You Don´t Know What Love Is
Sonny Stitt Lyrics


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You don't know what love is
'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
Until you've loved a love you've had to lose,
You don't know what love is.

You don't know how lips hurt
Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost,
Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost,
You don't know what love is.

Do you know how a lost heart fears
At the thought of reminiscing,
And how lips that taste of tears
Lose their taste for kissing?
You don't know how hearts burn
For love that can, not live yet never dies.




Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
You don't know what love is.

Overall Meaning

The above lyrics in Sonny Stitt's song "You Don't Know What Love Is" are a poignant exploration of the complexities of love, heartbreak, and loss. The first stanza suggests that only when one has experienced the pain of losing someone they loved deeply can they truly understand what love is. Love is not just a happy feeling or emotion, but also encompasses pain, loss, and grief. Until one has loved and lost, they have not fully experienced the depth and range of emotions that love encompasses.


The second stanza delves deeper into the pain of lost love. The lyrics suggest that even a kiss can carry a high cost - in this case, the cost of a broken heart. The image of a flipped heart that has been lost and the repetition of "You don't know what love is" highlights the inevitability of heartbreak and the difficulty of truly understanding love until you have experienced a significant loss. The third stanza describes the fear that comes with reminiscing about lost love, the bitterness that can come from tasting tears, and the pain of a burning heart that can never truly die. The lyrics suggest that sleepless nights and long mornings are a part of love - the cost of loving someone deeply.


In conclusion, "You Don't Know What Love Is" is a powerful and moving song that explores the range and depth of emotions that love brings. It depicts love as both beautiful and painful, and suggests that only through experiencing the pain of loss can one truly comprehend the full meaning of love.


Line by Line Meaning

You don't know what love is
You can't comprehend the true nature of love


'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
Only after experiencing the sadness and pain of loss can you begin to appreciate love


Until you've loved a love you've had to lose,
One must have experienced the heartbreak of losing someone they loved to fully understand love


You don't know what love is.
Without experiencing love and loss, one cannot truly know the essence of love


You don't know how lips hurt
You haven't suffered the emotional and physical pain that comes with love


Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost,
Only after investing deeply in a love that ultimately fails can you truly understand how love can hurt


Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost,
Until you've given your everything and lost it all, you don't know the depth of pain that love can bring


You don't know what love is.
Without experiencing love's pain and heartbreak, one cannot comprehend the true nature of love


Do you know how a lost heart fears
Have you ever felt a heart full of fear and uncertainty after having lost the one you love?


At the thought of reminiscing,
The very idea of reminiscing about a lost love can cause extreme grief and fear in a broken heart


And how lips that taste of tears
Have you ever tasted the bitterness of tears that come with love and loss?


Lose their taste for kissing?
When love is lost, the joy of kissing and other loving gestures can be taken away, leaving only pain


You don't know how hearts burn
Without feeling the intense longing and passion of love, you cannot understand its fiery nature


For love that can, not live yet never dies.
Even when it's over, the memory and feelings of love persist, adding to the intensity of the pain


Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
Only by experiencing the agony of sleepless nights full of heart wrenching emotions can you truly know love


You don't know what love is.
Without experiencing every facet of love, including the pain, longing, and heartbreak, you cannot fully comprehend its true nature




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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