Pesem "When I Look at You" je pop pesem, ki traja štiri minute in osem sekund.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cgalbum/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kvfyxz9aldse~T0the-time-of-our-lives-walmart-exclusive-r1660666|title=allmusic {{{The Time of Our Lives <nowiki>[Walmart Exclusive]</nowiki> > Overview}}}|work=''[[Allmusic]]''|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|accessdate=May 9, 2010}}</ref> Po mnenju Katie Byrne iz [[MTV News]] je pesem hkrati tudi [[balada]].<ref name="americanidol">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1634657/20100324/cyrus__miley.jhtml|title=Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato And Joe Jonas Take Over 'American Idol'|first=Katie|last=Byrne|date=March 24, 2010|work=''MTV News''|publisher=Viacom|accessdate=May 8, 2010}}</ref> Napisana je v ključu [[e-dur]], glas Miley Cyrus pa se razteza čez dve oktavi, od G<sub>3</sub> do E<sub>5</sub>.<ref name="sheet">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0080900|title=Digital sheet music - Miley Cyrus - When I Look at You|accessdate=May 10, 2010|work=''Musicnotes.com''|publisher=[[Alfred Publishing]]}}</ref> Pesem se začne s [[klavir]]jem, nato pa Miley Cyrus začne pritajeno peti. Po drugem verzu pride na vrsto solo [[električna kitara|električne kitare]].<ref name="americanidol" /> Temu sledijo akordi E–G–D–C–C.<ref name="sheet" /> Jocelyn Vena iz MTV News je povedala, da pesem "When I Look at You" govori o sanjskem fantu Miley Cyrus.<ref name="videoreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632646/20100225/cyrus__miley.jhtml|title=Miley Cyrus And Liam Hemsworth Get Romantic In 'When I Look At You' Video|first=Jocelyn|last=Vena|date=February 25, 2010|work=''MTV News''|publisher=Viacom|accessdate=May 9, 2010}}</ref>
Po mnenju Byrneove je zadnja kitica - "You appear just like a dream to me" ("Pojavil si se kot iz sanj") - precej domišljiska.<ref name="americanidol" />
Vrstica 39:
=== Kritike ===
Kritike s strani glasbenih kritikov so bile povprečne in mešane. Novinarka revije ''[[Variety (revija)|Variety]]'', Lael Lowenstein, je pesem označila za "skoraj neizogibno uspešen singl,"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117941205.html?categoryid=34&cs=1|title=Concert Review: Miley Cyrus|publisher=[[Reed Business Information]] |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|accessdate=May 9, 2010|date=October 2, 2009|first=Leal|last=Lowenstein}}</ref> Heather Phares iz [[Allmusic]] pa je napisal: "Ko si pusti ... da pride do izraza pevka balad, Cyrusova zares žari."<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cgalbum/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kvfyxz9aldse~T1the-time-of-our-lives-walmart-exclusive-r1660666|title=allmusic {{{The Time of Our Lives <nowiki>[Walmart Exclusive]</nowiki> > Review}}}|work=''Allmusic''|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=May 9, 2010|first=Heather|last=Phares}}</ref> Phares je dodal še: "Ravno takšna je tudi ob petju balad na EP-ju."<ref name="allmusic" /> Bill Lamb iz spletne strani [[About.com]] se s tem ni strinjal in napisal, da sta "dve baladi iz EP-ja 'When I Look At You' in 'Obsessed,' kot dva letaka. Miley Cyrus je ustvarila veliko uspešnico s pesmijo '[[The Climb (pesem)|The Climb]],' vendar ti dve baladi nista tako dobri, saj je obe zapela na različen način in sta preprosto povprečni."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/mileycyrustimeofourlives.htm|work=''[[About.com]]''|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|first=Bill|last=Lamb|accessdate=May 9, 2010|title=Miley Cyrus - The Time of Our Lives}}</ref> Michael Hann iz angleškega časopisa ''[[The Guardian]]'' je pesem "When I Look at You" označil za eno izmed "najslabših balad" z EP-ja ''The Time of Our Lives''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/20/miley-cyrus-time-of-lives-review|title=Miley Cyrus: The Time of Our Lives|first=Michael|last=Hann|work=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]|accessdate=May 9, 2010|date=November 20, 2009}}</ref>
