In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.
Poison Love
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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And I know my life will never be the same
For my pleading has all been in vain for you and you alone dear
And you know that you are guilty of the same
Into each life a love is born for one and one alone dear
The love I chose was surely not for me
For your poison love has stained the life blood in my heart and soul dear
For your poison love has stained the life blood in my heart and soul dear
And I know my life will never be the same
For my pleading has all been in vain for you and you alone dear
And you know that you are guilty of the same
But still my heart cries out for you and you alone my darling
It makes me never ever let you go
But my pleading has all been in vain for your and you alone dear
And my better judgment tells me to say no
For your poison love has stained the life blood in my heart and soul dear
And I know my life will never be the same
For my pleading has all been in vain for you and you alone dear
And you know that you are guilty of the same
In "Poison Love," Bill Monroe sings about a love that has gone awry. He paints the picture of a love that has stained the lifeblood in his heart and soul. The lyrics suggest that the relationship has caused irreparable damage, and the singer’s life can never be the same again. Despite his pleas to make things right, his efforts seem to be in vain. The singer seems to acknowledge that the love he chose was never meant for him, but still can’t let go of it. The listener can feel the singer's pain as he cries out for his lover, wishing things could have been different, but his better judgment tells him to move on.
Monroe masterfully uses a metaphor of poison to describe the state of his heart. The love the singer feels seeps into his veins, becoming so potent that it poisons him. This love has left him broken and unable to move on. He realizes that pleading with his lover is a futile exercise and that he must let go of them, even if it hurts.
Overall, "Poison Love" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of loving someone who is not meant for you. Sometimes, holding onto something that is not good for us can be more harmful than letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
For your poison love has stained the life blood in my heart and soul dear
Your love has left a deep and lasting impression on my heart and soul that I will never be able to escape from
And I know my life will never be the same
Because of the impact of your love, my life will never be able to return to the way it was before I met you
For my pleading has all been in vain for you and you alone dear
I have begged and pleaded with you to stay with me, but it has all been for nothing because you only care about yourself
And you know that you are guilty of the same
You are fully aware that your actions have hurt me deeply and yet you continue to act selfishly
Into each life a love is born for one and one alone dear
Everyone has a unique love that is meant for them and them alone
The love I chose was surely not for me
I made a mistake in choosing you as my love because you have only brought pain and suffering into my life
But still my heart cries out for you and you alone my darling
Despite everything, my heart still longs for you and only you
It makes me never ever let you go
The grip you have on my heart is so strong that I cannot bring myself to let you go
And my better judgment tells me to say no
Although my heart wants to stay with you, my mind knows that I need to leave to protect myself
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELMER LAIRD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lakerat1980
My dad always sang this song for as long as I can remember, but I had never heard this original version. Great Stuff !!!!!
@kcs764
Elmer Laird wrote this classic that Johnny & Jack had a super recording of in 1951...then Bill Monroe and Jimmy Martin covered it in bluegrass style. Rudy Lyle was on banjo with Merle (Red) Taylor on fiddle (Taylor fiddled on the original Uncle Pen in 1950). Joel Price played bass fiddle.GREAT MUSIC.
@kohaylan
Great stuff! I think much of the best of Bill Monroe's music was made with Jimmy Martin. I've never heard this recording before so many thanks for putting it up.
@CaptAmerica12
Love Bluegrass Real American Music!
@gomez8733
That is Jimmy Martin i/s/o Charlie singing lead.