When I'm With You — LISA: what the lyrics really mean
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in syncTold me I should leave you alone, told me, "Stay your ass at home"Listen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
LISA's “When I'm With You” is a confident, playful song about a woman who drops her guard and gives in to someone who takes the lead. Friends urge her to be careful, yet she happily ignores them, flaunting her own star power and wide appeal while admitting that their attention leaves her dizzy and half outside herself. It ends in a swaggering, giddy insistence that no one can lecture her about her own choices.
Key lines
4 lines from the song with the slang, wordplay and references behind them. The full line-by-line breakdown lives in the app.
Told me I should leave you alone, told me, "Stay your ass at home"Listen from this lineWords in this line- assbutt
What's behind the line: Leave you alone literally means go away and leave someone by themselves, but about a relationship it means end contact. Ass means butt, yet in stay your ass at home it is only a blunt, bossy intensifier, like stay home already. The tone is rough friend advice, not anything about the body.
Coud-coud-could've been a good girl, but I won't beListen from this lineWhat's behind the line: Could've is the spoken short form of could have, and the repeated cou-cou is only a rhythmic stutter. Good girl means more than kind: it means obedient and well-behaved, doing what is expected. So but I won't be is a deliberate refusal to play that role.
When I'm with youListen from this lineWhat's behind the line: There is almost no gap here; the line is plain. It is left unfinished on purpose, and the previous line about pride supplies what happens when she is with them.
Can't tell me nothing 'bout, nothing 'boutListen to the first verse — freeWords in this line- 'boutabout
- 'boutabout
What's behind the line: Nothing alone means "not anything" and can't means "is unable to", so word for word it is a double negative and a cut-off phrase. In casual speech "can't tell me nothing" means "you can't tell me anything", i.e. the speaker refuses advice. 'Bout is just about shortened.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “When I'm With You” — LISA. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
A line from the song with one word missing: listen, then pick the right word. Sori checks your answer and saves the new words to your notebook.
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Why this word and not another? What does that slang mean? Ask in your own words and your idol answers about this exact line.
Ask SoriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in alphabetical order, with what they mean here.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ain't | isn't |
| backtoback | consecutive |
| baddest | coolest |
| composed | calm |
| ddddealin | dealing |
| elevate | upgrade |
| gggive | give |
| nonow | echo of now |
| overseas | abroad |
| way | much |
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Questions about “When I'm With You”
What is “When I'm With You” by LISA about?
LISA's “When I'm With You” is a confident, playful song about a woman who drops her guard and gives in to someone who takes the lead.
What does “Told me I should leave you alone, told me, "Stay your ass at home"” mean in “When I'm With You”?
Leave you alone literally means go away and leave someone by themselves, but about a relationship it means end contact.
What does “Coud-coud-could've been a good girl, but I won't be” mean in “When I'm With You”?
Could've is the spoken short form of could have, and the repeated cou-cou is only a rhythmic stutter.
Where can I see every line of “When I'm With You” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sori goes through all 53 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
The video loads from YouTube only when you press play. YouTube ↗
Credits and sources
- Artist
- LISA
- Official video
- LLOUD Official · YouTube
Lyrics and music belong to their rights holders. This page quotes no more than four lines for commentary; the translations, pronunciation and explanations are written by theIDOL.