Without Love
Aretha Franklin; Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without the one you love?
Well, it's heartbreak and misery
Without the one you love
You fool yourself and say
"I'll forget"
And knowing all the time that it's not so
Pagliacci
Crying all day and sad and hurting and much more
Life can seem so cruel
Without that one you love
You're like a dying rose of summer without the one you love
One telephone call (one telephone call)
One life (one life, that's all)
Could mean a world of difference (mean a world of difference)
Just like lovebirds you never
You'll never-ever, ever, ever know
But life can seem so lonely without the one you love
One, one telephone call (one telephone call)
You know that charge'll brighten me one line of change (one line, that's all)
All of this could mean a world of difference (mean a world of difference)
Just lovebirds, you'll never-ever-ever know
One life can seem so low, so lonely
Without the one you love
The lyrics of Aretha Franklin's song Without the One You Love contemplate the question of what romance means and how it can only exist when shared with the one you love. The song suggests that without that special person, romance becomes heartbreak, misery, and a cruel reminder of what one is missing. The lyrics describe the various ways in which one might try to forget or distract oneself from the pain of being alone, but ultimately all efforts are in vain.
The song makes a reference to the Italian opera, Pagliacci, in which the lead character is a clown who performs a comedy, but is internally suffering from the pain of unrequited love. Aretha Franklin sings how alone one can feel, crying all day and hurting much more. The reference to Pagliacci underscores the idea that we often put on a happy face, but deep down we may be miserable and in despair.
The ending of the song suggests that even a small gesture like a phone call can make a world of difference, but ultimately it is the presence of the one you love that can make all the difference. The song portrays the deep longing and sense of loss that can accompany the absence of one's beloved, leaving life feeling lonely and incomplete.
Line by Line Meaning
What is romance
The feeling of love and excitement that comes with being in a romantic relationship
Without the one you love?
If you are not with the person you love, can you truly experience romance?
Well, it's heartbreak and misery
Being without the one you love can bring pain and sadness
Without the one you love
Reiterating the idea that true romance cannot exist without the presence of the one you love
You fool yourself and say
You lie to yourself and try to convince yourself that you will be okay without them
"I'll forget"
Telling yourself that you can forget the one you love is a false hope
And knowing all the time that it's not so
Deep down, you know that you cannot forget the person you love
Playing the lonely role of
Acting as if you are content being alone
Pagliacci
A reference to an opera character who portrays a clown who cries behind his mask
Crying all day and sad and hurting and much more
Feeling overwhelmed and consumed by sadness and pain without the one you love
Life can seem so cruel
Life can feel harsh and unfair without the person you love
Without that one you love
Reiterating the central theme of the song
You're like a dying rose of summer without the one you love
Comparing the loss of love to a dying flower at the end of summer
One telephone call (one telephone call)
One moment of contact with the one you love can make all the difference
One life (one life, that's all)
We only get one life, and being without the one you love can make it feel wasted
Could mean a world of difference (mean a world of difference)
Reiterating the power of one small moment to change everything
Just like lovebirds you never
Referencing the idea that lovebirds mate for life and are always together
You'll never-ever, ever, ever know
If you are without your love, you cannot experience the fullness of love and companionship like lovebirds do
But life can seem so lonely without the one you love
Reiterating the central theme of the song
One, one telephone call (one telephone call)
Going back to the idea that one small moment can make a difference
You know that charge'll brighten me one line of change (one line, that's all)
Hearing from the one you love can instantly change your mood and outlook
All of this could mean a world of difference (mean a world of difference)
Reiterating the power of one small moment to change everything
Just lovebirds, you'll never-ever-ever know
Comparing human love to the love shared by birds, who are always together
One life can seem so low, so lonely
Being without the one you love can make life feel empty and lonely
Without the one you love
Reiterating the central theme of the song
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARETHA FRANKLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nelson Smith
I don't want out love to fade, to a distant memory that hasn't been seen or heard from you or i. Anything we had about me and you has no meaning when we still can't be friends. We once loved each other and we once stood side by side.
I don't know where it went wrong, but what I do know is that it ended being a fight.
Shame we couldn't and didn't hand each other a helping hand when we both let go.
I hope you are doing fine and I sincerely hope you find what we are all looking for.
I will happily say that I had some of the best days of my life with you.
We just grew apart, we just had different paths to take.
I wish you well my darling and I hope you find love too.
Wishing you well, to you to your friends and and all your family too.
Ps no regrets in the time I spent with you. X
The55yriaflavia
Excelente música !!!! La mejor medicina par el alma !!!!
Steve Williams
A voice like no other. Aretha was an astounding singer. The greatest there ever was.
Iliane Voigt desenhos em tricô
Duas vozes lindas de pessoas que já não se encontram mais entre nós ...
nessamasson
Mesmo não estando entre nós... ainda faz a diferença ❤❤🇧🇷🇧🇷
Cleu Santos
APAIXONANTE 🎷🎹🎵🎶🌠🌠👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 DOIS ÍCONES 💕💕
Felipe Simões
Génio isso é fantástico 👍👍🎼🎶🎵🎤👏👏👏
Anne Catherine Heisel
Genius 🌹😅👍😎
Amelia Molto
De grandes maestros sólo se pueden esperar maestras canciones. Bellísimas canciones. Gracias
Silvia Guzman
Maravillosa música, dos monstruos irrepetibles, gracias por entregarnos tanto placer..🥰🥰
Mauricio Rogan
gran definición, coincido plenamente