All I Ask
Adele (25) Lyrics

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I will leave my heart at the door
I won't say a word
They've all been said before you know
So why don't we just play pretend
Like we're not scared of what's coming next
Or scared of having nothing left

Look, don't get me wrong

I know there is no tomorrow
All I ask is

If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
It matters how this ends
'Cause what if I never love again?

I don't need your honesty
It's already in your eyes
And I'm sure my eyes, they speak for me
No one knows me like you do
And since you're the only one that matters
Tell me who do I run to?

Look, don't get me wrong
I know there is no tomorrow
All I ask is

If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
It matters how this ends
'Cause what if I never love again?

Let this be our lesson in love
Let this be the way we remember us
I don't wanna be cruel or vicious
And I ain't asking for forgiveness
All I ask is

If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do

It matters how this ends
'Cause what if I never love again?

Overall Meaning

The song "All I Ask" by Adele is a poignant and heartfelt plea to a former lover. Adele is essentially saying goodbye to this person, knowing that there is no future for them as a couple. She is asking for a final night together, where they can pretend that everything is okay and that they are not afraid of what the future holds. Adele acknowledges that she is scared of being alone and not being loved again, hence she wants the night to be memorable and full of love.

The chorus of the song is particularly moving, with Adele asking her former lover to hold her like she's more than just a friend and to give her a memory that she can cherish forever. The line "It matters how this ends, 'cause what if I never love again?" is particularly poignant and shows just how raw and vulnerable Adele is feeling at this point.

Line by Line Meaning

I will leave my heart at the door
I will not let my emotions influence me, I will keep them aside

I won't say a word
I won't speak anything to avoid further conflicts and arguments

They've all been said before you know
The words that I want to say have already been spoken before

So why don't we just play pretend
Let's act like everything is fine and normal

Like we're not scared of what's coming next
Let's not think about the future and just live in the present

Or scared of having nothing left
Or worry about our relationship falling apart

Look, don't get me wrong
I don't want you to misunderstand me

I know there is no tomorrow
I am aware that there is no certainty of the future

All I ask is
All I want is

If this is my last night with you
If tonight is the end of our relationship

Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Treat me like someone you love, not just a friend

Give me a memory I can use
Give me something memorable to hold on to

Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
Let's spend the night like two lovers in love

It matters how this ends
The way our relationship ends is important to me

'Cause what if I never love again?
What if I never find love again?

I don't need your honesty
I don't need you to tell me the truth

It's already in your eyes
I can already see the honesty in your eyes

And I'm sure my eyes, they speak for me
And I am sure my eyes reveal my feelings

No one knows me like you do
You are the only one who truly knows me

And since you're the only one that matters
And since you are the only one that matters to me

Tell me who do I run to?
Whom should I go to, if not you?

Let this be our lesson in love
Let's learn from this experience and grow

Let this be the way we remember us
Let's remember each other this way

I don't wanna be cruel or vicious
I don't want to hurt you in any way

And I ain't asking for forgiveness
I am not asking for your forgiveness