Fowler put together a country band in 1998 and began playing Tuesday nights at Babe's on Sixth Street in Austin. Within two years, he'd begun recording albums and struck big with his self-released Beer, Bait and Ammo (2000). The album sold around 30,000 copies in the Texas area and garnered an impressive amount of airplay, particularly for the album's title track. The song became somewhat of a Texas anthem; Mark Chesnutt made the song part of his live show, and Sammy Kershaw recorded it. Fowler returned in 2002 with his third album, High on the Hog, and boasted some impressive guests, including Willie Nelson and David Lee Garza.
Not Lovin' Anymore
Kevin Fowler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel sorry for the next girl in line, whoa
She ain’t got a chance in hell
The last one taught me not to let my guard down
Yeah, I’ve learned my lesson well, I’m not lovin’ anymore
If I seem like a jaded man
I’ve been burned time and again
Knows I try real hard
Not sure that I’m through with love
One thing I am sure of
I don’t want to feel this way again
So I'll tell ya now
Chorus
I’d be a fool to try again
Love’s a game you just can’t win
So for a while I think that I’ll
Sit out of the game
All the hurt and pain I feel
The wounds of love take time to heal
So don’t be a-thinkin that I’ll be a-lovin’ soon
So I'll tell ya now
Chorus
The song "Not Lovin' Anymore" by Kevin Fowler talks about the pain and hurt of a previous love that left scars deep enough to make the persona feel scared and jaded. From the chorus, we understand that the persona is done with love and will not let his guard down to avoid being hurt again. He feels like the next girl in line doesn't stand a chance with him because he's been hurt over and over, and as a result, he's learned his lesson well.
The verse, on the other hand, reveals the extent of the hurt the persona feels. He's been burned time and again by the flames of love, and he's not sure if he's through with love yet. The persona still wants to believe in love, but he's afraid of feeling the same way again. He doesn't want to be in pain again, and he doesn't want to feel vulnerable by giving his heart to someone else. Therefore, he'd instead sit out of the game until he heals.
This song brings to light the pain of heartbreak and its effect on people. It shows that moving on from one relationship to the next isn't as easy as it seems. Instead, it takes a lot of time, patience, and healing.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel sorry for the next girl in line, whoa
I pity the next girl who falls for me, because she has no chance.
She ain’t got a chance in hell
She has no hope of ever winning my heart.
The last one taught me not to let my guard down
I learned from my past mistakes and won't be vulnerable again.
Yeah, I’ve learned my lesson well, I’m not lovin’ anymore
I've become experienced and wise enough to avoid falling in love again.
If I seem like a jaded man
I may come off as bitter because of my previous failed relationships.
I’ve been burned time and again
I've suffered emotional pain and heartache multiple times before.
By the flames of love, Lord above
Love has hurt me deeply and I feel like God has abandoned me.
Knows I try real hard
I'm doing my best to move on and protect myself from further pain.
Not sure that I’m through with love
I'm uncertain if I will ever be able to completely give up on love.
One thing I am sure of
But I do know that I don't want to feel this kind of hurt again.
I don’t want to feel this way again
I'm determined to avoid the heartache and pain that comes along with loving someone.
I’d be a fool to try again
It would be foolish of me to give love another chance.
Love’s a game you just can’t win
It's impossible to truly win at the game of love, and it's not worth trying.
So for a while I think that I’ll
For now, I've decided to take a break from it all.
Sit out of the game
I'm not going to get involved in any new romantic relationships for a while.
All the hurt and pain I feel
The emotional wounds from my past relationships are still fresh and painful.
The wounds of love take time to heal
It will take time for me to fully recover and move on from my past heartbreaks.
So don’t be a-thinkin that I’ll be a-lovin’ soon
I want to make it clear that I won't be falling in love anytime soon, if ever again.
Contributed by Anna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.