You Made Me Love You
Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five Lyrics

The song "You Made Me Love You" is a classic jazz standard that was first recorded in 1913 by the then-unknown vaudeville performer Al Jolson. It has since been covered by countless artists, including Louis Armstrong, who recorded his version in 1930 with Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, Lil Armstrong, and Johnny St. Cyr. The lyrics express conflicting emotions of love, happiness, and pain, as the singer confesses to being made to love someone despite initially not wanting to.

The opening lines of the song immediately establish the singer's resistance to the idea of love, using repetition to emphasize their reluctance: "You made me love you / I didn't wanna do it / I didn't wanna do it." This is followed by a confession that the object of their affection knew the whole time that they were slowly falling in love, making the singer feel vulnerable and exposed. The second verse acknowledges the ups and downs of the relationship, with the singer describing how their love has made them feel both happy and sad. In the final verse, the singer directly asks for "some love that's true," but at the same time cannot help their yearning for the person who has "the brand of kisses / That I'd die for."

In many ways, "You Made Me Love You" is a quintessential love song that captures the complex emotions that come with falling for someone. The lyrics speak to both the pain and the pleasure of being in love, and the nostalgic melody and lilting jazz rhythm create a timeless and romantic mood. The song remains a beloved classic of the jazz era and has been covered by countless artists across multiple genres.