The song's lyrics are based on Levine's break-up with an ex-girlfriend. He revealed that the song was written in the "most emotionally trying time" in his life. He has also described the lyrics of this song as being extremely erotic. "This Love" was critically acclaimed by music critics, who noted the track's musicscape.
The song entered the top ten on most charts, topping several of Billboard magazine's component charts, including reaching the number one spot on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. The music video was met with controversy, regarding extended intimate scenes between Levine and his then-girlfriend. "This Love" helped Maroon 5 win the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist and was the third most played song of 2004. The live version of the song won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 2006 Grammy Awards and to date, this is one of Maroon 5's most successful songs.
Background
"This Love" was the second single from Maroon 5's 2002 debut album, Songs About Jane. In an interview with MTV News in August 2002, Maroon 5 vocalist Adam Levine revealed that he wrote the song the day his girlfriend moved away after they broke up. In another interview, Levine revealed that the song was written in the "most emotionally trying time" in his life. He also added, "I was in a relationship that was ending, but I was really excited on the other end because the band was about to go make the record and I was ecstatic to go in the studio. She was literally leaving town within days of me writing the lyrics to 'This Love', so I was in prime emotional condition to write a song with that kind of conflict."
Music and lyrics
During development of "This Love", the band stated that the song was influenced by musician Stevie Wonder. The piece was written in the key of C minor, the metre is set in common time, and the piece's tempo is a moderate 95 beats per minute. The introduction of "This Love" features a piano-led strut. Maroon 5 has called "This Love" a prime pop-rock song. The music featured in the song has a lot more rock-guitar crunch, and is considered a soulful, pop rock and alternative rock song. According to Johnny Loftus of Allmusic, the music featured in the song has "a slick channeling of vintage R&B rhythms into punchy pop dynamics". Loftus felt that the song features "Levine's wry falsetto around strutting, bottom-heavy piano and percussion both programmed and live; chirping backup vocals and washes of sunny synth and flute acted as counterweights". Loftus also noted that the band has a "sexual charge" with the lyrics, "I tried my best to feed her appetite / To keep her coming every night / So hard to keep her satisfied". The Boston Globe's Steve Morse described the single's sounds as "a rocking yet soulful tale about the breakup of a relationship". Meghan Bard of The Daily Campus adds that the song has "Stevie Wonder-esque vocals and a funky R&B beat". In the extended version of the song, which is 4 minutes and 26 seconds long, the chorus of the band's next single, "She Will Be Loved", can be heard from 3:21 to 3:42, during the outro.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, when asked about the lyrics "Keep her coming every night" and "Sinking my fingertips into every inch of you", Levine said: "Yep, that's sexual, all right. I was so sick of typical lyrics like 'Ooh, baby' and 'I love you' and all this vague shit. I thought the more explicit I got without being totally explicit was a nice approach. The little girls would enjoy them, and it would go right over my grandparents' heads. But it would hit my ex-girlfriend like a ton of bricks. It was perfect." He also comments on how MTV played an edited version of the song for the music video, with the word "coming" edited out of the line "keep her coming every night". Levine noted, "MTV has now edited the language. They won't let me say, 'Keep her coming every night', and they took the sinking out of 'sinking my fingertips'. It's like communist China. It's totally bizarre."
Reception
The song received critical acclaim. In the Rolling Stone review of the album, critic Christian Hoard wrote: "Adam Levine's urban-romantic swoonings work best when his band really gets up on the good foot, as on 'This Love', which uses piano and James Brown-like guitars to create a foundation on which Levine can obsess about beauty (including his own)." Jason Thompson of PopMatters noted that on the songs "This Love" and "Must Get Out", keyboardist Jesse Carmichael "manages to conjure up both the productions of Britney Spears and The New Radicals respectively". Sam Beresky of the Daily Lobo, who was less enthusiastic about the album, complimented the band on "This Love", in which he noted, "...'This Love', is a happier version of the first with a great backbeat reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition'. It might make a foot tap, a head nod or even a booty shake if played at a loud volume."
