Give It Up
Haley Bonar Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lie in my bed
And think of all the things
That I could've said

The choir hums
A hundred thousand words
The silence is
In their black dresses

Blow out the flame
And sing a little song
Call out his name
Everyone can sing along

But give all your love to me
And don't let me give it up
Let me love this man

Sunny times
We could pray each other clean
Weep for God and man
In the dust of dirty dreams

Let me hold you
Let me love this man

Don't let me give it up
Don't let me give it up




Don't let me give it up
Don't let me give it up

Overall Meaning

In Haley Bonar's song "Give It Up," the lyrics convey a sense of regret and self-reflection as the singer thinks back on missed opportunities and things left unsaid. The opening line, "Lie in my bed and think of all the things that I could've said," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is haunted by the past and the things they wish they had done differently.


The mention of a choir humming "a hundred thousand words" adds to the poignancy of the song, as if the weight of unspoken words is almost unbearable. The silence of the black-dressed choir emphasizes the weight of those unsaid words. However, the singer finds solace in calling out the name of the person they love and having everyone join in, showing that love can bridge the gap of the things left unsaid.


The second half of the song is a plea to not let go of that love. The singer suggests that being with their loved one can bring a new sense of purity and redemption ("We could pray each other clean/Weep for God and man in the dust of dirty dreams"). In the final repetition of "Don't let me give it up," the singer is begging to hold onto the love that could have so easily slipped away.


Line by Line Meaning

Lie in my bed
Being in a state of contemplation


And think of all the things
Reflecting on missed opportunities or unsaid words


That I could've said
Regret over not expressing oneself


The choir hums
A sound of divine presence


A hundred thousand words
A spiritual experience of overwhelming emotion


The silence is
A moment of tranquil contemplation


In their black dresses
Tapping into a moment of melancholic beauty


Blow out the flame
Relinquishing a relationship


And sing a little song
Trying to make sense of it all


Call out his name
The desire for reconciliation


Everyone can sing along
The shared experience of love and loss


But give all your love to me
The need for affirmation and commitment


And don't let me give it up
The fear of losing what is precious


Let me love this man
The desire for a meaningful relationship


Sunny times
Moments of clarity and happiness


We could pray each other clean
Healing and purification through love


Weep for God and man
Acknowledging the struggle of the human experience


In the dust of dirty dreams
Navigating through the messiness of life


Let me hold you
The need for physical intimacy


Don't let me give it up
Not wanting to let go of what is cherished


Don't let me give it up
The importance of holding on tight


Don't let me give it up
The plea for eternal happiness


Don't let me give it up
The fear of losing love




Contributed by Allison E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

PLSCHWRT

Haley, keep on keeping on, come over to Europe, Holland, lots of people are dying to see you, it's just that they don't know it yet!

VRRay OfMinneapolis

I liked that. and it's my B-day. whoo.

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