Without Love
Daniel Johnston Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love
You'll hate it if you have none
And your mommy and your daddy didn't give you some
And you're always on the run without love

Love
You'll regret it if you forgot
And you'll be all tied up in knots
If you can't share when there's no one there

If you don't have love
And all your deepest fears
And sorrows through the years
And there'll be no tears
No feelings for anyone

Without love
A mind is completely drained
Saddened by the falling rain
Stuck somewhere in time
And there's nothing there to find

Alone without love
Everyone's gone insane
And everything seems the same
As your life burns like a flame

Without love
You're hiding from each other
Not a word was spoken of it
And you're sinking in the mud and the crud

Without love
You'll never know yourself
And there just ain't no help
And hell for the children of the damned

Love is the sweetest of refrain
It'll wash away your pain
And you'll be able to understand
It's the greatest power in the land

Love will light the way for you
And you'll know just what to do
If you follow through to a better kind of way

If love could find you somehow
You'd be living in the now
And if you thought you loved someone
Then love may come to you

Love could be with you all your life
And you just didn't realize
Till you open up your eyes
And see that love was there all along

Love
It never really ends
And love could be your friend
Remember that love is heaven-sent
And love is for everyone





Amen

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Daniel Johnston’s song “Without Love” are a poignant and introspective exploration of the essential nature of love in the human condition. The song reflects on both the negative consequences of lacking love and the transformative power of experiencing it. The first half of the song describes the impact of absence, deprivation, and neglect of love. Johnston poignantly indicates that those who do not receive love may feel alone, drained, and empty. They may struggle to connect with and understand others, as well as themselves, and may fall into states of anxiety, regret, sorrow, and insanity.


In the second half of the song, Johnston provides a more optimistic view of love’s potential to heal and transform. He describes love as a sweet refrain that can wash away pain, light one’s way, and lead to a better way of life. The song implies that love is an essential human need that can give meaning and purpose to one’s existence, and that it is freely available to all. The lyrics conclude with the message that love never really ends, that it can be a constant companion and a source of support and comfort.


The song is a moving statement about the importance of love in our lives and how it can provide comfort, healing, and transformation. It highlights the fundamental human desire for connection and suggests that love is the key to fulfilling that desire. The lyrics provide a thoughtful and profound reflection on the nature of love and the vital role it plays in our emotional and psychological well-being.


Line by Line Meaning

Love
Love, the emotion of affection, warmth and care


You'll hate it if you have none
People who lack love will dislike it, possibly because they feel lonely or unloved.


And your mommy and your daddy didn't give you some
Some people may grow up without receiving love from their parents or family, leaving them devoid of that emotion.


And you're always on the run without love
Without love, a person may feel constantly restless, trying to find something to fill the void.


You'll regret it if you forgot
People who forget the importance of love may later realise its value and feel a sense of regret.


And you'll be all tied up in knots
Not having love can make a person feel anxious, stressed and confused.


If you can't share when there's no one there
When a person is alone and doesn't have love, they can't share their feelings or experiences with anyone, leading to a feeling of isolation.


If you don't have love
Without love, a person is missing out on a significant emotion in life.


And all your deepest fears
Without love, a person may be left to face their deepest fears alone.


And sorrows through the years
Love can help a person overcome their sorrows and difficulties over time.


And there'll be no tears
Without love, there may be no emotional outlet for a person's pain, leading to no tears.


No feelings for anyone
If a person lacks love, they may struggle to empathise or feel for others.


Without love
The importance of love is emphasised again, as the absence of love can lead to many negative consequences.


A mind is completely drained
Without love, a person's mind may lose its vitality, becoming dull and empty.


Saddened by the falling rain
A person without love may feel sadness in simple things, like the sound of falling rain.


Stuck somewhere in time
Without love, a person may feel stuck in their past or unable to move forward in life.


And there's nothing there to find
When a person is lacking love, they may not find any meaning or purpose in their life.


Alone without love
Being alone and without love can amplify the negative effects of not having love in one's life.


Everyone's gone insane
Without the comfort of love, a person may feel like everyone around them is going crazy.


And everything seems the same
Without love, the world may look bleak and monotonous.


As your life burns like a flame
The absence of love can make a person feel like they are burning out, with no one to give them warmth.


You're hiding from each other
When two people lack love, they may find it difficult to connect and open up to each other.


Not a word was spoken of it
Without love, it may feel taboo or strange to acknowledge its absence, leading to a silence on the topic.


And you're sinking in the mud and the crud
The feeling of being stuck or burdened without love is emphasised once again, with a muddy and dirty metaphor.


You'll never know yourself
Love can help a person understand themselves better and find their place in the world.


And there just ain't no help
Without love, a person may feel hopeless and alone with their struggles.


And hell for the children of the damned
The absence of love can feel like a punishment, especially for those who feel cursed or unlucky in life.


Love is the sweetest of refrain
Love is named the sweetest refrain, meaning it's a go-to, evergreen subject for songs, and that it's a beautiful thing.


It'll wash away your pain
Love can help a person heal and move on from their painful experiences.


And you'll be able to understand
Love can foster understanding, empathy and compassion in people.


It's the greatest power in the land
Love is a powerful emotion that can transcend boundaries and bring people together.


Love will light the way for you
Love can offer guidance and direction in life.


And you'll know just what to do
With love, a person may feel more confident and intuitive with their choices and actions.


If you follow through to a better kind of way
Choosing love can lead to a better and more fulfilling life path.


If love could find you somehow
Implying that if someone has not found love yet, maybe happenstance will bring love into their lives.


You'd be living in the now
Love can help a person appreciate and live in the present moment.


And if you thought you loved someone
The idea that someone may feel they love someone, but not realised it until later in life.


Then love may come to you
Still leaves potential for love to arrive in someone's life, even if they haven't found it yet.


Love could be with you all your life
Hinting that love, unlike other emotions, is love is always present but may need to be recognised or earned.


And you just didn't realize
A person may live their entire life surrounded by love, but never realise it or appreciate its presence.


Till you open up your eyes
Love may be concealed and require someone to be aware and accepting enough to recognise its existence.


And see that love was there all along
Love may already be present in someone's life, but they need to understand it and appreciate it.


Love
The song ends with love being repeated, leaving it as a lasting and powerful message.


It never really ends
Love is an eternal and endless emotion that can transcend boundaries and exist beyond time and space.


And love could be your friend
Love can be something to rely on and trust, like a friend.


Remember that love is heaven-sent
Love can feel like a gift or blessing from a higher power, like something celestial or divine.


And love is for everyone
The song concludes with love being a universal and inclusive experience that everyone can and should experience.


Amen
A common ending for prayers, used to offer affirmation and approval to the preceding message.




Contributed by Christian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Papa Smurf

I really hope that this album ends up coming out. I really like this song especially the instrumental at the end

Mei Clover

Simon Winter several articles I read mentioned disagreements between Brian Beattie, who produced this, and Daniel’s people.

Simon Winter

@Mei Clover Do you know why it's so difficult? Just legal stuff? I was talking to Dick recently and he seemed pretty open to releasing some of his unreleased backlog...

Papa Smurf

@Mei Clover That stinks. Hopefully maybe one day. But I'm really happy that we get to hear the studio version of this song

Mei Clover

Papa Smurf I’m friends with people from Daniel’s circle and unfortunately I can say that it is still up in the air. I don’t know what will happen.

dream_corners !

this song was supposed to be on Daniels 90s scratched off album under the title "If"!

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