In this version of the Prefab Sprout classic, Paddy McAloon wrote an extra verse just for her.
When Love Breaks Down
Lisa Stansfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But often we're apart
Absence makes the heart lose weight, yeah,
Till love breaks down, love breaks down
Oh my, oh my, have you seen the weather
The sweet september rain
Rain on me like no other
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down
The lies we tell,
They only serve to fool ourselves,
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down,
Love breaks down
My love and I, we are boxing clever
She'll never crowd me out
Fall be free as old confetti
And paint the town, paint the town
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down
The lies we tell,
They only serve to fool ourselves,
When love breaks down
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When love breaks down
You join the wrecks
Who leave their hearts for easy sex
When love breaks down
When love breaks down
The first stanza of this song speaks about how the singer's love and their partner work well together but they often spend time apart from each other. The line "absence makes the heart lose weight" implies that when we are not with our loved ones, we miss them and it affects our emotions. Eventually, this distance leads to the breakdown of their love. The second stanza involves the singer talking about the weather, specifically about the sweet September rain. The rain on them feels different and special, but it eventually drowns them, implying that too much love or emotional intensity can also lead to the breakdown of their relationship.
In the chorus, the lyrics talk about what happens when love breaks down. The things we do to stop the truth from hurting us become relevant, implying that people often lie or deceive themselves and others when their relationships fall apart. The lies we tell only serve to fool ourselves, but they do nothing to fix the actual problems. The line "when love breaks down, you join the wrecks who leave their hearts for easy sex" sheds light on how when some people's love life ends, they turn to casual one-night stands or easy sex to fill the void.
Overall, Lisa Stansfield's song "When Love Breaks Down" shines a light on the different facets of love and how it can lead to heartbreak. It shows how distance, emotional intensity, and deception can lead to the breakdown of love.
Line by Line Meaning
My love and I, we work well together
The singer and their partner have a good relationship.
But often we're apart
Despite having a strong relationship, the singer and their partner frequently spend time apart.
Absence makes the heart lose weight, yeah,
Being separated from a loved one can cause one's feelings to lessen over time.
Till love breaks down, love breaks down
Eventually, the distance takes a toll on the relationship and it starts to crumble.
Oh my, oh my, have you seen the weather
The artist is using the rain as a metaphor for their emotions.
The sweet september rain
The singer is describing the rain as sweet because they enjoy the emotional release it brings.
Rain on me like no other
The singer is seeking emotional catharsis in the rain that they cannot find elsewhere.
Until I drown, until I drown
The artist wants to fully immerse themselves in their emotions, even if it means being overwhelmed by them.
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
When faced with the reality that their relationship is falling apart, people may try to avoid or hide from the truth in unhealthy ways.
The lies we tell,
They only serve to fool ourselves,
Lying about the state of a relationship is often a futile and destructive approach that only serves to delude oneself.
When love breaks down
The song's refrain emphasizes the painful experience of love falling apart.
The things you do
To stop the truth from hurting you
Even when someone knows that their relationship is ending, they may still try to avoid confronting the reality of the situation.
My love and I, we are boxing clever
The singer and their partner are strategically planning and working to maintain their relationship while they are still together.
She'll never crowd me out
The singer trusts their partner and believes that they will not become domineering or smothering in the relationship.
Fall be free as old confetti
And paint the town, paint the town
The singer wants to enjoy life and be carefree, like confetti that is thrown and forgotten. They want to live fully before their relationship ends.
You join the wrecks
Who leave their hearts for easy sex
After a relationship ends, some people may engage in casual sexual encounters as a means of numbing their pain or trying to move on too quickly.
When love breaks down
When love breaks down
The repetition of the refrain emphasizes the pain and inevitability of relationships ending.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PADDY MCALOON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ágnes Kovács
"Szerelmem és én
Együtt dolgozunk együtt
De gyakran szétválunk
Nincs
szív veszít, igen
- Til szerelmesek,
a szerelem lebomlik
Ó, ó, ó
Láttad az időjárást
Az édes szeptemberi eső
Eső rám
mint semmi más
Amíg nem megfullad, addig, amíg megfullad
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
a dolgokat
Hogy megállítsuk az igazságot, hogy megsebezzen téged
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
a hazugságok
Csak magunkat bolondulnak
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
Szerelmem és én
Boksz okosak vagyunk
Ő soha nem zúdít engem
Mindkettő szabad, mint régi konfetti
És festeni a várost, festeni a várost
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
a dolgokat
Hogy megállítsuk az igazságot, hogy megsebezzen téged
Amikor a szerelmesek lebomlanak
a hazugságok
Csak magunkat bolondulnak
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
csatlakozunk a roncsokhoz
Ki hagyja a szívüket a könnyű szexért
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
Szerelmem és én
Magas és hegymászás voltunk
A kék égbe
A színekkel hangos
szivárvány
Változó nézet
Nézet módosítása
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
a dolgokat
Hogy megállítsuk az igazságot, hogy megsebezzen téged
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
a hazugságok
Csak magunkat bolondulnak
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
csatlakozunk a roncsokhoz
Ki hagyja a szívüket a könnyű szexért
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik
Amikor a szerelem lebomlik"
dmcwhorter64
A great song, from one of the best cd's in the last 20 years. Lisa Stansfield is fantastic....
toastedhippo
This is a superb version of sprout's song. You can't criticise the production either - Trevor Horn at his best. Very musical and balanced. It was this song that got me into Lisa. Cheers for the upload.
Michael Milo Jørgensen
Paddy Mcaloon wrote this genius masterpiece
mak hines
im a huge prefab sprout fan ...normally im a purist but this one was done brilliantly..bravo lisa...
Billie Little
I love this song. Great remake by the talented and beautiful Ms. Stansfield.
Gloria Loftin
Great remake with the Lisa Stansfield touch.
fred scuttle
trevor horn production ,bringing lisa`s voice to a new level and the arrangements are top drawer.
grooverunner
Love the Prefab Sprout original (grabbed a 12 inch vinyl promo) of it. Trevor Horn seemed to really produce the heck of out for Ms.Stansfield.
C.C. 95
This is from PREFAB SPROUT'S 2nd Album 'STEVE McQUEEN' (titled 'TWO WHEELS GOOD' in the U.S.), NOT the first Album 'SWOON' as some here have said. Both brilliant records. Actually buy all of PREFAB's stuff and enjoy the unbridled songwriting brilliance of Paddy McAloon. The NEWEST one CRIMSON/RED is unbelievable.
evolutionary transgression
Big Prefab fan here. IMSO Jordan was the last flawless album. Andromeda Heights has amazing songs but sterile, at times cringey production. Paddy got lost in one man home studio perfection land, without major label budgets for the kind of production Prefab deserves. Gunman/Change the World/Crimson are nowhere near the albums that McQueen/Langley/Jordan are. Just sayin'. Peace.