After serving as the frontman of bluegrass group The SteelDrivers from 2008 to 2010, Stapleton released his debut studio album Traveller in 2015, which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Among several accolades, he won the Country Music Association Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, and the Grammy Award for Best Country Album and Best Country Solo Performance at the 58th annual ceremony. His second studio album, From A Room: Volume 1 was released on May 5, 2017, reached number two on the US Billboard 200, and to date has surpassed 500,000 units sold. Six months later, Stapleton released follow-up album, From A Room: Volume 2, which, like its predecessor, debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200.
Stapleton was born in a Lexington, Kentucky hospital. His mother worked at the local health department and his father was a coal miner. He comes from a family of coal miners.[12][13] He has an older brother and younger sister.[14][15]
Stapleton grew up in the small town of Staffordsville, Kentucky, which is located just outside of Paintsville, located between the city and the Paintsville lake. He graduated from Johnson Central High School where he was his class valedictorian and attended Vanderbilt University where he studied engineering, but dropped out after a year.
Stapleton is married to singer-songwriter Morgane Hayes, who co-wrote Carrie Underwood's 2006 single "Don't Forget to Remember Me". She had a recording deal with Arista Nashville. The couple met when they were working at adjacent publishing houses. They have two children and live in Nashville.
I Want Love
Chris Stapleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A man like me, so irresponsible
A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated
I can't love, shot full of holes
Don't feel nothing, I just feel cold
Don't feel nothing, just old scars
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
I want love on my own terms
After everything I've ever learned
Me, I carry too much baggage
Oh man I've seen so much traffic
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
So bring it on, I've been bruised
Don't give me love that's clean and smooth
I'm ready for the rougher stuff
No sweet romance, I've had enough
A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
Oh I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
Chris Stapleton's "I Want Love" is a song about a man who wants to experience love but is struggling to find the right kind of love that will satisfy him. The song opens with a melancholic tone as the singer confesses that he desires love, but it seems impossible for someone like him, who is irresponsible and has been hurt so much. He acknowledges that he has been shot full of holes, has toughened up around his heart, and carries too much baggage.
The lyrics continue to describe the singer's desire for a different kind of love, one that won't break him down or fence him in. He wants a love that doesn't mean a thing, a love that he can experience on his own terms. He is ready for the rougher stuff and no longer wants sweet romance. It's evident that he has been through a lot and doesn't want to feel trapped again because he has felt that way for so long.
The chorus repeats the lines "But I want love, just a different kind / I want love, won't break me down / Won't brick me up, won't fence me in / I want a love, that don't mean a thing / That's the love I want, I want love." The singer finally comes to the realization that he wants love, but it has to be non-restrictive and non-committal.
Overall, "I Want Love" is a touching reflection on love, loneliness, and the search for something meaningful. It is a song that many listeners can relate to, especially those who have been hurt in the past and are afraid to open up again.
Line by Line Meaning
I want love, but it's impossible
Love seems unattainable for me
A man like me, so irresponsible
My flaws make me unworthy of love
A man like me is dead in places
My past experiences have left me emotionally scarred and closed-off
Other men feel liberated
Other men are free to experience and express love, but I am not
I can't love, shot full of holes
My heart has been hurt so much that I cannot love
Don't feel nothing, I just feel cold
I am emotionally numb and cannot feel love
Don't feel nothing, just old scars
My emotional wounds have never healed and still affect me
Toughening up around my heart
I am building up emotional walls to protect myself from further hurt
But I want love, just a different kind
I still long for love, but on my own terms
Won't break me down, won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love that won't hurt or confine me
I want a love that don't mean a thing
I want to love without the expectations and pressures that come with a serious relationship
I want love on my own terms
I want to love in a way that suits me and my past experiences
After everything I've ever learned
My past experiences have taught me what kind of love I want and need
Me, I carry too much baggage
I have emotional baggage that makes it difficult to love and be loved
Oh man I've seen so much traffic
I have been through a lot of emotional turmoil and heartache
So bring it on, I've been bruised
I am ready for love, even though I have been hurt before
Don't give me love that's clean and smooth
I don't want a perfect or easy love
I'm ready for the rougher stuff
I am willing to endure the challenges and imperfections that come with love
No sweet romance, I've had enough
I don't want a cliché or idealized version of love; I want something real
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernard J.p. Taupin, Elton John
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@youjeltrevo
This is one of the most underrated Elton songs of all time covered brilliantly by one of today's greats.
@tenfeetlong
Chris Stapleton is the definition of an instant classic. Love his true old school country voice that's been missing in modern country. I'm not old myself but grew up on a lot of old school country and Chris Stapleton fits right in with all the old time greats.
@progamer32456
He
Does have a good voice
@laurieadame7974
Love Chris, but this is a old Elton John song
@garymaidman625
It's like this song was written for him.
@clairesharp928
Who would have thought that anyone could improve upon an Elton classic? Well hat's off to this man. This sensitive and understated version of the song is simply beautiful and the string accompaniment sublime. I hadn't heard of Chris Stapleton (but then I'm in the UK) and "Alexa' gave me this version recently by mistake, but boy was I glad. I could listen to it endlessly.
@chrisstapleton2832
Thanks for your utmost love and support has brought me this far, it has been a hard time for me going through this, but your love and support keeps me going and standing strong in this difficult times. I do read your heartwarming comments and i truly appreciate all. It's the season of love for me & so i decided to put smiles on the faces of my fans by going through old posts on my official page and hitting up random fans, So i can get to relate with my fans better through discussions of depth and humour, listening to compliments and criticisms on my career work.🎶🥰🎼🌞💯
@JohnInSale
The video for Elton’s original version is a masterpiece with Robert Downey jr 🥰
@garymaidman625
It's like this song was written for Chris. I love the Elton John version, one of his most underrated songs, then I heard the Chris Stapleton version and talk about an eargasm. Wow.
@heinspaul
This song is for us broken hearted people, perhaps we feel like we do not deserve it but can't get enough of it.