In May 2004, musician John Mayer told Rolling Stone that he liked the band's album Songs About Jane. Mayer was also positive towards the song. "Once I heard 'This Love,' it was a light-fuse/stand-back kind of situation. It's one of those perfect songs you always hope to write." The single also strengthened Maroon 5's appeal, and helped position them as one of the year's break-out bands in 2004. It has since been remixed by Kanye West, titled "This Love (Kanye West remix)", in May 2004. The band released an EP titled 1.22.03.Acoustic, which features an acoustic version of "This Love."
Chart performance
"This Love" appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5. The track's Junior Vasquez Mixes remix topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. It also appeared in the Hot Dance Airplay chart at No. 18. "This Love" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 40 Mainstream. It also reached the top spot on Billboard's Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks at the No. 1 spot, it stayed there for 10 weeks. The song was the top digital download of 2004. In 2007, the song re-entered the chart at the No. 36 position on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs. As of June 2014, the song has sold 2,120,000 copies in the US.
"This Love" reached the Top 10 in twelve countries. In the United Kingdom, it reached the No. 3 spot in the UK Singles Chart on May 1, 2004. It entered the top ten in France, Belgium, and Australia. The single reached the top five in Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, and New Zealand. Elsewhere, "This Love" appeared on the Italy, Swiss, Germany, and Ireland music charts.
Music video
The music video for "This Love" premiered on MTV's Total Request Live on January 6, 2004. Directed by Sophie Muller, the video combines performance footage from the band in a courtyard built at Mack Sennett Studios and scenes of Adam Levine parting ways with a woman. According to Levine, the concept behind the music video was based on Prince. "An overt sexuality confuses people, too. That video was a very 'pop star' thing to do."
The music video also features Levine and his then-girlfriend, model Kelly McKee in a few intimate scenes. The video used creative camera angles, in an effort to avoid action from the Federal Communications Commission for television broadcasts. A version of the video where a stream of computer-generated flowers obscure the screen further was also created. When asked about the video, Levine said: "It was surprisingly not weird and surprisingly not sexual. It was totally comfortable. I didn't get horny or anything, which was weird since I shot it with my girlfriend."
Still, the video was seen as controversial, with Sylvia Patterson of The Daily Telegraph describing it as "a porno-pop video". Bass player Michael Madden, asked to comment on the video's reception, referred to the controversy as "an absurd over-reaction."
This Love
Marron 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye as she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart
Oh, this love has taken its toll on me
And her heart is breakin' in front of me
And I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
Whoa, whoa, whoa
I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Oh, kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again
But uh-oh, this love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breakin' in front of me
And I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
Whoa, whoa, whoa
I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's all right (It's all right, it's all right)
My pressure on your hips
I'm sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
'Cause I know that's what you want me to do
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
Her heart is breakin' in front of me
And I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And my heart is breakin' in front of me
She said goodbye too many times before
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
Her heart is breakin' in front of me
But I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore...
The lyrics of Maroon 5's song This Love talk about a tumultuous relationship that has left the singer uncertain about the state of his love. The first few lines describe the confusion and chaos that pervades his mind as he fails to recognize the fire in her eyes. The lyrics suggest that she leaves him and never returns, but he still holds her in his heart.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about how their relationship has taken a toll on him, with the girl saying goodbye too many times before. He is aware that her heart is breaking in front of him, but he cannot bring himself to bid her goodbye. He also acknowledges that he had not been the best partner, having kept playing love like it was just a game, pretending to feel the same and then turning around and leaving again. However, he appears ready to make things right, as evidenced by his desire to fix her broken things, repair her broken wings, and make sure everything's alright.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing, heartbreak, and regret. The singer appears to be struggling with his feelings and trying to reconcile with his partner. The repeated phrase of "this love has taken its toll on me" suggests that the relationship has been difficult and that he feels trapped in it.
Line by Line Meaning
I was so high I did not recognize
I was too consumed with my own distractions to see the warning signs in her eyes.
The fire burning in her eyes
The intensity of her emotions and feelings towards me.
The chaos that controlled my mind
My own inner turmoil and confusion that prevented me from seeing the truth about our relationship.
Whispered goodbye as she got on a plane
She left me without any warning or explanation.
Never to return again
Our relationship is over and she has moved on with her life.
But always in my heart
Despite everything that has happened, my feelings for her will always remain.
Oh, this love has taken its toll on me
The emotional strain and damage caused by our relationship.
She said goodbye too many times before
She has ended our relationship multiple times in the past, leaving me hurt and confused.
