Stubborn Love
The Lumineers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

She'll lie and steal and cheat
And beg you from her knees
Make you think she means it this time
She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair
But I still love her, I don't really care

When we were young
Oh-oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh-ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
Ah-ah it can't be done

It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now
I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs

So keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love

And I don't blame you, dear
For running like you did all these years
I would do the same, you best believe
And the highway signs say we're close
But I don't read those things anymore
I never trusted my own eyes

When we were young
Oh-oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh-ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
Ah-ah it can't be done

So keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love

Head up, love
Head up, love




Head up, love
Head up, love

Overall Meaning

The Lumineers’ hit song “Stubborn Love” is a track that talks about the trials of loving someone who is dishonest, manipulative, and self-centered. The lyrics describe a woman who can lie, steal, and cheat without remorse, and who frequently begs forgiveness but never seems to change. The singer acknowledges that she can be destructive, tearing a hole that cannot be repaired, yet he cannot help but love her despite the pain and difficulty she brings into his life. The chorus tells us that it is better to feel pain than to feel nothing at all and that true love requires attention and effort.


The second verse of the song reminisces about the singer's youth, “When we were young, oh-oh, we did enough…” He seems to be looking back on a time when he and the woman he loves were more carefree and perhaps happy. The chorus repeats itself, emphasizing the message that love takes effort and perseverance, and sometimes requires us to keep our heads up and pay attention.


The bridge of the song is perhaps the most poignant moment, with the singer acknowledging that he doesn’t fault the woman for running away, as he himself might do the same. He sings, “And the highway signs say we’re close, but I don’t read those things anymore, I never trusted my own eyes,” expressing his deep sense of disorientation and confusion. The song concludes with a final chorus, repeating once again that love and hope require us to keep our heads up and our hearts open.


Line by Line Meaning

She'll lie and steal and cheat
She is capable of deceitful and fraudulent behavior


And beg you from her knees
She will plead and implore you in desperation


Make you think she means it this time
She will deceive you into believing it's different this time


She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair
She will inflict emotional damage that cannot be undone


But I still love her, I don't really care
Despite her faults, I still have affection for her


When we were young
In our youthful days


Oh-oh, we did enough
We had our fair share of experiences


When it got cold
During the difficult times


Ooh-ooh, we bundled up
We bundled up and protected ourselves


I can't be told
I cannot be convinced otherwise


Ah-ah it can't be done
It's impossible to change my mind


It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
It's preferable to experience pain rather than feeling nothing


The opposite of love's indifference
The opposite of love is not caring or apathy


So pay attention now
Listen carefully


I'm standing on your porch screaming out
I'm passionately trying to get your attention


And I won't leave until you come downstairs
I'm determined to have a conversation with you


So keep your head up, keep your love
Stay positive and continue loving


And I don't blame you, dear
I hold no resentment towards you


For running like you did all these years
For running away from our problems and relationship


I would do the same, you best believe
I would have done the same as you did


And the highway signs say we're close
The signs on the road indicate we are near each other


But I don't read those things anymore
I'm not relying on external signs or messages anymore


I never trusted my own eyes
I've learned not to trust just what I see


Head up, love
Stay positive and keep going, my love




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeremy Fraites, Wesley Schultz

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@jhonnymartinez189

Lyrics:
She'll lie and steal and cheat
And beg you from her knees
Make you think she means it this time
She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair
But I still love her, I don't really care

When we were young
Oh-oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh-ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
Ah-ah it can't be done

It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now
I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs

So keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love

And I don't blame you, dear
For running like you did all these years
I would do the same, you best believe
And the highway signs say we're close
But I don't read those things anymore
I never trusted my own eyes

When we were young
Oh-oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh-ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
Ah-ah it can't be done

So keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love

Head up, love
Head up, love
Head up, love
Head up, love



@miszlen00

This song hits me so hard every time i hear it, it's just so hard to explain.
I knew it basically since my school years, listening to The Lumineers briefly from time to time and simply moving on to other bands and genres.

I came back to this band and this song after a terrible break-up caused by me, my problems and what I did to my then-girlfriend for about a year, a friend for about four.
I listened to it time and time again throughout several months alone, working on myself, bettering my mental status and overall mental health that caused all the problems.

A year passed, fate made us cross our paths and come closer again, heal our scars and become a pair once again.

Nearly two years from then, I'm listening to the song in our house, we're a few months away from our wedding and expecting a baby.
Coming back to such hard-hitting songs makes you realise how far you've come and how many struggles you endured because of - and for this stubborn love.

Stay strong Friends. It will be better one day - if you believe it and work towards it, eventually it's gonna happen.



@lalramchullovatlau4590

LYRICS
She'll lie and steal and cheat
And beg you from her knees
Make you thinks she means it this time
She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair
But I still love her, I don't really care
When we were young
Oh oh, we did enough
When it got cold
Ooh ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
Ah ah it can't be done
It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now
I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs
So keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love
And I don't blame ya dear
For running like you did, all these years
I would do the same, your best believe
And the highway signs say we're close
But I don't read those things anymore
I never trusted my own eyes
When we were young
Oh oh, we did enough
When it got cold,
Ooh ooh we bundled up
I can't be told,
Ah ah, can't be done
Keep your head up, keep your love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, my love
Keep your head up, keep your love
Head up, love
Head up, love
Head up, love
Head up, love



All comments from YouTube:

@nickbunyun

I LOVE THIS SONG ;)

@Bikramjit1199

Switched to Valorant yet?

@Shyniex339

Nick Bunyun the heck you arr here?

@50cal93

I don’t think he expected to be where he’s at 6 years ago

@Shyniex339

50 Cal yup

@Flynn123.

Same

58 More Replies...

@nilu_toxic..

Who is from 2024

@Alejandro_Vargas141

Me 🗿

@WhiteColonizer

I'm from 2045

@Alejandro_Vargas141

@@WhiteColonizer 🤟🏼

More Comments

More Versions