As I Am by Alicia Keys

Fergal Kavanagh

Speaker: Chuck Rolando (Standard American accent):

“No One” was the first single from Alicia Keys’ album “As I Am.” It quickly became her most successful single to date, topping the charts around the world.  In a BBC interview Alicia admitted it is a song about her own relationship and how “You have to hold on to a good thing because they don’t come often. Even when people may try to break you apart, no one will get in the way of something special.” She also told Billboard magazine: “I needed to say this. I want people to feel my soul.”
The song begins with the singer reassuring her boyfriend she wants him to be nearby forever, and that their relationship “will only get better.” Others might not believe it will work out (“people keep talking”), but it doesn’t matter because she knows “everything’s going to be alright.” There is no one who can stop her, or “get in the way,” from feeling this way.
She is sure that in difficult times (“when the rain is pouring down”) and when she is suffering (“my heart is hurting”), her boyfriend will always be there for her – “this I know for certain.”
She realises what they have is special, that there are people who look everywhere (“search the world”) to find a love like theirs, but she’s also aware that those who are jealous will try to break up their relationship (“try to divide something so real”), and once more reassures him that no one will ever (“till the end of time”) stop her from feeling “what I feel for you.”
This is one of Alicia Keys’ favorite songs of her own – she told the BBC “I love ‘No One’ so much. The most fun about the song is that whenever people sing it, everyone joins in at the top of their lungs. It’s such a triumphant song, such a triumphant feeling. And, by the time you get to the end and sing those ‘ooohs,’ you feel strong.”  She performed it as a duet with John Mayer at the 2008 Grammy Awards ceremony in February, where the song won Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

To see the lyrics visit http://new.music.yahoo.com/alicia-keys/tracks/no-one--51245741

Fergal Kavanagh, the author of this article, runs the website www.tuneintoenglish.com. The Students’ Area features activities for learning English through pop music.