Letting Go
Jennifer Knapp Lyrics


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Time passes by
Think about you everyday
And why, I can't explain

You already broke my back
Why am I the one still hoping
That we can remain?
Holding on to you
Is a menace to my soul
Don't you know?

And letting go is truly
A freedom still unknown
So I hold
I'm not letting go

Do you think that giving up
Shows the courage you'd hope to put up?
Why can't you stay?
All be fair in love and war
Why do you have to leave me here
To drift away

Holding on to you
Is a menace to my soul
Don't you know?

And letting go is truly
A freedom still unknown
So I hold

White knuckle grips
Still you slip through my hands
Leave me wanting more
Whoa, so you warned me

How much more can I take?
How much more can I take?
Before, before I can wonder?

Kiss me on the mouth
Maybe, later you can figure out
What it all means

Holding on to you
Is a menace to my soul
Don't you know?

And letting go is truly
A freedom still unknown
So I hold
I'm not letting go

I'm not, I'm not letting go




I'm not, I'm not letting go
No, I'm not letting go

Overall Meaning

The song "Letting Go" by Jennifer Knapp is a beautiful and emotional ballad about the struggle between holding on to someone who has already hurt you, and finding the strength to let go and move on. The singer laments about thinking of this person every day but not understanding why she can'texplain why. She acknowledges that the person has already "broke her back," but she's still hoping that they can remain together. However, she realizes that holding on to this person is a menace to her soul, and she needs to find the freedom that comes with letting go.


The chorus of the song repeats the line "letting go is truly a freedom still unknown," emphasizing that it is difficult to release someone who has been such an important part of your life. She describes her grip on this person as "white-knuckle" and explains that they slip through her hands, leaving her wanting more. She questions why this person has to leave her, and how much more she can take before being able to wonder.


Knapp finishes the song by acknowledging that she is not ready to let go; she's not ready to release this person from her life. The repetition of "I'm not letting go" at the end of the song emphasizes her determination to hold on to what she has, even if it's hurting her.


Overall, "Letting Go" is a song that speaks to anyone who has ever struggled with holding on to someone when it is time to let go. It is about finding the courage to move forward and seek the freedom and healing that can come from releasing the past.


Line by Line Meaning

Time passes by
Days, weeks, and months have gone by since our relationship ended


Think about you everyday
I constantly remember the good times we had and can't help but think about you always


And why, I can't explain
I don't understand why we couldn't make it work or how I can still feel this way after all that's happened


You already broke my back
You've already hurt me beyond repair and I can't take it anymore


Why am I the one still hoping
Despite everything, I still have hope that we can reconcile and make it work


That we can remain?
That we can still be together despite our differences


Holding on to you
Trying to hold on to something that's no longer there


Is a menace to my soul
It's damaging my emotional well-being to hold onto something that's causing so much pain


Don't you know?
Don't you understand the toll this is taking on me?


And letting go is truly
Releasing myself from this toxic relationship would be a liberation I've never known before


A freedom still unknown
I've never experienced the kind of freedom that comes with letting go completely


So I hold
I continue to hold on despite knowing it's not healthy for me


Do you think that giving up
Do you believe that ending things is the same as giving up?


Shows the courage you'd hope to put up?
Do you think that ending things takes courage?


Why can't you stay?
Why can't we work through our differences and stay together?


All be fair in love and war
People say that in love there are no rules, similar to how war has no rules


Why do you have to leave me here
Why do you have to abandon me and leave me to deal with the aftermath?


To drift away
To be lost and aimless without direction


White knuckle grips
Holding on so tight that your knuckles turn white


Still you slip through my hands
You're slipping away no matter how tightly I hold on


Leave me wanting more
I'm left yearning for something that's no longer there


Whoa, so you warned me
I should've known that this would happen based on the warning signs you gave me


How much more can I take?
How much more heartbreak and pain can I endure?


Before, before I can wonder?
Before I start to doubt myself and wonder if there's something wrong with me


Kiss me on the mouth
Give me false hope and make me believe that things between us can still work


Maybe, later you can figure out
Perhaps you'll realize later that we're not meant to be together


What it all means
What our relationship meant and why it couldn't work out


I'm not, I'm not letting go
Despite everything, I'm still holding onto hope that things can work out between us


No, I'm not letting go
I can't let go of the idea that we're meant to be together despite everything that's happened




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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