Through the lyrical content, Adele tries to connect with her child while also reflecting on her past mistakes. She apologizes for the things she's done that have made her child sad and expresses her desire to provide them with everything she never had. In one verse, Adele questions if her child feels her pain and heartache and if they can hear when her heart breaks.
Overall, the song portrays the struggles of a mother who is trying hard to be there for her child but is battling her own demons. The lyrics are very emotional and raw, and they capture the fears and anxieties that a young mother may experience when raising a child.
My Little Love
Adele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My little love
I see your eyes widen like an ocean
When you look at me so full of my emotions
I'm finding it hard to be here sincerely
I know you feel lost, it's my fault completely
I love you a million percent
I don't recognize myself in the coldness of the daylight
So I ain't surprised you can read through all of my lies
I feel so bad to be here when I'm so guilty
I'm so far gone and you're the only one who can save me
Oi, I feel like you don't love me
Why do you feel like that?
Do you like me?
You know mommy doesn't like
Anyone else like I like you, right?
I'm holdin' on (barely)
Mama's got a lot to learn (it's heavy)
I'm holdin' on (catch me)
Mama's got a lot to learn (teach me)
Mummy's been having a lot of big feelings recently
Like how?
Just, like, hang on, um, my fingers are trapped
Like, um, I feel a bit confused
Why?
I don't know and I feel
Like I don't really know what I'm doing
Oh, at all?
At all
And that would make you go, "Ay, yi, yi"
My little love
Tell me, do you feel the way my past aches?
When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks?
I wanted you to have everything I never had
I'm so sorry if what I've done makes you feel sad
I love your dad 'cause he gave you to me
You're half me and you're half daddy
Oh
I'm holdin' on (barely)
Mama's got a lot to learn (it's heavy)
I'm holdin' on (catch me)
Mama's got a lot to learn (teach me)
Mmh, mmh-mhm
I'm having a bad day, I'm having a very anxious day
I feel very paranoid, feel very stressed
Um, I have a hangover, which never helps, but
I feel like today is the first day since I left him that I feel lonely
And I never feel lonely, I love being on my own
I always preferred being on my own than being with people
And I feel like maybe I've been, like, overcompensating
And being out and, and stuff like that to keep my mind off of it
And I feel like today, I'm home, and I wanna be at home
I just wanna watch TV and curl up in a ball and
Be in my sweats and stuff like that
But I just feel really lonely
I feel a bit frightened that I might feel like this a lot
In Adele's song "My Little Love," she addresses her child and acknowledges the impact her past mistakes have had on their relationship. She begins by describing how her child's gaze resembles an ocean, and how her emotions are reflected in their eyes. Adele admits to feeling distant and insincere, and acknowledges that her child may feel lost because of her actions. She then asks for reassurance, telling her child to tell her they love her, and promising to reciprocate that love fully.
Adele goes on to admit that she does not recognize herself in the daylight, and that her child can see through her lies. She is overcome by guilt, and feels that she has lost herself. However, she believes that her child is the only one who can save her. In the pre-chorus, Adele expresses her fears that her child may not love her, but quickly reassures them that she loves them completely.
In the chorus, Adele acknowledges that she is still learning and growing as a mother, and asks her child for their unconditional love and support. She admits that she is struggling to hold on and learn from her mistakes, but that her child is her reason for trying.
The song is filled with vulnerability and honesty, as Adele confesses her fears and shortcomings as a mother. She paints her past mistakes as a cautionary tale, telling her child that she wanted them to have everything she never had. The song is a poignant reminder that even the strongest and most successful individuals struggle with parenting, and that love and self-reflection are crucial to the process.
Line by Line Meaning
My little love
Addressing the singer's child with affection
I see your eyes widen like an ocean
The child's eyes are full of wonder and curiosity when looking at the singer
When you look at me so full of my emotions
The child can read the singer's emotions just by looking at them
I'm finding it hard to be here sincerely
The artist is struggling to be present and genuine in the moment
I know you feel lost, it's my fault completely
The child feels lost because of the artist's actions and the artist takes full responsibility for it
Tell me you love me
The singer desires to hear the child express love
I love you a million percent
The singer loves the child with an immeasurable amount, beyond comprehension
I don't recognize myself in the coldness of the daylight
The artist feels different in the harsh reality of the day
So I ain't surprised you can read through all of my lies
The child can see through the artist's facade of falsehoods
I feel so bad to be here when I'm so guilty
The artist feels remorseful for their actions and the guilt weighs heavy on them
I'm so far gone and you're the only one who can save me
The singer feels lost and hopeless and the child is the only one who can offer comfort and guidance
Oi, I feel like you don't love me
The child's behavior has made the artist feel unloved
Why do you feel like that?
The singer asks the child to explain their behavior
Don't you like me?
The singer is seeking reassurance from the child
You know mommy doesn't like anyone else like I like you, right?
The singer is expressing their unique and strong love for the child
Mummy's been having a lot of big feelings recently
The artist has been experiencing intense emotions lately
Like how?
The child asks for more information about the artist's feelings
Just, like, hang on, um, my fingers are trapped
The singer is struggling to express their emotions clearly and feels trapped by their own confusion
Like, um, I feel a bit confused
The singer is unsure about their own emotions
Why?
