will never know (oh oh)
What we could have been
If you would’ve shown (oh oh)
Your way back then
Boy you gotta (yep, yep)
Boy you shoulda (yep, yep) but you didn’t know, so
Now you’ll never know
You’ll never know
Now it’s probably hard for you to hear
But there’s nothing left for you to say
Had my heart all in your hands
Boy, but you don’t understand
Is a girl like me don’t have no time to waste around
But if you woul’da manned up,
Put your hand up, stand up, tell me how you really felt
Then maybe it’d be different
If you spoke I would’ve listened, but now I’m with somebody else
And he loves me, too much for me to mess this up
And it sucks to be all in your head
Wondering, where this thing could go, but
You will never know (oh oh)
What we could have been
If you would’ve shown (If you would’ve shown)
Your way back then
Boy you gotta (yep, yep)
Boy you shoulda (yep, yep) but you didn’t know, so
Now you’ll never know
You’ll never know
You’ll never know
Boy you should’ve told me, told me
You’ll never know
Boy you should’ve let me know
You’ll never know
Boy you could’ve been there for me, but now you’ll never know
You’ll never know
It’s not my fault
You’re a little bit too late
You’re the only one to blame
Wipe that look off your face
You can wish a thousand times, but
None of that will change my mind boy
You had a chance you’ll never get back (get back uh uh-uh)
You will never know (What we could have been)
If you would’ve shown (If you would’ve shown me)
Your way back then (way back then baby)
Boy you gotta (yep, yep)
Boy you shoulda (yep, yep) ’cause you didn’t know, so
Now you’ll never know
Oh baby
You’ll never know
Boy you could’ve told me told me
You’ll never know
Boy you could’ve let me know
You’ll never know
Boy you could’ve been there for me, but now you’ll never know
You’ll never know (You’ll never know)
No no no no you’ll never know oh babe
(You’ll never know)
No
(You’ll never know) yeah
You’ll never know
Ariana Grande’s track ‘You’ll Never Know’ weaves a poignant tale of timing and revelation—a theme all too familiar in the game of love and loss. With her signature vocal prowess, Grande delivers a message that is both personal and universally recognizable, ensnaring listeners in a lattice of what-ifs and could-haves while simultaneously empowering them with the notion of self-worth and the ability to move on.
This track, a gem from her 2013 album ‘Yours Truly’, is a testament to the artist’s depth and ability to capture the intricacies of human emotion. The meaning of ‘You’ll Never Know’ transcends the surface of lost love, delving into the significance of taking action, owning up to your feelings, and the bitter reality of misspent opportunities.
The Echoes of Lost Opportunities: A Dissection
Ariana Grande eloquently captures the essence of a lost chance—emphasizing the fault that lies not just in missing the moment, but failing to act upon it. ‘You’ll Never Know’ is an anthem for the too late; it’s a canvas painted with the colors of unspoken words and unseized opportunities.
The narrative Grande spins recounts a past lover’s inaction and the subsequent fallout. She paints a picture of someone mulling over what might have been, ensnared in their own hesitation while life moves on without them. Grande’s character has found a new beginning, and her ex-lover’s realization comes as nothing but the echo of a door already closed.
Stand Up and Be Counted – The Futility of Silence
Grande’s urging of the expression ‘if you would’ve manned up, put your hand up, stand up’ emerges as a strong message about the importance of being forthright with one’s feelings. The song addresses the regret that permeates when one fails to convey true emotions, leaving their fate to the whims of assumption and fear.
This rallying cry for emotional honesty in ‘You’ll Never Know’ is juxtaposed with the liberation of moving on. Grande communicates a sense of respect for the protagonist, who is unwilling to remain stagnant in the limbo of another person’s indecisiveness. There’s a sharp-edged lesson here on the impact of silence in an age where expressing feelings is often daunting yet undeniably crucial.
A Call for Self-Worth Amidst the Ruins of Romance
A crucial takeaway from ‘You’ll Never Know’ is the elevation of self-regard over the melancholic overtures of lost love. Grande forsakes the standard reprise of pining for a past lover, opting instead for empowering the self as she resolves ‘he loves me, too much for me to mess this up’.
The narrative insists on setting a standard for being valued and appreciated. The protagonist in the song moves from being an actor in someone else’s indecision to taking the lead role in her own love story—an empowering turn that resonates with many who have ever found themselves waiting on someone else to make the first move.
The Haunting ‘What Ifs’: Grande’s Lyrical Sorcery
‘You will never know what we could have been…’ Grande laces this track with the universal ponderance of what if, an unanswerable question that haunts both the song’s subject and listeners alike. The repeating phrases and the ‘yep, yep’ affirmations act as a spellbinding mantra, etching the song’s core sentiment deep into the psyche.
Through evocative imagery and repetitive hooks, Grande encapsulates the bittersweet acceptance of moving beyond what can never be known. The lingering ‘what if’ is the hidden thorn beneath the rose of closure, and Grande’s adept songwriting puts that emotional complexity into every listener’s grasp.
Memorable Lines That Resonate
‘It’s not my fault, you’re a little bit too late’—Grande’s words are sharp and underscore the ephemerality of the moment. The accountability she demands in these lines speaks to the empowerment found in acknowledging one’s own value, rather than languishing in the regret of someone who didn’t appreciate it in time.
Grande refuses to let her character be haunted by the past or by the choices of another who didn’t act when action was needed. ‘Wipe that look off your face’ signifies the end of placation, the moment where empathy for the other’s misspent chances ends and the emphasis on personal growth begins.
