Don't Let Me Down
Tom Petty The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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I feel I'm nothing in your eyes.,
It makes me feel like givin' up
Because my best just ain't good enough.
Girl I want to provide for you and
Do the things you want me to!
But oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Sacrifices I will make,
I'm ready to give as well as take,
One thing I need is your respect,
One thing I can't take is your neglect,
More than anything I need your love
Then trouble's easy to rise above.
But oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, baby you know!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
When you complain and criticize
I feel I'm nothing in your eyes.,
It makes me feel like givin' up
Because my best just ain't good enough.
Girl I want to provide for you and
Do the things you want me to!
But oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, baby you know!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
The lyrics to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' song "Don't Let Me Down" depict a plea from a man to his partner. He is expressing his frustration with her constant complaints and criticism, which make him feel inadequate and worthless. Despite his efforts to provide for her and do what she wants, he feels like his best is not good enough. He asks for her respect, love, and attention, without which he cannot handle the troubles that come their way. The song presents a true sense of vulnerability and a genuine need to be valued and appreciated in a relationship.
Overall, the lyrics convey the struggle of trying to meet someone's expectations and feeling like you are falling short. The repeated refrain of "Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down" shows the desperation for the partner not to give up on him and to see his worth. This is a relatable theme that many people have experienced and can resonate with.
Line by Line Meaning
When you complain and criticize
I feel worthless and insignificant when you constantly find fault and criticize me
I feel I'm nothing in your eyes
Your negative attitude towards me makes me feel like I am of no value to you
It makes me feel like givin' up
Your constant criticism wears me down to the point where I feel like giving up on us
Because my best just ain't good enough
Despite my efforts, I feel like my best is not enough for you
Girl I want to provide for you and
I want to be able to take care of you and provide for your needs
Do the things you want me to!
I want to make you happy by doing the things that are important to you
But oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Please don't let your negative attitude bring me down and make me feel worthless
Sacrifices I will make
I am willing to make sacrifices for the sake of our relationship
I'm ready to give as well as take
I am willing to compromise and give as much as I take in our relationship
One thing I need is your respect
Respect is important to me and I need it from you for our relationship to work
One thing I can't take is your neglect
Your neglect and indifference towards me is something I cannot tolerate
More than anything I need your love
Love is the most important thing to me in our relationship
Then trouble's easy to rise above.
With your love and support, we can overcome any difficulties or challenges that come our way
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Please don't let your negative attitude and behavior bring me down and ruin our relationship
Oh, baby you know!
You know how important you are to me and how much I love you
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Please don't let your negativity and criticism ruin what we have together
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
I need your love and support in our relationship, not your criticism and negativity
Oh, oh, no, don't bring me down!
Please don't let your negative behavior destroy what we have worked so hard to build
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carole King, Gerry Goffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind