Love Is No Excuse
Jim Reeves & Dottie West Lyrics


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Love is no excuse for what we're doing
For we both know that two hearts could break
We tell ourselves we've got to have each other
But love is no excuse for us to make

Sure we love each other and it could be so right
But not if someone else has got to pay
Our love for each other looks good in the night
But our love can never see the light of day

It's been going on for much too long now
And our wrongs have mounted one by one
We tell ourselves it's 'cause we love each other
But love is no excuse for what we've done

It's been going on for much too long now
And our wrongs have mounted one-by-one

We tell ourselves it's 'cause we love each other
But love is no excuse for what we've done

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jim Reeves's song 'Love Is No Excuse' reflect the struggle two individuals are facing when they have fallen in love with each other, but their relationship is considered unacceptable. The song talks about how they both know that their actions are wrong and that they are hurting the ones around them. The two main characters involved in this love affair remind each other that their love is not an excuse for their actions, and although they cannot help how they feel, they know they cannot continue pretending everything is okay. The lyrics describe the love between the couple as something that is great but not so great that they should put others' lives at risk.


The song highlights the struggle that many people face when they fall in love with someone in circumstances that society deems unacceptable. The couple knows that their actions will never be condoned, but they cannot help how they feel. The lyrics are an insight into the importance of considering one's actions, even when in love.


The song was first released in 1955 by country singer Jim Reeves. It was written by Ernest Tubb and Justin Tubb, and it became one of Jim Reeves's most successful songs. After its release, the song climbed to the top of the charts and remained there for 18 weeks.


Line by Line Meaning

Love is no excuse for what we're doing
Our love for each other is not a justification for our actions


For we both know that two hearts could break
We understand that our relationship has consequences and could cause emotional damage


We tell ourselves we've got to have each other
We try to justify our actions by convincing ourselves that we need each other


But love is no excuse for us to make
Love does not give us permission to act inappropriately


Sure we love each other and it could be so right
We do have feelings for each other and a relationship could work out well


But not if someone else has got to pay
However, we cannot let others suffer as a result of our actions


Our love for each other looks good in the night
Our relationship may seem appealing in the moment


But our love can never see the light of day
But it cannot sustain itself in the real world


It's been going on for much too long now
Our relationship has been going on for too long


And our wrongs have mounted one by one
Our mistakes have added up over time


We tell ourselves it's 'cause we love each other
We rationalize our actions by claiming that it's because we love each other


But love is no excuse for what we've done
However, our love does not excuse our inappropriate behavior




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUSTIN TUBB

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@ikpeessien7399

" It's been going on for much too long now
And our wrongs have mounted one by one",,, so beautiful. Class act duet.

@vgdneumann

2:23

@sonabarnes6670

❤ Beautiful song

@donaldcarr7513

Beautiful duet!!

@lilianflynn198

BEAUTIFUL combination of the two voices SPLENDIDLY executed

@Ranwolfe

The most pleasant voice in country

@Shelty47

Beautiful duet by two of the best in country music.

@michaelbertsch5846

JIM REEVES AND DOTTIE WEST ON THIS SONG WAS MADE IN HEAVEN.YOU BOTH ARE WONDERFUL GOD BLESS YOU BOTH YOUR FAN MICHAEL.

@oluchiagbalizuii1521

One of my old time favourite country music...
It's unbelievable how we have lost great musicians that sing songs with meanings and morals. They don't just sing for the sake of singing.

@ojonimiabdullahi8919

Oluchi you've said it all.

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