I know I said I love you but I'm thinking I was wrong,
I'm the first to admit that I'm still pretty young,
And I never meant to hurt you when I wrote you ten love songs.

That guy that I could never get, 'cause his girlfriend was pretty fit,
And everyone who knew her loved her so.
And I made you leave her for me and now I'm feeling pretty mean,
But my mind has fucked me over more times than any man could ever know.

Maybe I should give up, give in,
Give up trying to be thin,
Give up and turn into my mother,
God knows I love her.

And I'm sorry to whichever man should meet my sorry state,
Watch my sturdy, lonesome gait and beware,
I will never love a man 'cause love and pain go hand in hand,
And I can't do it,
Again.

So we stayed up late one night to try and get our problems right,
But I couldn't get into his head just what was going through my mind.
And I think he knew where I was going 'cause he put Ryan Adams on,
'cause I think he thinks it makes me weak, but it only ever makes me strong.

I've got this friend who sounds just like him,
Now he's the man I leave you for, the man that I just adore,
Like you.
The same man, he turns to me, he said "I've got to tell you how I feel,
If God could make the perfect girl, for me it would be you,
And my God told me not to tell about how much do you love your fella?"
I don't know more everyday,
Not in this new romantic way.

I'll always be your first love,
You'll always be my first love.

And I'm sorry to whichever man should meet my sorry state,
Watch my sturdy, lonesome gait and beware,
That I will never love a man 'cause I could never hurt a man in this way.
I will never love a man 'cause I could never hurt a man,
Not in this new romantic way.



Lyrics submitted by romanceisdead

Track duration: 02:53


New Romantic song meanings
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31 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This song so perfectly captures the feelings that so many of us get, the "I know I should love you, but I don't." We can be pretty fucked up emotionally and prevent ourselves from letting love in and loving others. This song is exactly that, "I'm sorry to whichever man should meet my lonesome state." Sometimes I want to play this song before I get involved with them so they understand where I am in life (weird? probably.)
    Flag hearthatsongagainon March 16, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:As everyone else has already stated...this song is amazing and just about every female i know could relate to this song at some point. And no woman knows exactly what she wants because those things are subject to change at a moments notice..which is both the beauty and pain in being a woman. laura captures this brilliantly.
    Flagged ladymuzacon July 11, 2011   Link
  • -5
    General Comment:gay. LOL.
    Flagged Ganjasufion January 30, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:And on the last verse

    "And I will never love a man 'cause love and pain go hand in hand and I can't do it again.
    I will never love a man 'cause I could never hurt a man,
    Not in this new romantic way." crazy me.
    Flag lilkaykayon September 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"he put ryan adams on" sorry :)
    Flag lilkaykayon September 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:"I know I said I loved you" there should be a D on the end of love.
    and "But the guy that I could never get"
    "And everyone who knew her loves her so"

    I'm pretty sure it should be "think he knew where I was going, he but ryan adams on" theres no cause in the line.

    "And He's a man I'd leave you for"

    Sturdy should be steady in the chorus "Watch my steady lonesome gait and be aware".

    "But I'm sorry to whichever man should meet my sorry state,
    Watch my steady, lonesome gait and beware,
    And I will never love a man 'cause love and pain go hand in hand.
    I will never love a man 'cause I could never hurt a man,
    Not in this new romantic way." is how the last verse should go.
    Flag lilkaykayon September 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know loads of people have said this, but this song honestly sums up my life at the moment perfectly - so well it's scary. I'm trying to end it with my boyfriend but, as she says, "I couldn't get into his head just what was going through my mind". My best friend told me he loves me, and I'm falling in love with him too. He, incidentally, was the one who introduced me to this song, 6 months ago or so.

    This song has helped me so much these past few months, I listen to it all the time, it reminds me that there are other people in this position - I have felt so alone recently. When I first heard this song, I didn't truly understand the meaning... I remember thinking that it was a bit stupid to get into this mess... And now I'm in the same position I totally get how easy it is to get caught up in all this, and exactly how it feels.

    Laura has found a way to put into words exactly how so many girls feel, and remind everyone who is like this that they're not alone - you feel like such a bad person when you're in this mess, but now I know that I can sort this out. Thank you Laura <3
    Flag beth0710xon August 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:love this song. this is actually the fisrt song i heard from laura. gotta love her. i believe this is about charlie (u know from noah and the whale) this is like her post break up song, perhaps her first love?. she ponders about him while she's now with marcus (from mumford&sons). gotta love the ryan adams reference. love every single lyric. specially - I'm sorry to whichever man should meet my sorry state,...
    Flagged TinyVessels23on August 17, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think 'New romantic' refers to how when we are children we are given the misconception that love and romance will just happen and it will be easy and wonderful, just like in fairy tales. However as she has grown up and experienced love in its true form for the first time ('You'll always be my first love') she realises that it is very tough and complicated which is all new to her because she was never aware of how hard it actually is. So she's seeing romance in a new light and she doensn't like the harsh reality of it, deciding she will 'never love again' because she does not want to hurt anybody in the unescapable way real love will.

    I love this song, and her!
    Flag LucyJaneBirchon August 07, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I heard the same as BeginningToHope, but maybe we're both wrong.

    I think the 'new romantic' way is those modern day romances which don't work in the traditional way. I think she made the guy leave another girl for her, even though she likes the other girl, and now she's feeling guilty because she's started falling for another guy who's really similar to her boyfriend but she likes more now, and is considering leaving her boyfriend for.
    Flag VortexOfLanguageon July 21, 2010   Link

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