Tainted Love
Gloria Jones Lyrics


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Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And our love's not right
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I run from you (now I run)
The tainted love you've given
I give you all a girl can give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Tainted love (toot, toot)

Now I know I've got to
Run away, I've got to
Get away
You don't really want any love from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And who thinks love is to play
Well, I'm sorry I don't play that way

Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now, I run from you (now I run)
The tainted love you've given
I give you all a girl can give you
Take, not give and that's not nearly all
Tainted love
Tainted love

Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you (tease)
I know you hurt me so
If I do not pack my things and go
Tainted love, tainted love
Tainted love, tainted love
Talkin' about the tainted love
Talkin' about the tainted love
Talkin' about the tainted love
Talkin' about the tainted love
Tainted love, tainted love
Tainted love, oh yeah, tainted love
Tainted love, oh, tainted love




Yeah, tainted love, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (tainted love)
(Tainted love)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gloria Jones's song "Tainted Love" seem to be about a troubled and painful relationship that the singer wants to escape from. She expresses how the pain of the relationship has affected her, making it hard for her to sleep at night. The love between the two of them is going nowhere, and it's not right. The first verse talks about running away from the pain that has been driven into her heart. Though they share a love, it seems like it's not enough to keep them together, and the singer feels like it's time to move on from the relationship.


In the chorus, she runs from him, away from the tainted love that he has given her. She has given him all that she can, including her tears, but it's not enough. The love he had for her is now toxic, and she wants no part of it. She expresses her desire to get away, highlighting that he doesn't want any love from her in the first place. He needs someone to hold him tight, and who thinks love is to play, but she's sorry she doesn't play that way.


In the last verse, she pleads with him not to touch her because she can't stand the way he teases her. She knows he's hurt her in the past, and she's ready to pack her bags and move on from the relationship. Overall, the lyrics to "Tainted Love" express the struggle of being trapped in a painful relationship and the desire to escape it.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I feel I've got to
At times, I am overwhelmed and must


Run away I've got to
Escape in order to


Get away
Leave and break free


From the pain you drive into the heart of me
Escape from the agony and anguish you inflict upon me


The love we share
The affection we possess for each other


Seems to go nowhere
Fails to yield any positive outcome


And our love's not right
Our love relationship is flawed


For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
I am restless, anxious and cannot sleep at night


Once I ran to you (I ran)
I used to cling to you (I ran)


Now I run from you (now I run)
As of now, I flee from you (now I run)


The tainted love you've given
The corrupted love you provided


I give you all a girl can give you
I furnish you with everything I can offer


Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Receive my tears, the least of what I can give you


Tainted love (toot, toot)
The corrupted love, repeatedly emphasized


You don't really want any love from me
You do not obviously require any love from me


To make things right
To fix things


You need someone to hold you tight
You require somebody to embrace you firmly


And who thinks love is to play
Someone who views love as mere fun


Well, I'm sorry I don't play that way
Unfortunately, I am not that kinda player


Don't touch me please
Please do not physically touch me


I cannot stand the way you (tease)
I detest and cannot tolerate your habit of playing with me


I know you hurt me so
I realize you have hurt me severely


If I do not pack my things and go
If I do not get my belongings and depart


Tainted love, tainted love
Repeating the distorted kind of love, once again


Talkin' about the tainted love
Mentioning or discussing this kind of corrupted love


Tainted love, oh yeah, tainted love
The polluted love, absolutely


Tainted love, oh, tainted love
Tainted love, indeed


Yeah, tainted love, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (tainted love)
Yes, tainted love, many times, emphasized


(Tainted love)
The tainted love, final emphasis




Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Edward Cobb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@WashingtonSAFC

Bessie Banks - Go Now.
Valentine Bros - Money's Too Tight...
The Exciters - Doh-A-Diddy.
The Contours - Do You Love Me
Barrett Strong - Money
The Valentino - It's All Over Now.

I could go on.
Usually white UK acts stealing US Black artist's content (I'm white British, BTW - Just that I'm a soul music fan and get annoyed by it. Well, irritated I should say). 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧



All comments from YouTube:

@MRMATTX2

This is the first time I'm hearing this version, wow. One of my favorite 80's songs was a remake.

@TimonKaiPumpa

This is the original song.

@RaBob

FYI - Gloria Jones joined T-Rex in the 1970s and became romantically involved with T-Rex's singer Marc Bolan. They had a child together named Rolan Bolan. When Marc Bolan died in a car accident on September 16, 1977, it was Gloria Jones who was driving the car that crashed into the tree.

@marcelomaddaloni3856

New por me too

@chuuchuub2688

@Ra Bob wow never knew that. Tragic that Marc Bolan died so young like many talented artists. Also sad that the accident stopped Gaynor's career through injury and caused her such financial and obvious emotional hardship. I read she is running an orphanage and their son Rolan Bolan seems pretty down to earth.

@patrickbunbury9008

@Kostas the dancers are so beautiful and doing swing so good

4 More Replies...

@ramanantoaninamamy2521

I'm really impressed by this original version What a great song

@chloewebb5526

Born in 85, I grew up with my mom in Detroit, she listened to nothing but 90s R&B, Blues, and Motown classics - yet I completely forgot about this original or simply never knew. I was playing GTA San Andreas on PS2 emulation just now and this song came on, and its by FAR the best version, hands down! Theres something dark'n'moody about a lot of 60s chord progressions while also keeping that bounce that makes you indecisive on whether you want to dance or close your eyes and let the music wrap around your brain. I love it!

@Papa_Posadskiy

Для 1964 года - просто супер. Опередили своё время на все 100 % !

@chrisormond

How this is not in a Quinton Tarantino movie I don't know, brilliant song

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