We've Been Told
Eric Clapton Lyrics

The song "Have you ever loved a woman" is a classic blues tune performed by Eric Clapton. The opening line “Have you ever loved a woman so much you tremble in pain?” is a representation of the feeling of passionate love and the struggle and heartbreak that comes with it. The lyrics delve into the deep feelings of a man so in love with a woman who already belongs to someone else, perhaps his best friend. The pain of knowing the woman he loves belongs to someone else and the struggles he goes through to control his emotion.

The line, “all the time you know she bears another man's name” could refer to both the emotional weight of knowing about someone else’s relationship and the societal implications of loving someone who is not yours. However, the singer still can’t help but feel a deep attraction and connection to the woman, and it’s almost as if the lyrics suggest there’s a sin involved in wanting to be with her. The line “something deep inside of you won't let you wreck your best friend's home” suggests that the man knows that he can't act on his desires, no matter how much he wants to, because he values his friendship too much.

The theme of love, ownership, and the pain of sacrificing that love for the greater good is an evergreen theme in popular culture. "Have you ever loved a woman" is a quintessential example of that, and it has been interpreted in different ways over the years.