I Can't Make You Love Me
Breeze and Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn down the bed
Turn down these voices
Inside my head
Lay down with me
Tell me no lies
Just hold me close
Don't patronize me
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
But you won't
No, you won't
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
I'll close my eyes
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me
Morning will come,
And I'll do what's right
Just give me till then
To give up this fight
And I will give up this fight
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
But you won't
No, you won't
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
The lyrics of Breeze and Wilson's song "I Can't Make You Love Me" convey the pain and heartache of unrequited love. The singer is pleading with their partner to be honest with them and to not pretend to love them in return. The singer knows that they cannot force someone to love them, no matter how strongly they feel. The singer is willing to lay down their heart and vulnerability in these final moments, but they understand that they will not receive the love they desire.
The first stanza sets the scene of a dark and quiet moment, a moment where the singer is lost in their thoughts and feelings. The second stanza is the singer begging for honesty and comfort. They don't want to be lied to or patronized, they just want to be held close by the person they love. The chorus repeats the title phrase, emphasizing the fact that love cannot be forced or manipulated. The final stanza is the singer coming to terms with the reality that they will not receive the love they crave, but they must move on and do what is right.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Can't Make You Love Me" are a poignant reminder that love is not always reciprocated, and that sometimes the most powerful and loving thing we can do is to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn down the lights
Dimming the lights to create a more intimate atmosphere
Turn down the bed
Preparing the bed for an intimate moment
Turn down these voices
Inside my head
Trying to quiet the inner thoughts and doubts
Lay down with me
Asking for physical intimacy
Tell me no lies
Desiring honesty and sincerity
Just hold me close
Asking for comfort and closeness
Don't patronize
Desiring genuine affection and not condescension
Don't patronize me
Reemphasizing the need for genuine affection
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
Acknowledging that love is not something that can be forced
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't
Recognizing that one cannot control their own feelings
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
Giving everything in the moment, despite the eventual heartache
But you won't
No, you won't
'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
Acknowledging that even giving everything may not be enough to make someone love you
I'll close my eyes
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me
Trying to escape the pain of unrequited love
Morning will come,
And I'll do what's right
Just give me till then
To give up this fight
Accepting that the situation cannot be changed and preparing to move on
And I will give up this fight
Resolving to let go of the unfulfilled love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, AMPLIFIED ADMINISTRATION
Written by: Michael Reid, Allen Shamblin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind