I've Got To Stop Loving You
Patty Loveless Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The bright lights don't thrill me
Like they used to do
They only remind me
Of times spent with you
And every old memory
Rekindles the flame
I've got to stop loving you
And start living again

The people all tell me
With time I'll forget
The sweet love you gave me
And they'll be no regrets
But each time I see you
It's always the same
Oh I've got to stop loving you
And start living again

I've got stop dreaming
About all the times
When you told me
You loved me
And would always be mine
And maybe one day
Find somebody new
And start living over
And stop loving you

The rain on my window
Flows down like tears
It seems to know that
I'm lonesome in here
Oh I guess I
Should step out
And see some old friends
I've got to stop loving you
And start living again




Oh I've got to stop loving you
And start living again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Patty Loveless's song "I've Got To Stop Loving You" are a powerful expression of heartbreak and the struggle to move on from a past relationship. The singer describes how even the bright lights that used to excite her now only remind her of the times she spent with her former lover. Every old memory rekindles the flame of love, and she knows that she needs to find a way to move on and start living her life again.


The people around her tell her that time will heal her wounds and that she'll eventually forget the love that was lost, but she knows that this won't be the case for her. Each time she sees her ex-partner, the same feelings flood back, and she feels powerless to move on. She acknowledges that she needs to stop dreaming about the past and the love that was lost and instead focus on building a new future without her ex.


The rain on the window is a metaphor for her tears, and she realizes that she's become isolated and lonely. However, she knows that she needs to take action and see some old friends to break out of her self-imposed isolation. The song is a powerful expression of how difficult it can be to move on from a past relationship, but it also emphasizes the importance of taking action and trying to build a new life.


Line by Line Meaning

The bright lights don't thrill me
I no longer find pleasure in things I used to enjoy, such as being in the presence of bright lights.


Like they used to do
These things no longer evoke the same level of excitement and enjoyment that they used to bring to me in the past.


They only remind me
Instead, they serve as a painful reminder of the moments that I had spent with you.


Of times spent with you
This refers to the memories that I had created with you, which have now become associated with pain and longing.


And every old memory
Each memory that I have with you, no matter how insignificant or unimportant, has become a source of longing and passion for me.


Rekindles the flame
These memories serve as a catalyst for reigniting my feelings for you and my desire to be with you once again.


I've got to stop loving you
In order to move on and live my life again, I need to let go of these memories and the love I have for you.


And start living again
This refers to the need to begin living my life for myself again, and not be held back by the love I have for you.


The people all tell me
Others have suggested to me that in time, I will be able to forget about the love we shared.


With time I'll forget
It is believed that over the course of time, my memories of you will begin to fade, and I will be able to move on.


The sweet love you gave me
This refers to the loving and affectionate nature of our past relationship, which I am currently struggling to come to terms with.


And they'll be no regrets
It is believed that with time, I will be able to let go of the love I have for you without any feelings of regret or sorrow.


But each time I see you
However, each time I see you, all of the feelings and emotions that I am trying to overcome resurface.


It's always the same
This refers to the fact that despite my best efforts to forget, my feelings for you remain the same every time I see you.


Oh I've got to stop loving you
This is a repetition of the previous sentiment, indicating the intense need for me to let go of my love for you.


And start living again
To start living again is to be able to move on and develop a new identity outside of our past relationship.


I've got to stop dreaming
In addition to letting go of my love for you, I need to let go of the dreams I've had regarding our relationship and future together.


About all the times
These dreams have been about the happy times we had together, and the potential for a long and happy future as a couple.


When you told me
They involve me remembering when you told me that you loved me and that we would always be together.


You loved me
This refers to the deep love and affection we had for each other when we were still together.


And would always be mine
This statement demonstrates the depth of our commitment to each other, and it is difficult for me to let go of that promise.


And maybe one day
Looking towards the future, it is possible that I will be able to let go of these dreams and find new love once again.


Find somebody new
One day, I may find someone new to share my life with, someone who will help me move on from the past.


And start living over
To move on completely, I need to be able to begin living my life over again, free from the emotional baggage left behind after our relationship ended.


And stop loving you
In order to fully embrace this new start, I must be able to let go of my love for you completely.


The rain on my window
Rain has always been symbolic of sadness and sorrow, and it is likened to the tears that are coming from my eyes because of the pain I am feeling.


Flows down like tears
This is a direct comparison between the rain and my tears.


It seems to know that
The rain is almost like nature's way of acknowledging my pain and sorrow.


I'm lonesome in here
This refers to the feeling of loneliness and isolation that I am experiencing as I try to deal with the emotional pain of our breakup.


Oh I guess I
This is an expression of my realization that I need to start making changes in my life if I am going to move on from this heartbreak.


Should step out
One of those changes includes stepping out of my comfort zone and engaging with the world and people around me.


And see some old friends
By reconnecting with old friends, I am making a conscious effort to regain control over my life and start rebuilding my identity.


And start living again
This final line is a repetition of the earlier sentiment, indicating that the need to let go of my love for you so I can start living for myself once again is still very strong and persistent.




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Comments from YouTube:

Melanie Davis 1966

This is for me ❀️it I’ve got to move on! I’m joining a social dating group ! Love this songπŸ’ƒπŸ’₯

Jerry Pruitt

now thats country music. wish we heard music like that today. i dont listen to the radio anymore. instead i listen to my cd player. patty one of the greats.

Roberta Elder

Thank you Tom page for sharing all the best singers of real country music let's keep them going for ever thumbs up to all the fans who love real country music

Lena Andersson

Fantastic song πŸŽ€πŸŽΈπŸ’ŸTHANKS TOM for great postπŸ‘

Primrose Haran

Fantastic singer and song thank you for this great post

aliyahhardy

We have similar taste Tom Page. Love it

Lynn

Blessings! Tom!

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