The child is asking for the reason behind the artist's confusion
I don't know and I feel
The artist is uncertain and overwhelmed by their emotions
Like I don't really know what I'm doing
The artist feels lost and unsure of their actions
Oh, at all?
The child is expressing surprise at the extent of the singer's uncertainty
And that would make you go, "Ay, yi, yi"
The artist is jokingly referencing a common phrase used when things go wrong
Tell me, do you feel the way my past aches?
The singer is asking if the child feels the pain of the singer's past experiences
When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks?
The singer's emotional pain is palpable when the child is close to them
I wanted you to have everything I never had
The singer desires for the child to have a better life than they did
I'm so sorry if what I've done makes you feel sad
The artist apologizes to the child for any negative impact their actions may have had
I love your dad 'cause he gave you to me
The artist loves their partner because they brought the child into their life
You're half me and you're half daddy
The child is a combination of both the singer and their partner
I'm having a bad day, I'm having a very anxious day
The singer is expressing their current negative emotional state
I feel very paranoid, feel very stressed
The artist is overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety and paranoia
Um, I have a hangover, which never helps, but
The artist is also dealing with the aftermath of alcohol consumption
I feel like today is the first day since I left him that I feel lonely
The artist is experiencing loneliness for the first time since ending a past relationship
And I never feel lonely, I love being on my own
The singer typically enjoys being alone and does not experience loneliness often
I always preferred being on my own than being with people
The artist prefers solitude to socializing
And I feel like maybe I've been, like, overcompensating and being out and, and stuff like that to keep my mind off of it
The singer has been distracting themselves from their loneliness by going out and staying busy
But I just feel really lonely
Despite their efforts, the singer is still overwhelmed by loneliness
I feel a bit frightened that I might feel like this a lot
The singer is scared that their feelings of loneliness will continue indefinitely
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, Greg Kurstin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@christianromeo9075
“You know mummy doesn’t like anyone else like I like you right?”
“When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks”
“I love your dad because he gave you to me”
“I feel like today is the first day since I left him that I feel lonely…and I never feel lonely, I always prefer being on my own”
Ugh the recordings are so amazing 😭💔
@junhyobae
[Verse 1]
My little love
I see your eyes widen like an ocean
When you look at me so full of my emotions
I'm findin' it hard to be here sincerely
I know you feel lost, it's my fault completely
[Bridge: Adele & Angelo Adkins]
Tell me you love me
I love you a million percent
[Verse 2]
I don't recognise myself in the coldness of the daylight
So I ain't surprised you can read through all of my lies
I feel so bad to be here when I'm so guilty
I'm so far gone and you're the only one who can save mе
[Bridge: Angelo Adkins & Adele]
Oi, I feel like you don't love me
Why do you feel likе that?
Do you like me?
You know mummy doesn't like anyone else like I like you, right?
[Chorus]
I'm holdin' on (Barely)
Mama's got a lot to learn (It's heavy)
I'm holdin' on (Catch me)
Mama's got a lot to learn (Teach me)
[Bridge: Adele & Angelo Adkins]
Mummy's been having a lot of big feelings recently
Like how?
Just, like, hang on, my fingers are trapped
Like, um, I feel a bit confused
Why?
I don't know
And I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing
Oh, at all?
At all
And that would make me go...
[Verse 3]
My little love
Tell me, do you feel the way my past aches?
When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks?
I wanted you to have everything I never had
I'm so sorry if what I've done makes you feel sad
[Bridge: Adele & Angelo Adkins]
I love your dad 'cause he gave you to me
You're half me and you're half daddy
Oh
[Chorus]
I'm holdin' on (Barely)
Mama's got a lot to learn (It's heavy)
I'm holdin' on (Catch me)
Mama's got a lot to learn (Teach me)
[Outro]
I'm having a bad day, I'm having a very anxious day
I feel very paranoid, I feel very stressed
Um, I have a hangover, which never helps, but
I feel like today is the first day since I left him that I feel lonely
And I never feel lonely, I love being on my own
I always preferred being on my own than being with people
And I feel like maybe I've been, like, overcompensating
And being out and stuff like that to keep my mind off of him
And I feel like today, I'm home and I wanna be at home
I just wanna watch TV and curl up in a ball and
Be in my sweats and stuff like that, but I just feel really lonely
I feel a bit frightened that I might feel like this a lot
@ChelseaMapanda
I love how she’s speaking to her child but you can also view it as a conversation with your inner child. Beautiful.
@alfalfatheratpack
I was about to comment the same thing. 🙏
@Lifeisamystery11
That was my exact reaction to it.
@jodiegould4018
Thank you.. I didn't know that this was what I meant//felt
@heyhowareyou8165
exactly what i felt :((
@Phatkoochie37
OMFGG I didn’t even think about it like that
@joseg.valerio2179
HER INTERACTIONS WITH HER SON, MELTS MY HEART
@palwashasaeed
KILLED ME 😭
@pabloiturriaga6517
Same 🥺
@aaliyaharredondo
ikr so sweet jose g. valerio