Without Love
McPhatter Clyde Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I awakened this morning, I was filled with despair
All my dreams turned to ashes and gone, oh yeah
As I looked at my life it was barren and bare

Without love I've had nothing at all
Without love I've had nothing
Without love I've had nothing at all
I have conquered the world
All but one thing did I have
Without love I've had nothing at all
Once I had a sweetheart who loved only me

There was nothing, oh that she would not give, oh no
But I was blind to her goodness and I could not see
That a heart without love cannot live

Without love I've had nothing
Without love I've had nothing at all
I have conquered the world




All but one thing did I have
Without love I've had nothing at all

Overall Meaning

The Clyde McPhatter song "Without Love" is a powerful meditation on the importance of love in our lives. The lyrics express a sense of loss and despair stemming from the absence of love, with McPhatter opening the song by saying, "I awakened this morning, I was filled with despair, all my dreams turned to ashes and gone." From there, he goes on to describe a life that is "barren and bare" without love, suggesting that everything he has accomplished or achieved means nothing if he doesn't have love in his life.


One of the most striking lines in the song is the refrain, which repeats the phrase "Without love I've had nothing at all" in a haunting, almost hypnotic way. This simple but powerful repetition underscores the central importance of love in the human experience, and suggests that McPhatter is speaking not just for himself, but for all of us who have felt the emptiness of a life without love.


Line by Line Meaning

I awakened this morning, I was filled with despair
I woke up feeling hopeless and depressed


All my dreams turned to ashes and gone, oh yeah
All my aspirations and endeavors have failed miserably


As I looked at my life it was barren and bare
When I introspected, I realized my life was empty and futile


Without love I've had nothing at all
Lacking affection, I have attained nothing of value


I have conquered the world
I have achieved everything I could have possibly wanted


All but one thing did I have
Except for the love I needed, I had everything else


Once I had a sweetheart who loved only me
There was a time when I had a special someone who only loved me


There was nothing, oh that she would not give, oh no
She was willing to do anything for me, no matter the cost


But I was blind to her goodness and I could not see
Unfortunately, I was oblivious to her positive qualities and did not appreciate her


That a heart without love cannot live
I now understand that a person cannot survive without love and affection




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHUCK BUTLER, KERRIE ROBERTS, NATE SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Scouser on the Wirral

Written By Danny Small

First recorded by Clyde Mcphatter on 10 October 1956, reaching #6 on R&B & #19 on Pop Charts.

Covers:
Toni Arden (Dec 1956)
Ronnie Carroll (Mar 1957)
Rose Brennan (1957)
Ray Peterson (1963)
Ray Charles (Jun 1963)
Irma Thomas (Jun 1964)
Little Richard (May 1965)
Four Pennies (Oct 1966)
B.J. Thomas (1967)
Oscar Toney Jr, (Jan 1968)
Elvis Presley recorded a version on 23 January 1969, and released on his From Memphis to Vegas double album on 14 October 1969.
Tom Jones recorded the song on 19 November 1969 and released on 28 November 1969 peaking at #5 on pop chart.



All comments from YouTube:

Kamelhaj

Powerful song!

ausfan100

The 45 version of this song (as posted here) has never been reissued on either vinyl or CD. The issued 45 version is made up from two different takes. The first 48 seconds are unique to the single version. At that point, another take completes the song. The actual splice occurs at 48.8 seconds where Clyde then sings “Without L-o-v-e, I had nothing, Without Love, I had nothing - at all - I had conquered the world - but what then did I have…….…”.

All vinyl & CD reissues are the COMPLETE alt take which forms the second part of the song here . After the single, the song next appeared as the opening track on the 1957 LP "Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters" [Atlantic 8003] which I don't have, and I suspect the compilers of that album pulled the wrong tape for inclusion........ and thereafter that version has become the standard for all subsequent reissues of the song up to the present day. Clearly, no one at the vault is aware that the version issued on the original hit SINGLE is an amalgam of two takes. In case someone doubts what I have stated here, there are a number of differences between them , however, for the sake of brevity, I will highlight only one of them. At 25 secs here - compare how he sings the word "GOLD" with your reissue. On the 45, "GOLD" is sung in a variable tone. On reissues - it is a straight tone, without any variance whatsoever.

mrob75

performed with the purest of heart and soul....what an awesome version

Richard Smith

Master ful Thats all I can say about this singer. Saw him in 1959 in person. I had goose pimples through his whole set.

John M. Wenitong

I love this 'original' version - I had only ever heard Little Richard sing it previously. Thanks so much & wishing health & happiness to you & yours :)

Elaine Rudge

Oscar Toney Jr did it on the Bell Label - magnificent

Billy Henderson

Listen to Tom Jones. 😊😊

Mark Herron

Happy Birthday to Clyde McPhatter his Birth Card is Five 🕔 of Clubs! Merry Christmas ⛄🎄 Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!

Victor Who

Doesn't get much better than this...

Carl Morris

Classic!!

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