Singing "In Your Eyes… Read Full Bio ↴Niamh Kavanagh (born 1968) is an Irish singer.
Singing "In Your Eyes" (words and music by Jimmy Walsh) she won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 for the host nation, Ireland. It was the best selling single in Ireland for 1993, and reached No. 24 in the United Kingdom.
Previously she had performed as a lead and backing vocalist on the film soundtracks for The Commitments.
She appeared on The Late Late Show's Euro Song 2010 show on March 5th where her song "It's For You" (written by Niall Mooney, Lina Eriksson, Jonas Gladnikoff and Marten Eriksson) was chosen as Ireland's entry for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest.
I Can't Make You Love Me
Niamh Kavanagh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn down the bed.
Turn down these voices
Inside my head.
Lay down with me;
Tell me no lies.
Just hold me close;
Don't patronize.
Don't patronize me.
Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't.
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power.
But you won't.
No, you won't.
Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
I'll close my eyes,
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me.
Morning will come,
And I'll do what's right.
Just give me 'til then
To give up this fight.
And I will give up this fight.
Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't.
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power.
But you won't.
No, you won't.
Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
The song "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Niamh Kavanagh is a heartfelt track about the pain that comes from unrequited love. The opening lines set the mood for the rest of the song, with the singer asking their lover to turn down the lights and the bed as they try to drown out the voices inside their head. They then ask their lover to lay down with them and just hold them without any lies or patronizing words. However, the heart of the song lies in the chorus where the singer acknowledges that they can't make their lover love them if they don't feel that way.
The second verse continues this theme with the singer closing their eyes to try and ignore the lack of affection coming from their lover. The final lines of the verse show the singer's resolve to do the right thing by giving up the fight to make their lover love them. The repetition of the chorus at the end emphasizes the heartbreak of the situation, with the singer needing to let go of their love even though the power of that love still lingers.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was originally written and recorded by Bonnie Raitt in 1991 for her album "Luck of the Draw." The song later gained popularity when it was covered by George Michael on his 1996 album "Older." Another interesting fact is that the song was covered by many other artists, including Adele, who performed the song regularly during her 2011 tour. Additionally, the song has been featured in various TV shows and movies, including "The Vampire Diaries" and "Sons of Anarchy."
Line by Line Meaning
Turn down the lights;
Please adjust the lighting to a suitable level because it's hard for me to keep things in perspective with everything being so bright.
Turn down the bed.
I'd like to make this experience as comfortable as possible, and the first step is making sure the bedding is comfortable.
Turn down these voices
Inside my head.
There's something deep within me that's making me feel doubtful about this situation, and I just need a moment to be quiet and think.
Lay down with me;
Tell me no lies.
I'm really vulnerable right now, so please be honest with me.
Just hold me close;
Don't patronize.
Even if you don't feel the same, please don't undermine my feelings by pretending or trying to 'fix' things.
Don't patronize me.
Please don't try to treat me as if I don't understand the situation or that I'm being unreasonable. I just need honesty and compassion.
Cuz I can't make you love me
If you don't.
I'm just one person, and I can't control how you feel about me. As much as I wish I could make you fall in love with me, it's not something I can force.
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't.
Just as I can't control your heart, you can't control mine. We can't make ourselves feel something that we just don't.
Here in the dark
In these final hours,
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power.
Even in the face of rejection and heartbreak, I'm still choosing to be vulnerable and honest about my feelings. There's a strength in accepting the truth and putting your heart on the line.
But you won't.
No, you won't.
Despite my efforts, I know that you won't fall in love with me. It's a hard truth to accept, but I know I can't force your feelings.
I'll close my eyes,
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me.
To protect myself from the pain of your rejection, I might try to stay ignorant of your true feelings or only see the love I wish was there, rather than the love that really exists.
Morning will come,
And I'll do what's right.
Just give me 'til then
To give up this fight.
Once the night is over, I know I need to face the reality of the situation and move on. But for now, let me hold onto hope and allow myself time to grieve.
And I will give up this fight.
Eventually, I'll have to accept that your love isn't there and let go of my own hopes and desires for us.
Writer(s): MIKE REID, ALLEN SHAMBLIN, MICHAEL REID
Contributed by Penelope D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.