About this song

Someone Like You

By Adele

Updated

What “Someone Like You” means

This song is about running into a former lover after a breakup and feeling the mix of sadness, acceptance, and lingering attachment that comes with it. The singer is trying to act gracious and wish the other person well, but the repeated lines show that she is still emotionally affected and not fully over the relationship. The tone is wistful and heartbreakingly honest, with a strong sense of nostalgia and emotional maturity. It also captures a very common truth about love: sometimes it works out, and sometimes it leaves pain behind.

About Adele

Adele is an English singer and songwriter from the United Kingdom. She is known for soul and pop music, and she became one of the best-known artists of her generation with albums like 21, 25, and 30. Her powerful voice and emotional songs have won many awards and global success.

"Someone Like You" was released in 2011 as a song from Adele’s album 21, and the official music video was uploaded in September 2011. The song is about heartbreak and accepting that an old relationship has ended. It became one of Adele’s most famous songs and helped make her a major international star.

Line by line

Lines worth knowing

  • “out of the blue”

    This means unexpectedly, with no warning. It is an everyday idiom, used when something happens suddenly and seems to come from nowhere.

  • “I couldn't stay away”

    This means I was unable to keep away or resist coming. It is everyday spoken English, often used when someone feels pulled toward a person, place, or habit.

  • “it isn't over”

    This means the relationship or situation is still continuing emotionally. People say this in everyday English when something has not finished yet, especially after a breakup or argument.

  • “the time of our lives”

    This means a period when we were having an extremely happy, exciting time. It is an everyday expression used to describe a very joyful experience or phase in life.

  • “Nothing compares”

    This means nothing is as good, special, or intense as that thing. It is an everyday phrase used when you want to say something is unmatched.

  • “don't forget me”

    This means please remember me. It is a very common everyday request, especially in emotional goodbyes or when someone wants to stay in another person's memory.

Play the song above for the full karaoke-synced lyrics with line-by-line translation.

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