Two or too?

Question

Hi, friends!

I was listening to this song, and I am wondering what Adele sings in this video (1' 35'')

Someone like you

Does she sing...

I wish nothing but the best for you two

or

I wish nothing but the best for you, too

?

How can you tell?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

¡Hola!, Cogumela:

In your poet's heart, you know the word is 'too'. You know this because of the intimacy of the song and its lyrics. Because the lyrics of a song are, after all, poetry.
Upon hearing the song, you know instinctively it is a message from a woman to the man she used to love, and he used to love her. While the songwriter refers to the man's new woman, she never addresses the new woman and never includes the new woman as one of the intended listeners. The song is simply too intimate for the word to be 'two'. Adele wrote and sings 'too' in the sense of 'also'. The focus of her words is on the man she continues to love and she is too focused to want to include any other person in her outpouring.

Saludos y prospero año nuevo,

Moe

What a lovely answer! Happy New Year to you, "too", Moe. - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Nice analysis, Moe - Izanoni1, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 2

Both make sense. I would have thought she meant 'too'. Implying that everything will work out ok for her, but she wishes nothing but the best for him too.

You can say... "I wish nothing but the best for you two, too" But of course it wouldn't sound quite the same here lol.

What a great song that is.

Thanks, Mick! Both make sense, but after Moe's answer I bet for "too", too. Besos! - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

De nada amiga. By the way have you heard the live version that she sang at the Brits? Google that, its fantastic. You can feel the emotion! - billygoat, Dec 26, 2011

here you go........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qemWRToNYJY - billygoat, Dec 26, 2011

Gracias, Billy!! La versión es excelente :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 3

According to a lyrics website she is singing "I wish nothing but the best for you, too." This makes sense to me because the previous line is "Never mind, I'll find someone like you." So she is wishing the best for herself (someone like her previous lover) and him also.

I hope this helps!

Thanks, Netjert! :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 4

Hi cogumela, I listened to the song. The lyrics are underneath the song and the songwriter wrote, "I wish nothing but the best for you, too. My guess is that it would be too. I think the songwriter failed to make it clear. She's singing to one person, so I have to assume she's wishing one person the best which... I'm going to listen to the song again, but, I don't think I can comment any better that this. O.K. I listened to it again, and you're right, it could easily mean two, but I'm going to stay with my original guess which is too. I think the songwriter is just trying to make a rhyme.

Two (2) means the number. Too Means also.

It's nice to hear from you cogumela, hope you have 12 happy days of Christmas starting now.

Maria

My question was more about how you call tell, when context does not help. My first interpretation was "two", then I thought of "too", and I was just wondering. Thank you for your answer ! :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

I don't think you can tell from the video. However, since it was written out as 'too' that would settle it for me. Unless of course we think that the writer doesn't know the difference which seems unlikely. - Maria-Russell, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 5

Hi Cogu

If you go to your you tube link the lyrics are written under the screen. You just have to click on "show more" and all the lyrics are there. You will then see that she is singing the word Too

Ya... Lo que pasa es que estaba escuchando solo la canción, sin ver las letras. De haber visto las letras, probablemente no habría tenido duda - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Me preguntaba si, en estos casos, sin contexto vosotros érais capaces de deducir un significado claramente, más que importarme cuál es el sentido original de la canción de Adele - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Pero mil gracias por tu respuesta, de todos modos. Siempre son muy útiles. Felices fiestas, Eddy :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 6

I think that she purposely made this ambiguous so that she can trick us. It is a common trick among literature to be doing that. They always like to leave little mysteries to keep us guessing. Well played, Adele.

I thought the same, it could be a pun. :) Thanks, singas ! - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 7

Both make sense to me in that context, so I can't tell.

Thanks, Lorenzo :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 8

I agree with Sonrisa and Lorenzo it could be either as she is talking to her friend but refers to him having settled down with a wife.

:) I love reading your personal interpretations - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Thanks Mary :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 9

Normally in speech "you two" goes together a bit more than "you too" It's like "you-two". But in a song this wouldn't apply because it has to follow the music and rhythm of the song

Thank you rabbit! :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011

Answer 10

Excellent question, cogu! I had never thought about this.

I love this song!

I agree with Lorenzo that both would make sense. However, I always thought it was "two" since she says that "found a girl and you're married now." I always thought that she had said "I wish nothing but the best for you two" referring to her ex-lover and his new wife.

Thank you sonrisa!! :) - cogumela, Dec 26, 2011