Paul Carrack (born April 22, 1951 in Sheffield, England) is an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter. Carrack has had multiple careers which have overlapped over the last three-plus decades. He has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, and Mike + The Mechanics, been a session and touring musician for several others, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well. His distinctive voice shows up on some of his affiliated bands' best-known hits.
I Can't Make You Love Me
Paul Carrack Lyrics
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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
'Cause I can't make you love me If you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
I will lay down my heart, and I'll feel the power
But you won't, no you won't
And I can't make you love me
If you don't
I'll close my eyes and then I won't see
The love you do not feel, when you're holding me
Morning will come, and I'll do what's right
Just give me till then, to give up this fight
And I will give up this fight
And I can't make you love me if you don't
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
And 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
And I can't make you love me
If you don't
Ain't no use in you trying
It's no good for me baby without love
All my tears, all these years, everything I believed in
Baby
Oh yeah
Someone's gonna love me
The song "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Paul Carrack is a heart-wrenching ballad about unrequited love. The lyrics describe a failed attempt at love where one person is unable to make the other person love them despite their best efforts. The song begins by setting the scene of a lover trying to turn down the lights, the bed, and the voices inside their head. They ask their partner to hold them, without patronizing them, as they know that they can't make them love them if they do not want to. The lyrics convey the lyrical protagonist’s sadness and desperation in these final hours, as they know that they're about to lose everything. They lay down their heart, and feel the power but it isn't enough because their partner still won’t love them.
In the second verse, the singer closes their eyes as they are aware that their partner doesn't love them back, even though they are holding them, and no matter how much the singer wishes for it to be otherwise, they cannot force their partner to love them. They decide to give themselves time until morning to come before they give up their fight, even though they know that they cannot make their partner love them if they don't want to. The last line in the song hints at the possibility that someone else may eventually come to love the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn down the lights, turn down the bed
I want to set the mood for an intimate moment
Turn down these voices inside my head
I want to silence my own doubts and insecurities
Lay down with me, tell me no lies
I want us to be honest and vulnerable with each other
Just hold me close, don't patronize
I don't want to be treated like a child or condescended to
Don't patronize me
I won't tolerate being talked down to or disrespected
'Cause I can't make you love me If you don't
I know that love can't be forced or manufactured
You can't make your heart feel something it won't
No matter how much you might want to love me, it might not be possible
Here in the dark in these final hours
We're together in a moment of vulnerability and honesty
I will lay down my heart, and I'll feel the power
I'm opening myself up to emotional risk and vulnerability
But you won't, no you won't
I'm still holding out hope that you might love me, but deep down I know it's unlikely
And I can't make you love me
I can't control your emotions or feelings towards me
I'll close my eyes and then I won't see
I'm trying to ignore the fact that you might not love me back
The love you do not feel, when you're holding me
I can sense that you're not reciprocating my feelings when we're together
Morning will come, and I'll do what's right
I'll try to move past this rejection and do what's best for myself in the morning
Just give me till then, to give up this fight
I need some time to process my emotions and let go of my hopes for our relationship
And I will give up this fight
I'll let go of my desire for your love and move on with my life
Ain't no use in you trying
There's no point in pretending to love me if you don't
It's no good for me baby without love
I can't be in a relationship that lacks genuine love and affection
All my tears, all these years, everything I believed in
My feelings for you have been strong and longstanding
Someone's gonna love me
Even though it won't be you, I still believe I'll find love someday
Contributed by Lucy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sheilasmithers6483
Love it , what a voice.
@BPRING1
What a song, voice, arrangement. Superb.
@joemoore7447
George will approve 👌
@tuppencepetey
A beautiful voice...it makes me melt.
@blueskye6372
Nice. 🎶🎊🎆
@beautifulthornbirds
On so sad yet beaautiful.
@Gemfinder_NoVak77
Definitely not pauls bag here, no way 🤔