The One You Love
Wainwright (Rufus) Lyrics
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Why can't I sleep with my eyes open?
The mind has so many memories
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry?
I'm trying, trying to tell you
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
But no words ever could sell you
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
One little move and for sure you will be stung
I'm singing, "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
See what he's picked up in the park"
Let's fuck this awful art party
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
We've traded in our snap shots
We're going through the motions
Into the view, I'm leaving you
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
Into the early morning
The one I love
Are you only the one I love?
The lyrics to "The One You Love" by Rufus Wainwright explore themes of love, insecurity, and fear of loss. The opening lines suggest a racing mind, filled with both memories and thoughts of the present, longing for a kind of vigilance that never sleeps. He confesses to being unable to sell himself to his lover despite his efforts to speak sweetly, admitting that he fears losing their love despite their past together.
The lyrics then shift to a more ominous tone with the introduction of "Lady Gloom" and her hornets circling round, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for his fear of losing his lover to other suitors. He sings about wanting to make love to his lover in the dark, where he is the only object of her attention. In the end, he questions whether he is truly the only one she loves.
Overall, the lyrics are reflective of a deeply personal and introspective examination of his own insecurities in a relationship, including fear of inadequacy and fear of being replaceable.
Line by Line Meaning
The mind has so many pictures
The mind is full of images and thoughts
Why can't I sleep with my eyes open?
I wish I could stay awake all the time to observe the world around me
The mind has so many memories
Our minds are full of past experiences that shape our present and future
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry?
Do you care enough to remember my emotional vulnerability?
I'm trying, trying to tell you
I am making an effort to communicate with you
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
I am speaking as persuasively and charmingly as possible
But no words ever could sell you
I cannot convince you to love me with words alone
Sell you on me after all that I have done
Despite any mistakes I've made, can you still accept and love me?
I'm only the one you love
Am I the only one you truly love?
Am I only the one you love?
Do you love anyone else or just me?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Depression and anxiety are surrounding us like a swarm of bees
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
We are paralyzed by our emotions and cannot even express them aloud
One little move and for sure you will be stung
The smallest action could have serious consequences
I'm singing, "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
I am calling out for help or guidance (Jerusalem representing a place of spiritual significance)
See what he's picked up in the park"
Notice what people acquire (materialistic or otherwise) through their experiences
Let's fuck this awful art party
Let's break away from this pretentious social gathering
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I want to be physically and emotionally intimate with only you
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Nonverbal sounds or filler
We've traded in our snap shots
We've replaced physical mementos with digital ones
We're going through the motions
We're acting out our relationship without genuine emotion or feeling
Into the view, I'm leaving you
I'm moving on and leaving you behind
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
I'm embarking on a new path at the dawn of a new day
The one I love
Referring to the person he loves
Are you only the one I love?
Do I only love you, or do I love others as well?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Rufus Wainwright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meredithrichardson6138
Lyrics
The mind has so many pictures
Why can't I sleep with my eyes open
The mind has so many memories
Can you remember what it looks like when I cry
I'm trying, trying to tell you
All that I can in a sweet and velvet tongue
But no words ever could sell you
Sell you on me after all that I have done
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
The lady gloom and her hornets circling round
Is now before us, the screaming's done without moving
One little move and for sure you will be stung
I'm singing "oh, Jerusalem oh, Jerusalem
See what he's picked up in the park"
Let's fuck this awful art party
Want you to make love to me and only to me in the dark
I'm only the one you love
Am I only the one you love?
We've traded in our snap shots
We're going through the motions
Into the view, I'm leaving you
Down conduit avenue into the early morning
Into the early morning
The one I love
Are you only the one I love?
Written by Rufus Wainwright • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
@jk8226
I just discovered this man and I can’t stop listening his music this is soo good.
@Highland_Moo
Have a look at his cover of He Ain’t Heavy......I promise you you’ll love it 👍🏻
@jk8226
Thanks! I wouldn’t find it without your recommendation. Such a great message in that song.
@claumouz
Welcome to my world! I discovered him in 2018 and I'm hooked since then
@darrenauld1193
I came across him in about 2012 big fan now
@HamiltonJoshuaTaylor
Go or Go Ahead!
@EricDionneEricdawingnut
This is the song that really got me hooked on this artist - still one of my favourite songs of the 00s - the mood it creates toward the end, when they're "going through the motions" is amazing
@cjc.0089
Same actually Eric
@cjc.0089
@Eric drawingnut weird coincidence from your profile can I msg you??
@StaurosPapadakis
Πολλές φορές κλείνω τα μάτια μου και ξεχασμένα όνειρα έρχονται στο μυαλό μου...απορώ πως το μυαλό πετάει παλιά όνειρα που νόμιζα πως έχουν διαγραφεί