Ain't No Way
Aretha Franklin Lyrics
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For me to love you
If you won't let me
It ain't no way
For me to give you all you need
If you won't let me give all of me
I know that a woman's duty
And that's the way
It was planned
Oh but how can I, how can I, how can I
Give you all the things I can
If you're tying both of my hands?
Oh ho, it ain't no way
(Ain't no way)
It ain't no way
(Ain't no way)
It just ain't no way, baby
(Ain't no way)
Ain't no way, baby
(Ain't no way)
It ain't no way
For me to love you
If you won't let me
Stop trying to be
Someone you're not
Hard, cold and cruel is a man
Who paid too much for what he got
And if you need me
Like you say, say you do
Oh then please, please
Please don't you know that I need you?
Oh, it ain't no way
I tell you that it ain't no way
It ain't no way, it ain't no way, baby, no
It just ain't no way
It sure ain't no way
It ain't no way for me to love you
If you won't let me
Ain't no way
If you won't let me
Ain't no way
The lyrics to Aretha Franklin's song Ain't No Way express frustration and heartache at a partner's refusal to allow her to fully love and care for him. The first verse establishes the theme of being unable to love someone who won't let her, and the following verse highlights the societal expectations for women to support and love their men. The chorus repeats the sentiment that it's impossible for her to love him if he won't let her.
The second verse is a plea for the partner to stop trying to be someone he's not and to recognize the mutual need for each other. She highlights the harsh reality of a man who has paid too much for what he's received and begs for him to reciprocate her feelings. The final repetition of "ain't no way" emphasizes the futility of the situation, and the song ends on a melancholic note.
Overall, the lyrics of Ain't No Way are a powerful portrayal of the pain and frustration that can come from loving someone who is unwilling to be vulnerable and accept love in return. Aretha Franklin's emotional delivery of the song only heightens its impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no way
There is absolutely no possibility
For me to love you
I cannot love you the way I want to
If you won't let me
If you don't allow me to love you the way I want to
It ain't no way
There is no possibility
For me to give you all you need
I cannot fulfill your needs completely
If you won't let me give all of me
If you don't allow me to give everything I have
I know that a woman's duty
I understand society's expectations of a woman
Is to help and love a man
To support and love a man is considered a woman's duty
And that's the way
That's how it's always been
It was planned
It's the way society expects things to be
Oh but how can I, how can I, how can I
But, I wonder how I can
Give you all the things I can
Offer all of myself and everything I have
If you're tying both of my hands?
If you're preventing me from doing so
Oh ho, it ain't no way
There's simply no way
(Ain't no way)
It ain't no way
It's impossible
(Ain't no way)
It just ain't no way, baby
There's just no way, my love
(Ain't no way)
Ain't no way, baby
There's no way, my love
(Ain't no way)
It ain't no way
It's impossible
For me to love you
I cannot love you fully
If you won't let me
If you don't allow me to
Stop trying to be
Don't attempt to act
Someone you're not
As somebody you're not
Hard, cold and cruel is a man
A man who is tough, unfeeling and brutal
Who paid too much for what he got
A man who sacrificed a lot for what he has now
And if you need me
If you truly require my love
Like you say, say you do
As you claim you do
Oh then please, please
Then please, please
Please don't you know that I need you?
Don't you realize that I need you?
I tell you that it ain't no way
I'm telling you there's no way
It ain't no way, it ain't no way, baby, no
It's impossible, my love
It just ain't no way
There is absolutely no possibility
It sure ain't no way
It's definitely not a possibility
It ain't no way for me to love you
I cannot love you fully the way I want to
If you won't let me
If you don't allow me to
Ain't no way
It's impossible
If you won't let me
If you don't allow me to
Ain't no way
It's impossible
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carolyn Franklin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jtraducoes4206
Lyrics 🎵🎵
Ain't no way for me to love you
If you won't let me
It ain't no way for me to give you all ya need
If you won't let me give all of me
I know that a woman's duty
Is to help and love the man
And that's the way it was for me
(Hoo)
Oh, but how can I, how can I, how can I, give ya
Give ya all the things I can
If you're tyin' both of my hands
Whoa-ho it ain't no way (ain't no way)
It ain't no way (ain't no way)
It just ain't no way baby
(Ain't no way) ain't no way baby
(Ain't no way)
It ain't no way-hey-hey
For me to love you (hoo)
If you won't let me
Stop tryin' to be someone you're not
(Hoo)
Hard cold and cruel is a man
Who paid too much for what he's got
And if you need me to love you
Say, say yeah you do
Oh then please, please, please
Don't you know that I need you?
Ho, it ain't no way (hoo-hoo)
I tell ya that it ain't no way, it ain't no way
It ain't no way baby, no
It just ain't no way
It sure ain't no way
It ain't no way for me to love you
If you won't let me
(Hoo-hoo)
Ain't no way
If you won't let me
There ain't no way
@musicrocksoffical
Man. This is my favorite song by Aretha. Her powerful notes, Cissy’s backing vocals. Pure perfection. ❤
@ronaldo190172
Mine too, mate. What a song X
@AndySaenz
Cissy Houston hitting her high falsetto notes as a backup singer here is amazing! WOW, now we can hear where Whitney got her magnificent voice.
@noeltaylor3594
Yes.
@gloirechabu4053
That's head voice not falsetto which is unsupported
@corrynthiaiam9205
When she performed it live later years after recording it that was Cousin Brenda hitting too. It was said that the back up singer was scared of that note.
@wally6914
Yes
@roblox_lover2010
It is NOT Cissy Houston
@kalasullivan8832
This is hands down one of the greatest R&B songs ever recorded. We miss you Queen Aretha.
@kennethcraddock7604
Absolutely No Doubt.