How Can You Tell Me?
The Flirtations Lyrics
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That you don't love me?
Think of all that we've been through,
Don't it mean a thing to you?
(How could you treat me so unkind,
Turn around and change your mind,)
And then just tell me,
Oh when I gave you everything I had,
Why you wanna treat me so bad?
(I was all tied up in you,
A love that I just can't undo.)
And now you tell me,
That you don't love me.
How could I ever be so blind?
Baby after all this time,
(The way you used to hold my hand,
________ just don't understand.)
And when I look back,
And think about the good times,
I can't believe that you'd just lead me on.
What happened to the promises you made me?
And the love we had, where has it gone?
Oh how can you tell me,
That you don't love me?
Oh did I do something wrong?
Please take me back where I belong.
(I'm not asking much of you.
Do anything you want to do.)
But please don't tell me,
That you don't love me.
Don't tell me that you don't love me.
Don't tell me that you're not thinking of me.
(I'm not asking much of you.
Do anything you want to do.)
[To Fadeout]
How can you tell me,
How can you tell me,
That you don't love me?
Baby, how can you tell me,
The Flirtations' song "How Can You Tell Me?" is a soulful ballad about a woman pleading with her ex-lover to take her back. The song's main theme is the confusion and pain caused by the sudden change in the ex-lover's feelings towards her. The lyrics express the woman's disbelief and heartbreak at being told that her ex-partner no longer loves her, despite all the challenges they've overcome as a couple. She questions what went wrong in their relationship, and asks her ex-lover to reconsider their love for each other.
The first verse begins with the woman's question, "How can you tell me, that you don't love me?" She reminds her ex-lover of all the times they've been through as a couple, asking if their history together doesn't mean anything to them. The chorus repeats this question, imploring her ex to explain how their love could have disappeared so suddenly. The second verse continues in the same vein, with the woman expressing her hurt and bewilderment at being treated unkindly by someone she gave everything to. She's confused by the conflicting feelings of being tied up in love with someone who has now claimed not to love her anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
Oooooo How can you tell me,
How can you honestly say to me
That you don't love me?
That you have no love for me
Think of all that we've been through,
Consider all the experiences we've shared
Don't it mean a thing to you?
Don't those experiences hold any significance to you?
(How could you treat me so unkind,
(How could you be so cruel to me,
Turn around and change your mind,)
and then change your attitude towards me?)
And then just tell me,
And then simply say to me
That you don't love me?
That you feel no affection towards me?
Oh when I gave you everything I had,
Oh when I gave you every part of me,
Why you wanna treat me so bad?
Why do you want to hurt me so much?
(I was all tied up in you,
(I was completely devoted to you,
A love that I just can't undo.)
A love that I cannot simply let go of.)
And now you tell me,
And now you inform me
That you don't love me.
That you do not have any love for me
How could I ever be so blind?
How could I have been so unaware?
Baby after all this time,
Darling, after all these moments,
(The way you used to hold my hand,
(The way you used to gently clutch my hand,
________ just don't understand.)
________ I just cannot seem to comprehend.)
And when I look back,
And when I reminisce,
And think about the good times,
And recollect the happy moments,
I can't believe that you'd just lead me on.
I cannot believe that you only misled me.
What happened to the promises you made me?
What occurred to the pledges you made to me?
And the love we had, where has it gone?
And the love that we shared, where has it vanished?
Oh how can you tell me,
Oh how can you say to me
That you don't love me?
That you harbor no love for me?
Oh did I do something wrong?
Did I do something incorrect?
Please take me back where I belong.
Kindly take me back where I fit in.
(I'm not asking much of you.
(I'm not begging for a lot from you.
Do anything you want to do.)
Do whatever you choose to do.)
But please don't tell me,
But please resist telling me
That you don't love me.
That you do not have any love for me.
Don't tell me that you don't love me.
Don't inform me that you feel no affection towards me.
Don't tell me that you're not thinking of me.
Don't say that you're not reflecting on my existence.
(I'm not asking much of you.
(I'm not begging for a lot from you.
Do anything you want to do.)
Do whatever you choose to do.)
[To Fadeout]
[To Fadeout]
How can you tell me,
How can you say to me
How can you tell me,
How can you inform me
That you don't love me?
That you harbor no love for me?
Baby, how can you tell me,
Darling, how can you say to me
Writer(s): WAYNE BICKERTON, ANTHONY WADDINGTON
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.