I Can’t Make You Love Me
Charlie Landsborough Lyrics


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Turn down the lights, 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
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
And I can't make you love me
If you don't

I'll close my eyes and then I won't see
The love you do not 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

And I can't make you love me if you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
And here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart, I'll feel the power
But you won't, no, you won't
And I can't make you love me
If you don't

Ain't no use in you trying
It's no good for me baby without love
All my tears, all these years, everything I believed in
Baby

Oh yeah
Someone's gonna love me

Overall Meaning

"You and Me" is a heart-wrenching ballad by Charlie Landsborough, which tells the story of unrequited love. The song opens with the plea to turn down the lights and the bed and the voices inside the singer's head, which are tormenting him. He then implores his lover to be honest with him, to lay down with him and to hold him close, without being patronizing. However, he realizes that he cannot make his lover love him if there is no love in his heart. The singer is brave enough to accept this and to let go of this fight, giving his lover the space to figure out what he wants.


The lyrics are a powerful commentary on the nature of love and the pain of unrequited love. It is a reminder that love cannot be forced or coerced, and that sometimes, we have to accept that our feelings are not reciprocated. The song is a beautiful ode to the power of love, even in its moments of pain and heartbreak.


Line by Line Meaning

Turn down the lights, turn down the bed
Dimming the lights and preparing the bed for two people to snuggle up


Turn down these voices inside my head
Wanting to silence the negative thoughts and emotions inside


Lay down with me, tell me no lies
Inviting the person to relax and be authentic in their emotional expression


Just hold me close, don't patronize
Asking for a true, sincere emotional connection without pity or patronizing


Don't patronize me
Reiterating the request for genuine connection, without any falsehoods


'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
Acknowledging the impossibility of forcing someone to love you against their will


You can't make your heart feel something it won't
Recognizing that genuine emotions cannot be forced or artificially stimulated


Here in the dark, in these final hours
Expressing a sense of urgency and fleetingness in the moment


I will lay down my heart, and I'll feel the power
Surrendering to the emotions, and finding strength in vulnerability


But you won't, no you won't
Accepting the other person's lack of reciprocation


And I can't make you love me
Repeating the central theme of the song - acknowledging the impossibility of forcing love


I'll close my eyes and then I won't see
Trying to suppress the experience of rejection by closing one's eyes


The love you do not feel, when you're holding me
Acknowledging the lack of emotional reciprocation in the embrace


Morning will come, and I'll do what's right
Looking towards the future, and accepting the need to move on


Just give me till then, to give up this fight
Asking for some time to come to terms with the situation, rather than fighting against the inevitable


And I will give up this fight
Resolving to release the struggle of wanting something that cannot be forced


Ain't no use in you trying
Recognizing that the other person's attempts to fake love are futile


It's no good for me baby without love
Affirming the importance of genuine emotional connection for the singer


All my tears, all these years, everything I believed in
Reflecting on the pain, heartbreak, and disillusionment that have led up to this moment


Someone's gonna love me
Holding onto a glimmer of hope for future love and connection




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALLEN SHAMBLIN, MICHAEL REID

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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