Tainted Love
John B Lyrics


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(feat. Marcy Meow)

Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

(chorus)
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh...tainted love
Tainted love

Now I know I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
You don't really want IT any more from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you'LL think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't pray that way

(chorus...)

Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you tease
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm going to pack my things and go
Tainted love, tainted love (x2)




Touch me baby, tainted love (x2)
Tainted love (x3)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John B's "Tainted Love" expressing the intense pain of a broken love relationship. The singer narrates a story of being trapped in a relationship that has become painful for him. In the first verse, he explains how he's feeling stuck in pain and lost his light after trying hard to make things work in the relationship but not getting anywhere. The chorus of the song shows his decision to leave the girl he once ran to, as their relationship is now tainted and unhealthy.


In the second verse, the singer expresses his realization that he needs to move on and leave before things get worse. He conveys that his partner no longer wants him, and for the relationship to work, she needs someone to hold her tight. The singer also makes it clear that he doesn't believe that love is about praying because he's sorry, but he doesn't pray that way. In the end, he decides to leave the girl behind because the tainted love has destroyed the bond they once shared.


Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I feel I’ve got to
At times, I get this feeling that I need to


Run away, I’ve got to
Escape as far away as possible


Get away from the pain that you drive into the heart of me
Leave because you keep hurting me constantly


The love we share seems to go nowhere
Our relationship has nowhere to move, feels stagnant


And I’ve lost my light
I have lost the spark and energy in myself


For I toss and turn I can’t sleep at night
I'm anxious, can't sleep at all


Once I ran to you (I ran)
There was a time I went after you, ran towards you


Now I’ll run from you
But now I am running away from you


This tainted love you’ve given
The love you gave me is tainted, corrupted


I give you all a boy could give you
I gave you all that a young man could offer


Take my tears and that’s not nearly all
I shed tears for you and that's just one part of it


Oh…tainted love
Oh…this toxic, corrupt relationship


Now I know I’ve got to
I realize now that I have to


Run away, I’ve got to
Run away, create distance


Get away, you don’t really want IT any more from me
Distance myself, you don't really wish for me anymore


To make things right...
To make'm right, you need someone to hold you tight


And you'll think love is to pray
In your mind, love is probably just prayerful


But I’m sorry, I don’t pray that way
But I can't pray in that manner, sorry


Don’t touch me please
Please don't touch me


I cannot stand the way you tease
I hate how you play these teasing games


I love you though you hurt me so
Despite you hurting me, I love you


Now I'm gonna pack my things and go
I am going to pack my belongings and leave now


Tainted love, tainted love (x2)
This corrupt love, this impure relationship


Touch me baby, tainted love (x2)
Touch me baby but it's still tainted love


Tainted love (x3)
Corrupt, impure love




Contributed by Juliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@b4zs1

one of the best parties of my life around 2005 - A38 - TY JOHN B!

@soph3420

We flipped for this one at your DC/Virginia show. So happy to have met you.

@WhatInTheHellO

a gem of 7th grade omg

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