Lalah Hathaway is a contemporary R&B/Jazz singer and the daughter of soul l… Read Full Bio ↴Lalah Hathaway is a contemporary R&B/Jazz singer and the daughter of soul legend Donny Hathaway. After studying at Berklee, Hathaway signed with Virgin Records and released her self titled debut, Lalah Hathaway, in 1990. The set spawned 4 R&B Hits, including the Top 5 smash Heaven Knows. Her 1994 follow up, A Moment, did less well, and Hathaway parted ways with Virgin. She went on to work with many other established artists, including Take 6, Mary J. Blige and Marcus Miller, writing, producing and doing background vocals.

In 1999 Jazz legend Joe Sample collaborated with Lalah on the album The Song Lives On, which became a staple on both Jazz and Smooth R&B radio, as well as topping the Jazz charts. However, it would not be until 2004 that Lalah Hathaway would resurface with her own project. She had her biggest hit single in years with an inspired cover of the late Luther Vandross' Forever, For Always, For Love, topping the Urban AC Chart and reaching Top 40 on Billboards mainstream R&B chart, a feat repeated by Outrun the Sky, Hathaway's first solo album in a decade, which was released late in the year.

How many times
Lalah Hathaway Lyrics

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Back in the days when we started
Forever were we
I never believe you'd break my heart
And leave me here like this
You promise your love ever after
Said you'll always be there

When I gave you all that really matters

And that wasn't the first time that I

How many times have you broken my heart
And I let you back in?
Maybe it's time we both go our separate ways

Now all that's left to say is nothing
And we're not even friends no more
I was once afraid of starting over
But you leave me no other choice

How many times have you broken my heart
And I let you back in?
Maybe it's time we both go our separate ways

How many times have you played with my mind
And I run back to you?
Maybe it's time we both go our separate ways

How many times
So how many times can I?

How many times have you broken my heart

And I let you back in?
Maybe it's time we both go our separate ways

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lalah Hathaway’s song “How Many Times” convey the feelings of a person in a relationship who is tired of being hurt by their partner. The first verse speaks of a time when they were in love and thought it would last forever. However, their partner broke their heart, leaving them alone and lost. They remember being promised an everlasting love, but those promises were broken. The singer talks about how they gave their all to the relationship, yet it was not enough, and this was not the first time it happened.

The chorus reflects the frustration and heartbreak that accompanies being hurt repeatedly. The singer questions how many times they have to go through the pain of being broken up with, only to have their partner return and do it all over again. They seem to be contemplating whether it is finally time to end the relationship and go their separate ways.

In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that there is nothing left to say between them, and they are no longer friends. They are scared of starting over, but they feel like they have no other option. The chorus repeats the same message, emphasizing the repeated hurt and the possibility of moving on.

Overall, the lyrics of this song highlight the struggles of balancing love and pain in a relationship, and deciding whether it is worth it to keep trying or to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

Back in the days when we started
In the beginning of our relationship

Forever were we
We believed our love would last forever

I never believe you'd break my heart
I trusted you wouldn't hurt me

And leave me here like this
And abandon me in this emotional state

You promise your love ever after
You promised to love me for a lifetime

Said you'll always be there
You assured me you would never leave

When I gave you all that really matters
When I gave you my heart and soul

And that wasn't the first time that I
And it wasn't the only time I did so

How many times have you broken my heart
You've hurt me multiple times

And I let you back in?
And I allowed you to return to my life?

Maybe it's time we both go our separate ways
Perhaps it's time for us to end things