And her heart is breakin' in front of me
She is hurting because of the pain and damage I have caused in our relationship.
And I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
Despite the difficulties we have faced, I am committed to staying with her and fixing our relationship.
I tried my best to feed her appetite
I did everything I could to satisfy her needs and desires.
Keep her coming every night
I wanted our relationship to be sexually fulfilling for her.
So hard to keep her satisfied
Despite my efforts, I struggled to make her truly happy in our relationship.
Oh, kept playing love like it was just a game
I didn't take our relationship seriously enough and treated it like a casual hobby.
Pretending to feel the same
I was not honest with her about my own emotions and feelings.
Then turn around and leave again
I would often come and go from her life unpredictably, leaving her hurt and confused.
I'll fix these broken things
I am committed to repairing the damage I have caused in our relationship.
Repair your broken wings
I want to help heal the hurt and pain she has experienced because of me.
And make sure everything's all right (It's all right, it's all right)
I want to ensure that our relationship is healthy and fulfilling for both of us.
My pressure on your hips
I want to express my physical desire for her in a way that is satisfying and respectful.
I'm sinking my fingertips
I want to explore and connect with her body in a way that is intimate and loving.
Into every inch of you
I want to fully know and understand her as a person, spiritually and emotionally as well as physically.
But I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
I am willing to face any difficulties or challenges in our relationship and am determined to make things work and not give up.
And my heart is breakin' in front of me
I am experiencing my own pain and hurt because of the damage I have caused in our relationship.
She said goodbye too many times before
Her past experiences with me have left her hurt and distrustful.
This love has taken its toll on me
The difficulties and mistakes in our relationship have caused me to suffer emotionally.
Her heart is breakin' in front of me
I can see that the pain and damage I have caused her is real and severe.
But I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore...
Despite the pain and difficulties, my love for her and my commitment to our relationship is stronger than ever.
Contributed by Joseph N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@javiercassianobustamante4705
THIS LOVE
I was so high, I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye as she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
(woah, woah, woah...)
I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Oh, kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again
But, oh, this love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
(woah, woah, woah...)
I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything is alright
(It's alright, It's alright)
My pressure on your hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
'Cause I know that's what you want me to do
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
My heart is breaking in front of me
She said goodbye too many times before
(This love has taken its toll on me)
(She said goodbye too many times before)
(And her heart is breaking in front of me)
(I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore...)
0:01 ●━━━━━━━━━━━ 3:25
⇆ㅤㅤ◁ㅤㅤ❚❚ㅤㅤ▷ㅤ ↻
Replays, Only Cost a Like.
@user-hy5sd9nk2c
Verse 1]
I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye as she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
[Verse 2]
I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Keep playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
[Bridge]
I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright
My pressure on your hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
'Cause I know that's what you want me to do
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And my heart is breaking in front of me
She said goodbye too many times before
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
@Thorsten-Tom-Martin
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye as she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart, oh
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
[Post-Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
[Verse 2]
I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied, oh
Kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again
But I know
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
[Post-Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
[Bridge]
I'll fix these broken things, repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright (It's alright, it's alright)
My pressure on your hips, sinking my fingertips
Every inch of you 'cause I know that's what you want me to do
[Chorus]
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And my heart is breaking in front of me
She said goodbye too many times before
This love has taken its toll on me (Oh, yeah, yeah)
She said goodbye too many times before (Yeah)
And her heart is breaking in front of me (Yeah)
I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
@akjh1000
"This Love"
I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered "Goodbye", she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart
This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again,
But I know...
This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright
My pressure on your hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
'Cause I know that's what you want me to do
This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore
This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And my heart is breaking in front of me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
This love has taken its toll on me
She said "Goodbye" too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
And I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodby...
@lmPeely
Its April 2024, let's see how many legends are listening to this incredible song
@Dzwonek05
Yup but Songs About Jane is the only good album they had
@supersonicwind69
I'm here
@ChickenLittleHimself
Songs About Jane best album
@Meadowfactory
(。・ω・。)
@user-uk3rp1qb1o
Here 🔥
@casbah6603
I really can't understand why people listen to Sugar more than THIS LOVE.
@harrellt1405
Sugar is more upbeat and happy
@makayla8823
Different taste in music
@sigitdwiyanto3728
Every body. 2004-2010