A member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra during her youth, Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002 and soon recorded a number of songs before signing a publishing deal with EMI. She also formed a working relationship with producer Salaam Remi through these record publishers. Winehouse's debut album, Frank, was released in 2003. Many of the album's songs were influenced by jazz and, apart from two covers, were co-written by Winehouse. Frank was a critical success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The song "Stronger Than Me" won her the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.
Winehouse released her follow-up album, Back to Black, in 2006, which went on to become an international success and one of the best-selling albums in UK history. At the 2007 Brit Awards it was nominated for British Album of the Year, and she received the award for British Female Solo Artist. The song "Rehab" won her a second Ivor Novello Award. At the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, she won five awards, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night and becoming the first British woman to win five Grammys, including three of the General Field "Big Four" Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Rehab"), as well as Best Pop Vocal Album.
Winehouse was plagued by drug and alcohol addiction. She died of alcohol poisoning on 23 July 2011, at the age of 27. After her death, Back to Black temporarily became the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century. VH1 ranked Winehouse 26th on their list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.
He Can Only Hold Her / Doo Wap
Amy Winehouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's so vacant, her soul is taken
He thinks 'What's she running from?
Now, how can he have a heart? When it got stole
So he tries to pacify her, for what's inside her never dies
Even if she's contenting his wants, she is played with urgency
Searches the man she misses, the man that he longs to be
So he tries to pacify her, 'cause what's inside her never dies
So he tries to pacify her, 'cause of what's inside her it never dies
So he tries to pacify her, for what's inside her never dies
The song "He Can Only Hold Her / Doo Wap" by Amy Winehouse is a reflection of the struggles of a relationship where one partner is emotionally unreachable. The lyrics describe a man who is trying to love a woman who is so vacant, her soul is taken. Despite his efforts to make her happy, she remains unhappy and he can only hold on to her for so long. The man wonders what she is running away from and why she is so unreachable, while he himself struggles to have a heart after it got stolen.
Despite her contenting his wants, he still searches for the man she misses and the man he longs to be. He recognizes that he cannot have her heart because it got stolen and tries to pacify her, but what's inside her never dies. The song captures the frustration of loving someone who is incapable of giving love back and the struggle of trying to make someone happy when they seem to refuse it. The repetition of the line "So he tries to pacify her, for what's inside her never dies" adds to the sense of helplessness and desperation in the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
He can only hold her for so long, the lights are on but no one's home
He can only be with her for a limited time because she's emotionally absent
She's so vacant, her soul is taken
She's empty inside and her spirit has been destroyed
He thinks 'What's she running from?
He wonders why she's always on the move and what's causing her to run away
Now, how can he have a heart? When it got stole
He can't give his heart to her because it's been broken before
So he tries to pacify her, for what's inside her never dies
He tries to calm her down because he knows that her inner turmoil is everlasting
Even if she's contenting his wants, she is played with urgency
Even if he's happy with her, he feels like there's an urgent need to find the man she truly wants
Searches the man she misses, the man that he longs to be
He's searching for the man she truly desires, someone he wishes he could be
So he tries to pacify her, 'cause what's inside her never dies
He continues to try to calm her down because he knows her inner troubles won't ever go away
So he tries to pacify her, for what's inside her never dies
He tries to soothe her because he knows that her inner battles will last forever
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN HARRISON, RICHARD POINDEXTER, ROBERT POINDEXTER, AMY WINEHOUSE, CHARLES HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonilm9045
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
So he tries to pacify her
Cause what's inside her never dies
@714steven
Amy Winehouse is one in a million. I hate how some will label her as a troubled woman. No one knew her, I know I didn't but she was remarkable. Behind the tabloid's negative press on the drug abuse stories; no one gives her credit. She had one of the most beautiful voices and was a talented songwriter. True artist.
@johnreese7590
one in 10 billion
@rosahemker5198
I (almost) totally agree with you, but it is not true nobody gives her credit. Enough people (i mean, look at the comments on youtube) see how good she was
@ayattalmasi5836
i love you for this comment <3
@KatKillahKills
Esteban Escamilla a lot of people give her credit, yes its true a lot of people first hear about her because of what happened in her life but once they hear that amazing voice they understand how amazingly talented she was a lot of people end up loving her they know she had an amazing talent and its sad she had to go the way she did.
@NubianGirl7
Well spoken ☺️
@Hockenduke
What's inside her never dies...
We miss the hell outta you Amy. Thanks for what you gave us in your short time here.
@eyesintheroad
woah that line tho
@Googlize1
Amy's dancing is so cute :-)
@johnreese7590
i know !!