Promises
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics


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I don't care if you never come home.
I don't mind if you just
Keep on rolling away on a distant sea,
'Cause I don't love you and you don't love me.

You cause a commotion when you come to town.
You give 'em a smile and they melt.
And your lovers and friends is all good and fine.
But I don't like yours and you don't like mine.
La la la la la la la

I don't care what you do late at night.
No, and I don't care how you get your delights.
I'll leave you alone,
I'll just let you be.
I don't love you and you don't love me.

I got a problem, can you relate?
I got a woman callin' love hate.
We made a vow that we'd always be friends.
How could we know that promises end?
La la la la la la la

I tried to love you for years upon years.
You wouldn't take it for real.
It's time you saw what I wanted you to see,
And I'd still love you and you'd still love me.

I got a problem, can you relate?
I got a woman callin' love hate.
Aw, we made a vow that we'd always be friends.
How could we know that promises end?
La la la la la la la





La la la la la la la

Overall Meaning

Hank Williams Jr.'s song "Promises" is a tale of an unfulfilling relationship. The singer expresses his indifference to his partner's absence and disinterest in their personal affairs. He acknowledges their ability to enchant others, but the spark between them has fizzled out. The singer reflects on the promises they had made to each other and the hopes they once had, only to realize that promises sometimes do not have a happy ending.


The song is evidently about a relationship that has lost its fire. The singer is content to let his partner go and live their life while he goes on living his. The lyrics "I don't love you and you don't love me" emphasizes the absence of passion between them. The singer also notes the transient pleasure his partner finds elsewhere, and the fact that he has no urge to control it. The song speaks of the harsh reality of relationships; how promises can break and love can die.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't care if you never come home.
It doesn't matter to me whether you return or not.


I don't mind if you just Keep on rolling away on a distant sea,
It's fine with me if you continue traveling far away.


'Cause I don't love you and you don't love me.
Neither of us has any true affection for the other.


You cause a commotion when you come to town.
Your arrival stirs up a lot of attention.


You give 'em a smile and they melt.
Your smile has the power to charm and captivate others.


And your lovers and friends is all good and fine.
It's alright for you to have your own relationships.


But I don't like yours and you don't like mine.
We're not fond of each other's companions.


I don't care what you do late at night.
I'm not concerned about your activities in the evening.


No, and I don't care how you get your delights.
I have no interest in how you seek pleasure.


I'll leave you alone, I'll just let you be.
I won't interfere with your life or impose myself on you.


I got a problem, can you relate?
I'm facing a dilemma, can you understand?


I got a woman callin' love hate.
I have a female partner who both loves and hates me.


We made a vow that we'd always be friends.
We promised to remain friends forever.


How could we know that promises end?
We didn't realize that even the strongest promises may not last forever.


I tried to love you for years upon years.
I made an effort to love you for a long time.


You wouldn't take it for real.
You didn't believe in my love or take it seriously.


It's time you saw what I wanted you to see,
It's about time you understand my perspective.


And I'd still love you and you'd still love me.
We would still have feelings for each other despite everything.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: VERNON WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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