Aplin developed a fanbase by posting performance videos to YouTube in 2008. Her most popular videos include her original composition "Home", and covers of "The Liar and the Lighter" by You Me At Six, "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry and "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. She has described her music as "very family orientated, very personal". In July 2010, Aplin performed on her local radio station BBC Wiltshire. Her first release was the 5-track Acoustic EP which was released on the iTunes Store on 13 September 2010. It reached the top 25 in the UK iTunes album chart, and features the song "Reverse" which was used on E4 TV show Made in Chelsea.
Her debut album English Rain was released in May 2013, to positive reviews it debuted and peaked at number 2 in the UK album charts, along with new single "Panic Cord", which peaked at number 19 in the UK.
Please Don't Say You Love Me
Gabrielle Aplin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here we are just the same
Don't need pressure, don't need change
Let's not give the game away
There used to be an empty space
A photograph without a face
But with your presence and your grace
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping
When you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when
You see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Heavy words are hard to take
Under pressure precious things can break
And how we feel is hard to fake
So let's not give the game away
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping
When you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when
You see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
And fools rush in
And I've been the fool before
This time I'm gonna slow it down
'Cause I think this could be more
The thing I'm looking for
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping
When you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when
You see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping
When you look at me like that
There's no need to worry when
You see just where we're at
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
Just please don't say you love me
'Cause I might not say it back
In "Please Don't Say You Love Me," Gabrielle Aplin sings about navigating a new relationship and the fear of vulnerability. She acknowledges that she and her partner have come a long way and that everything seems to have fallen into place with their presence and grace. However, she cautions against putting too much pressure on their relationship or rushing into things. She is wary of saying "I love you" too soon because she worries that her partner might not feel the same way, and that could potentially ruin what they have. Aplin acknowledges the power and weight of those three words and how they can be difficult to take if they're not reciprocated. She encourages her partner not to worry because they both know where they stand, but at the same time, she asks them not to reveal their true feelings just yet.
The opening line of the song, "Summer comes and winter fades, here we are just the same," sets the scene for a relationship that has endured the changing seasons. The line "heavy words are hard to take, under pressure precious things can break" implies that Aplin may have been hurt in the past by someone who used the phrase "I love you" insincerely. The lyrics "fools rush in, and I've been the fool before" suggest that she has learned from her mistakes and wants to take things slow this time. Overall, the song is about being honest and vulnerable while also protecting oneself from potential heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer comes and winter fades
Time goes by and seasons change
Here we are just the same
We are still together, unchanged
Don't need pressure, don't need change
We don't need to rush or change anything
Let's not give the game away
Let's not reveal everything too soon
There used to be an empty space
There was once a void in my life
A photograph without a face
A memory that lacked substance
But with your presence and your grace
But now that you're here, everything is better
Everything falls into place
My life feels complete
Just please don't say you love me
Don't confess your love to me just yet
'Cause I might not say it back
Because I'm not ready to say it back yet
Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping
But that doesn't mean I don't feel it too
When you look at me like that
When you give me that special look
There's no need to worry when
We should just enjoy the moment
You see just where we're at
We know where we stand
And fools rush in
People often act impulsively
And I've been the fool before
I've made that mistake in the past
This time I'm gonna slow it down
But this time I'll take it slower
'Cause I think this could be more
Because I believe this relationship has potential
The thing I'm looking for
The thing I've been searching for in a partner
Just please don't say you love me
Don't rush to say those words just yet
'Cause I might not say it back
I need more time to decide if I feel the same
Please don't say you love me
Please wait until I'm ready
Just please don't say you love me
I need to take things slower
'Cause I might not say it back
I don't want to rush into anything
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gabrielle Aplin, Nicholas William Atkinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind