BECAUSE OF YOU
♫ Kelly Clarkson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did, you fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known
Better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life
Because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid





Because of you
Because of you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kelly Clarkson's song "Because of You" depict the deep scars left by a dysfunctional family relationship. The singer expresses her determination to break the cycle of abuse and not repeat the same mistakes her parent did. She ruminates about the emotional damage that was inflicted on her by her parent's neglect and lack of consideration. The remnants of the trauma appear to haunt the singer who experiences difficulty trusting others and allowing herself to be vulnerable. The lyrics are characterized by a strong sense of bitterness, anger, and pain, which are conveyed effectively through the melody and Clarkson's vocal delivery.


Throughout the song, the use of repetition reinforces the depth of the singer's feelings and creates a sense of unity around the central theme. The bridge is especially poignant, with its raw intensity and vivid imagery. She describes watching her parent suffer and feeling unable to offer help or support. The lyrics "I was so young, you should have known better than to lean on me" encapsulate the heart of the matter, capturing the sense of frustration and powerlessness that the singer feels.


Line by Line Meaning

I will not make
I won't repeat the same mistakes you made.


The same mistakes that you did
I won't commit the same errors and misjudgments that you did.


I will not let myself
I won't allow myself to fall into the same trap you did.


Cause my heart so much misery
I won't let my heart endure the agony you went through.


I will not break
I won't collapse and crumble like you did.


The way you did, you fell so hard
I won't succumb to failure like you did.


I've learned the hard way
I've learned through difficult experiences and hardships.


To never let it get that far
To never allow situations to escalate to the point of no return.


Because of you
As a consequence of your actions and behavior.


I never stray too far from the sidewalk
I avoid taking unnecessary risks and play it safe in life.


I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
I learned to avoid danger and protect myself from pain.


I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
I struggle to believe in myself and others, due to the lack of trust I experienced in the past.


I am afraid
I am filled with fear and anxiety.


I lose my way
I get off track and confused.


And it's not too long before you point it out
You quickly bring my shortcomings to my attention.


I cannot cry
I can't express my emotions because you consider it a sign of weakness.


Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
Because I understand that you view crying as a sign of being weak.


I'm forced to fake
I have to pretend to be happy and put on a facade.


A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
I act cheerful and happy each day, even if I don't feel that way inside.


My heart can't possibly break
My heart can't be broken because it was already shattered.


When it wasn't even whole to start with
Because my heart was always damaged and broken, to begin with.


I watched you die
I saw as you slowly faded away and lost your true self.


I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I listened to you weep and sob every night, even in your dreams.


I was so young
I was too young and inexperienced to handle your problems.


You should have known
You should have been aware and considered the consequences of your actions.


Better than to lean on me
You shouldn't have relied on me for support and comfort.


You never thought of anyone else
You only thought of yourself and didn't consider how your actions affected others.


You just saw your pain
You only focused on your own suffering and couldn't see the pain you caused others.


And now I cry in the middle of the night
And now I experience the same pain and suffering you did.


For the same damn thing
For the identical type of pain and torment that you went through.


I try my hardest just to forget everything
I make an effort to forget everything that happened and move on.


I don't know how to let anyone else in
I struggle to open up to others and let them into my life, due to the lack of trust.


I'm ashamed of my life
I feel humiliated and embarrassed about my own life due to the pain and trauma you caused.


Because it's empty
Because my life feels devoid of meaning and fulfillment.


Because of you
Because of the impact you had on my life.


I am afraid
I am filled with fear and apprehension.


Because of you
Because of the influence and effect you had on my life.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID HODGES, KELLY CLARKSON, BEN MOODY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions