Whoa, oh
Oh-oh, whoa, ohh

He can only hold her for so long
The lights are on, but no one's home
She's so vacant
Her soul is taken
He thinks, "What's she running from?"

Now, how can he have her heart
When it got stole?
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies

Even if she's content in his warmth
She is plagued with urgency
Searching kisses
The man she misses
The man that he longs to be

Now, how can he have her heart
When it got stole?
So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her never dies

So he tries to pacify her
'Cause what's inside her it never dies, whoa

So he tries to pacify her
But what's inside her never dies (woo)

Overall Meaning

The song "He Can Only Hold Her" by Amy Winehouse is a soulful and emotional track that touches upon the themes of love, loss, and addiction. It tells the story of a man who is trying to love and understand a woman who appears to be emotionally detached and vacant. He struggles to connect with her and wonders why she is running from something. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration and helplessness felt by the man, who is unable to capture the heart of the woman he wants.

The opening lines of the song, "He can only hold her for so long, the lights are on but no one's home," suggest that the woman is physically present, but emotionally unavailable. The reference to her soul being taken highlights the emptiness that she feels inside, which makes it difficult for the man to connect with her. Despite his efforts to pacify her, the woman remains plagued with urgency and yearns for someone who she has lost.

The chorus of the song repeats the line, "Now, how can he have her heart when it got stole?" This suggests that the woman has been hurt or betrayed in the past, making it difficult for her to trust and open up to others. The man is aware of this and tries to soothe her, but he realizes that what's inside of her will never truly die.

Line by Line Meaning

He can only hold her for so long
He knows that their time together is temporary

The lights are on, but no one's home
She is physically present, but emotionally absent

She's so vacant
She is empty inside

Her soul is taken
She has lost a part of herself

He thinks, 'What's she running from?'
He wonders about the source of her emotional turmoil

Now, how can he have her heart When it got stole?
He wonders how he can gain her trust and love after another man has hurt her

So he tries to pacify her 'Cause what's inside her never dies
He tries to comfort her despite knowing that her pain will not go away completely

Even if she's content in his warmth She is plagued with urgency Searching kisses The man she misses The man that he longs to be
She may appreciate him, but she is still yearning for someone else

So he tries to pacify her But what's inside her never dies (woo)
Despite his efforts, he knows that her inner pain will continue

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Harrison, Richard Poindexter, Robert Poindexter, Amy Winehouse, Charles Harper

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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