If I Can't Have You
Yvonne Elliman Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't know why
I'm survivin' every lonely day
When there's got to be no chance for me
My life would end

And it doesn't matter how I cry
My tears of love are a waste of time
If I turn away
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh-oh-oh

Do-da-da-da-da-da-da-da, hey
Do-do-do, do-do-do-do (ahh)

Can't let go and it doesn't matter how I try
I gave it all
So easily
To you, my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through?
Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh

Oh, if I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh (no, nobody)
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh (not at all, at all)
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh (nobody)
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody, baby




If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh
If I can't have you

Overall Meaning

Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You” is a longing love ballad about a woman who is desperately trying to hold onto a love that is slipping away. She sings about the pain of being alone and the fear of losing the person she loves. The lyrics suggest that the singer is not sure if she can survive without her lover, and she is willing to do anything to hold onto him.


The opening lines of the song emphasize the singer’s deep sense of isolation and her inability to cope with life without her lover. She feels that her life will end if she can’t be with him, and her tears of love are a waste of time. The repetition of the phrase “If I can’t have you” throughout the song shows how fixated the singer is on her lover and the desperation she feels to hold onto him. The lyrics also suggest that the singer is torn between her desire to be with her lover and her fear of what will happen if she can’t have him.


The chorus of the song is incredibly catchy, with its upbeat tempo and easy-to-sing lyrics. However, when looking deeper into the lyrics, it is clear that the song is a heartbreaking plea for love and a reminder of how much it hurts when love is lost. It is an emotional rollercoaster that speaks to anyone who has ever been in a relationship that is on the rocks.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't know why
I don't understand why I'm still alive and surviving every day without the person I long for.


I'm survivin' every lonely day
I'm enduring every day of loneliness and isolation.


When there's got to be no chance for me
Even though it seems impossible for me to be with the person I love, I can't seem to give up.


My life would end
I feel like my life has no meaning without that special someone.


And it doesn't matter how I cry
No matter how much I cry and express my love, it does not matter.


My tears of love are a waste of time
My tears and expressions of love go unnoticed and unappreciated.


If I turn away
If I try to move on and forget about the person I love.


Am I strong enough to see it through?
I wonder if I have the strength to endure the pain of letting go of my love.


Go crazy is what I will do
If I can't be with the person I love, I will go insane.


If I can't have you
I can't be with anyone else.


I don't want nobody, baby
I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh
If I can't be with the person I love, it's just not worth it for me to be with anyone else.


Can't let go and it doesn't matter how I try
I can't seem to let go of my love for this person, no matter how hard I try.


I gave it all
I gave everything I had to give to that special someone.


So easily
It wasn't difficult for me to give everything to them.


To you, my love
I gave everything to the person I loved.


To dreams that never will come true
I risked everything on a dream that I know will never come true.


Oh, if I can't have you
If I can't be with the person I love.


I don't want nobody, baby
I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh (no, nobody)
If I can't be with the person I love, I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you
If I can't be with the person I love.


I don't want nobody, baby
I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh (not at all, at all)
If I can't be with the person I love, being with anyone else is not an option at all.


If I can't have you
If I can't be with the person I love.


I don't want nobody, baby
I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you, uh-huh-oh (nobody)
If I can't be with the person I love, I don't want to be with anybody else.


If I can't have you
If I can't be with the person I love.


I don't want nobody, baby
I don't want to be with anyone else.


If I can't have you, uh-ho-oh
If I can't be with the person I love, it's not worth it for me to be with anyone else.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Barry Alan Gibb, Maurice Ernest Gibb, Robin Hugh Gibb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@royjohnson465

@@kevintate2821 ~Very good! I put this together for you, Yvonne Elliman interviews:
https://youtu.be/pMWnm97_vn0

https://youtu.be/ZVJHAlcr1tw

https://youtu.be/_PCLAlqOCbM

https://youtu.be/U3-ZTN0z_LY
.



@ticooq

I love you

Don't know why
I'm survivin' ev'ry lonely day
When there's got to be no chance for me
My life would end


And it doesn't matter how I cry
My tears, so far, are a waste of time
If I turn away
Am I strong enough to see it through
Go crazy is what I will do


If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh, oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho, oh oh oh


Can't let go and it doesn't matter how I try
I gave it up
So easily
To you my love
To dreams that never will come true
Am I strong enough to see it through
Go crazy is what I will do


If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh, oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho, oh


If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh, oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-huh, oh
If I can't have you
I don't want nobody baby
If I can't have you, uh-ho oh
If I can't have you



All comments from YouTube:

@robertoherrera6555

Who is listening in 2024?

@user-hm4oq6wq1n

Sii!! 😼👊

@user-og3tq4yj6b

okey

@cel589

Eu. Agora

@cel589

Como eu gostaria de saber o nome da backing vocal de vermelho. Que charme ela dançando

@uh4832

Love this song so much

2 More Replies...

@jameshar9592

I am 59 and I still shed a tear listening to this beautiful song! Time is eternal

@bhossast

@jameshar9592
I'm 59 also and this song brings me right back to middle school.

@fionamckinnon1167

Love this x

@execatty

56 brings back great memories

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