Love Is
Jay-J Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You don't know what love is
'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
Until you've loved a love you've had to lose,
You don't know what love is.

You don't know how lips hurt
Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost,
Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost,
You don't know what love is.

Do you know how a lost heart fears
At the thought of reminiscing,
And how lips that taste of tears
Lose their taste for kissing?
You don't know how hearts burn
For love that can, not live yet never dies.




Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
You don't know what love is.

Overall Meaning

The song "Love Is" by Jay-J, as evidenced by its reflective lyrics, is a song that speaks about the complexities of love and how it changes people. The opening lines of the song "You don't know what love is, 'til you've learned the meaning of the blues" displays how the experience of love can bring pain, which is an aspect of the blues. The following lines that say "Until you've loved a love you have to lose, you don't know what love is" elaborate on this by explaining that to truly understand love, one must face the prospect of losing it, and it's only then that they can comprehend the depth of one's love.


The song's next verse expands on how love can hurt, stating that "You don't know how lips hurt, until you've kissed and had to pay the cost," which means that love can involve paying a price, which can hurt. The lines that follow, "Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost, you don't know what love is," refers to how love can involve taking risks and experiencing failure, which can then result in losing the one thing you cared for deeply, love.


The final verse of the song speaks about how love can lead to sleepless nights when one is consumed by thoughts of the one they love. "Do you know how a lost heart fears at the thought of reminiscing? And how lips that taste of tears lose their taste for kissing?" are lines that show that when love is gone, all that is left are feelings of pain and the memories of what was lost. The final lines, "You don't know how hearts burn for love that can not live yet never dies. Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes, you don't know what love is," emphasizes that love is complicated as it can never truly die but also can't always live on, which leaves one in a perpetual state of longing for that indescribable feeling.



* Jay-J is a renowned DJ and producer known for his collaborations with Grammy-winning artists and his passion for house and techno music.
* "Love Is" is a popular track that was released on his debut album entitled "Love Alive" in 2007.
* The song features the soulful voice of vocalist and songwriter, Latrice Barnett, who has worked with Jay-J multiple times before.
* The track initially started as a remix of a famous jazz song by Billie Holiday, "You Don't Know What Love Is."
* The sample of this song took the song to the No. 1 spot in the US dance charts.
* Jay-J was inspired by the lyrics of the original track, and with Latrice Barnett's voice, he produced a melody that would tug at the listener's heartstrings.
* The chords of the song are simple ones like Fm, G#, A#, and C#.
* Even though the song has a melancholic feel, it has garnered positive reviews from music critics for its deep lyrics and soaring melody.
* "Love Is" by Jay-J is a perfect song for those who like to listen to romantic songs that are reflective and soulful.
* The song's themes—love, loss, and heartbreak—are universal and have touched many people worldwide.


Chords (capo on 1st fret) - Fm, G#, A#, C#


Line by Line Meaning

You don't know what love is
Love is a feeling that cannot be fully understood until you have experienced certain aspects of it.


'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
To understand love, you must first understand the feelings of sadness and despair that often accompany it.


Until you've loved a love you've had to lose
Experiencing the pain of losing someone you love is a crucial component in fully comprehending love.


You don't know how lips hurt
Kissing someone and being hurt by them is a fundamental part of love.


Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost
Having your heart broken and losing the person you love is a necessary step in truly knowing what love is.


Do you know how a lost heart fears
The fear of being hurt again after experiencing heartbreak is a common feeling associated with love.


At the thought of reminiscing
Thinking back to past experiences with love can be both painful and scary.


And how lips that taste of tears
Crying due to heartbreak can cause bitterness towards love and make the experience of kissing feel different.


Lose their taste for kissing?
After experiencing heartbreak, the act of kissing can become unappealing due to the painful memories associated with it.


You don't know how hearts burn
The intense emotions associated with love can cause a burning sensation in the heart.


For love that can, not live yet never dies
Love can exist even when the people involved cannot be together and the feelings associated with it can persist through time.


Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes
Dealing with the aftermath of losing someone you love can lead to insomnia and difficulty sleeping.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: LONNIE JOHNSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@master-kq3nw

🎧🎶🎶🎶🎶🧡 excellent song

@umbertotedeschi9143

love is coming very soon........is on the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@8355joyce

great track!!! nice

@FUNKYSTATORS

You make ma day 🤘🥰✨⭐️😷🇫🇷

@kia4402

Got this from Pandora and love the mix.......

@DecibelInScale

Brilliant

@ironfistentertainmentptylt3846

Yoooooooo!!! 🔥🔥🔥

@sisu667

wowww!!!!

@NudgeBox

Still sounds fresh.....

@SoulfulHouseMusic

Nice!

More Comments

More Versions