The verses describe the unorthodox nature of the relationship, how both partners seem to be cheating on each other but continue to justify it as "all good". The lines "Making love to other people. Telling each other it's all good" portray the idea that the relationship is not centered around trust or exclusivity.
The bridge describes the affection between the two in a thematic contrast with the rest of the song. The "kisses like pink cotton candy" depict the sweetness and childishness of their affection, but the line "Talking to everyone but me" alludes to the superficiality of their bond.
The outro reiterates the core issue in the relationship, that the only time the speaker's partner seems to love them is when they are alone together. Overall, the song portrays the internal turmoil of feeling disconnected and alone in a relationship while still struggling to hold onto love.
A Loving Feeling
Mitski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
Holding hands under the table
Meeting up in your bedroom
Making love to other people
Kisses like pink cotton candy
Talking to everyone but me
I'm staying up late just in case you come up and ask to leave with me
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
He only loves me when we're all alone
The lyrics to Mitski's song A Loving Feeling explore the complicated and isolating nature of unrequited love. The singer is well aware of the warm, affectionate feelings she has for someone else, but she's also painfully aware that those feelings cannot be returned in a healthy way. The opening lines of the song, "What do you do with a loving feeling / If the loving feeling makes you all alone?" illustrate the conflict that this infatuation creates. Though she's surrounded by friends and trying to move on with her life, this intense connection to someone who doesn't feel the same way keeps her feeling isolated and alone.
As the song progresses, the lyrics reveal the complicated nature of the relationship between the singer and her object of affection. They have a physical connection, but it's not one that can be celebrated publicly -- they hold hands under the table and meet up in secret. They're also both seeing other people, further complicating matters. Meanwhile, the singer feels like she's left out of the equation. She receives vague reassurances that everything is "all good," but can't help feeling like an outsider. She stays up late, hoping to be asked to leave with the person she loves, but the invitation never comes.
In the end, the singer is left with the same difficult question she started with -- what do you do with a loving feeling that cannot be returned? The repetition of the song's chorus underscores just how unanswerable this question really is. The pained, mournful tone of Mitski's lyrics are matched by the song's sparse, dreamlike instrumentation, making for a powerful and haunting piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
What do you do with a loving feeling
Questioning how to handle emotions of love.
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
Wondering if love can lead to isolation and loneliness.
What do you do with a loving feeling
Repeating the initial question to emphasize the confusion and uncertainty about love.
If they only love you when you're all alone?
Expressing disappointment and hurt over someone's conditional love.
Holding hands under the table
Engaging in secret physical intimacy.
Meeting up in your bedroom
Spending time together in private and intimate settings.
Making love to other people
Cheating on each other and disrespecting the relationship.
Telling each other it's all good
Denying any problems and convincing each other that everything is okay.
Kisses like pink cotton candy
Describing sweet and innocent kisses.
Talking to everyone but me
Feeling neglected and left out of important conversations and interactions.
I'm staying up late just in case you come up and ask to leave with me
Hoping and waiting for the opportunity to leave with the person she loves.
He only loves me when we're all alone
Realizing that his love is conditional and only exists in secret, private moments.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mitsuki Laycock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paularivera6493
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
Holding hands under a table
Meeting up in your bedroom
Making love to other people
Telling each other it's all good
Kisses like pink cotton candy
Talking to everyone but me
I'm stayin' on later just in case
You come up and ask to leave with me
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
You only love me when we're all alone
@Junix.
Down empty streets sniffing glue, me and you
Blank open eyes watch the moon flower bloom
It's been a long, hard 20 year summer vacation
Both these 20 years tryna fill the void
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you had it once
And you know that you want it back
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you're needing it
And you know that you need it bad
With wild horses running through your hollow bones
Wild horses running through your hollow bones
Went to your room thinking maybe you'll feel something
But all I saw was your burning body waiting
All these 20 years on a vacation
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you had it once
And you know that you want it back
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you're needing it
And you know that you need it bad
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you want it
Yeah, you know that you want it
You know that you-
Crack baby, you don't know what you want
But you know that you need it
And you know that you need it bad
With wild horses running through your hollow bones
Wild horses running through your hollow bones
Wild horses running through your hollow bones
Wild horses running through your hollow bones
@hyrin._
Lyrics :
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
Holding hands under a table
Meeting up in your bedroom
Making love to other people
Telling each other it's all good
Kisses like pink cotton candy
Talking to everyone but me
I'm stayin' on later just in case
You come up and ask to leave with me
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone?
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone?
You only love me when we're all alone
@animatic_awesome
What do you with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone
Holding hands under the table
Meeting up in your bedroom
Making love to other people
Telling each other it's all good
Kisses like pink cotton candy
Talking to everyone but me
I'm staying up late just in case you come up and ask to leave with me
What do you with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone
What do you with a loving feeling
If the loving feeling makes you all alone
What do you do with a loving feeling
If they only love you when you're all alone
You only love me when we're all alone
@M4rMar199
🗣️🗣️🗣️WHAT DO YOU DO WHIT A LOVING FEELING IF THE LOVING FEELING MAKES YOU ALL ALONE?🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@akato.5785
🔥🔥WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A LOVING FEELING IF THEY ONLY LOVE YOU WHEN YOU'RE ALL ALONE?? 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
@kiyokomiyazaki
HOLDING HANDS UNDER A TABLE ‼️
@boystoned
MEETING UP IN YOUR BEDROOM 🗣️🗣️‼️‼️
@KeiLyme
MaKING LOVE TO OTHER PPL 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
@una9906
TELLING EACH OTHER IT’S ALL GOOD💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@spfaery
I love how at the end of this song, it smoothly transitions into crack baby. just one of my favourite features of your songs
@elliot8522
it goes so hard on cd
@lukaeya_
i never realised?!? OMG
@zombpawzz
ikr!! i own the puberty 2 CD and whenever a loving feeling comes on and it ends it feels SO good to hear it turn into crack baby!!