Anyone Who Had A Heart
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
And know that I love you
Anyone who ever dreamed could look at me
And know I dream of you
Knowing I love you so
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and love me, too
You couldn't really have a heart and hurt me
Like you hurt me and be so untrue
What am I to do
Every time you go away, I always say
This time it's goodbye, dear
Loving you the way I do
I take you back, without you I'd die dear
Knowing I love you so
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and love me, too
You couldn't really have a heart and hurt me
Like you hurt me and be so untrue
What am I to do
Knowing I love you so
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and love me, too
You couldn't really have a heart and hurt me
Like you hurt me and be so untrue
Anyone who had a heart would love me too
Anyone who had a heart would take me
In his arms and always love me too
Why won't you
Anyone who had a heart
Would love me too, yeah
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and always love me
Why won't you, yes
Anyone who had a heart
Would love me too
The song "Anyone Who Had a Heart" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas is a soulful ballad that speaks to the pain of unrequited love. The song opens with the singer declaring that anyone who truly loves will be able to see her own love for someone else. She then laments the fact that her own love is not reciprocated, and asks why the person she loves cannot see the depth of her feelings. The chorus echoes this sentiment, insisting that anyone with a heart would take her in their arms and love her.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's heartache and confusion. She is torn between her love for the person who does not return her affections and the knowledge that she deserves better. She recognizes that any true lover would never hurt someone they care about, let alone be untrue to them. However, she is still helpless before her own feelings, unable to fully break free from the pain of unrequited love.
Overall, this song speaks to the universal experience of loving someone who does not love you back. It captures the frustration, heartache, and yearning that characterize this painful situation. The singer's powerful vocals and emotional delivery only add to the impact of the lyrics, making this a truly memorable soul ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
Anyone who ever loved could look at me
And know that I love you
My love for you is so evident that anyone who has ever felt love before can see it in my eyes
Anyone who ever dreamed could look at me
And know I dream of you
Whenever I close my eyes, I dream of you, and anyone who has ever dreamt before can tell that you are in my dreams
Knowing I love you so
My love for you is so strong and genuine, and I want you to know that
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and love me, too
If you truly care about me, you would hold me and love me without holding back
You couldn't really have a heart and hurt me
Like you hurt me and be so untrue
What am I to do
I am hurt by your actions and cannot fathom how somebody with a heart could be so unfaithful to me
Every time you go away, I always say
This time it's goodbye, dear
Every time you leave, I tell myself it's over, but deep down I know that I will never stop loving you
Loving you the way I do
I take you back, without you I'd die dear
I love you so much that I can never stay away from you for long, and without you, I feel like a part of me is missing
Anyone who had a heart
Would love me too
I am worthy of love and deserve to be loved by someone who cares for me deeply
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and always love me too
Why won't you
I am pleading for you to love me the way I love you, to hold me and never let me go, but for some reason, you won't
Anyone who had a heart
Would love me too, yeah
I truly believe that anyone who is capable of loving would also love me, just like I love them
Anyone who had a heart
Would take me in his arms and always love me
Why won't you, yes
Again, I am begging for your love and affection, and wondering why you won't love me just as much as I love you
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" Read Full BioMartha Reeves & The Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Motown roster during the 1960s and fully active from 1960 to present, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, rock and roll and soul.
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelley replacing Sterling. In 1967, Kelley was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972., however, Reeves still performs with sister Lois and another Reeves sister, Delphine.