If You Love Me
Roland Shaw And His Orchestra and Vera Lynn Lyrics
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When she told me that she loved me
How unmoved and cold I must have seemed
When she told me so sincerely
Why, she must have asked, did I just turn
And stare in icy silence?
What was I to say? What can you say
Now she's gone away and I'm alone
With the memory of her last look
Vague and drawn and sad, I see it still
All her heartbreak in that last look
How, she must have asked, could I just turn
And stare in icy silence?
What was I to do? What can one do
When a love affair is over?
The song If You Love Me by Roland Shaw And His Orchestra and Vera Lynn is an emotional ballad exploring the aftermath of a failed love affair. The lyrics reflect on the singer's lack of sensitivity and emotional response when their lover confesses their feelings. The regretful tone of the song suggests that the singer has realized their mistake and is now struggling with the consequences of their actions. The lines "Why, she must have asked, did I just turn/And stare in icy silence?" and "What was I to do? What can one do/When a love affair is over?" highlight the singer's feelings of helplessness and inability to change the course of events. The final lines of the song, "What was I to say? What can you say/When a love affair is over?" emphasize the finality of the situation and the singer's acceptance of their fate.
The lyrics of If You Love Me encapsulate the themes of lost love and heartbreak that are common in many traditional pop ballads. The song was written by Marguerite Monnot with English lyrics by Geoffrey Parsons. Originally a French song titled "Hymne à l'amour" (Hymn to Love), it was popularized by the French singer Édith Piaf in the 1950s. The English language version was recorded by Vera Lynn and became a hit in the UK in 1954. The song has since been covered by numerous artists, including Shirley Bassey, Brenda Lee, and Diana Krall.
Line by Line Meaning
How insensitive I must have seemed
I realized that my lack of emotion made me look heartless
When she told me that she loved me
When she said she loved me, I remained unresponsive
How unmoved and cold I must have seemed
I must have appeared completely unfeeling and indifferent
When she told me so sincerely
Despite her heartfelt declaration, I remained unresponsive
Why, she must have asked, did I just turn
I imagined her questioning why I simply looked away
And stare in icy silence?
Why did I react with such a cold, emotionless expression?
What was I to say? What can you say
What response could I have given in that moment?
When a love affair is over?
The relationship had already come to an end
Now she's gone away and I'm alone
She has left, and I am now on my own
With the memory of her last look
All that remains is the image of her final glance
Vague and drawn and sad, I see it still
It remains a fuzzy, melancholy recollection in my mind
All her heartbreak in that last look
The sorrow and pain of our ending is evident in her gaze
How, she must have asked, could I just turn
I imagined her questioning how I could simply look away
And stare in icy silence?
Why did I react with such a cold, emotionless expression?
What was I to do? What can one do
There was little I could have done to remedy the situation
When a love affair is over?
The relationship had already come to an end
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARGUERITE MONNOT, GEOFFREY PARSONS, EDITH PIAF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind