Four years old with my back to the door
All I could hear was the family war
Your selfish hands always expecting more
Am I your child, or just a charity ward?

You have a hollowed-out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless, hopeless
You're hopeless

Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter

It's been five years since we've spoken last
And you can't take back what we never had
Oh, I can be manipulated only so many times
Before even "I love you"
Starts to sound like a lie

You have a hollowed-out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless, hopeless
You're hopeless

Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter

Don't you remember I'm your baby girl?
How could you push me out of your world?
Lied to your flesh and your blood
Put your hands on the ones that you swore you love
Don't you remember I'm your baby girl?
How could you throw me right out of your world?
So young when the pain had begun
Now forever afraid of being alone

Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
For the love of a daughter



Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes

Track duration: 04:00


For the Love of a Daughter song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I kind of relate to the song. My dad was abusive but he was never an alcoholic. He just wanted to control women.
    Flag coolioangelon November 11, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Here is my interpretation of part of this song:
    Verse 1 - I think that Demi is saying that at a young age she was always around her family fighting ("Four years old with my back to the door / All I could hear was the family war.") I think she is also trying to say that her dad was very selfish. The only reason he took care of her was because, he had to (" Your selfish hands always expecting more / Am I your child, or just a charity ward?")
    Verse 2 - In the next verse I think she is expressing how she thinks that her dad is missing a piece of his heart. That piece happens to be her ("You have a hollowed-out heart / But it's heavy in your chest.") She is also trying to fix that missing piece of his heart, but it is not working ("I try so hard to fight it / But it's hopeless.")
    Chorus - In the third verse she tries to just get rid of her father from her life, but she is still always going to love him ("I'd love to leave you alone / But I can't let you go.") Then she tries to convince her father to stop drinking if her really loves her ("Put the bottle down / For the love of a daughter.")
    Flag 1roseon August 15, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i can relate on some parts but my dad does and always did have an adiction he never left me or my family but some times i think it might be best if did so we all wouldnt have to deal with that but i love him still
    Flag ToniMaireon April 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Once I found out this song was on her third album I freaked, I've waited for this song specifically because I wanted to see if I would be able to relate to it. This makes me think of my relationship with my father. She basically stole the words right from me.
    Flagged gwendolynxoon April 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Obviously this song is about her struggles with Demi's birth father.
    She says that it's like her side of the story.

    So basically he was an alcoholic and abusive and Demi is heartbroken over how much damage he's done but she will always love him.
    Flag erinnwhoaxoon April 14, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i'm proud to say, "i love Demi Lovato" a lot of people think she's just another disney star, gone down hill, but she's the first to come to the surface again. Welcome Back Demi.
    Flag cherrytree908on November 13, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:i don't relate to this song, but every time i hear it, i feel a cold, metal rod poking my heart. all of the lines are heart wrenching, but one of the many lines that stick out is "I'd love to leave you alone, but i cant let you go"
    Flag cherrytree908on November 13, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Memory:This song is heart wrenching, and I can relate to every single word in this song, sadly.
    I remember one time when I was exactly four years old and my father was drunk, I was hiding under the stairs because he was being violent towards one of my older sister.
    I cried silently so that he wouldn’t hear me, and he never knew I heard it all happen. Or maybe he did, but thought I would forget it all because I was so young. But that painful memory haunts me to this day. Because there are some memories that just won’t go away.
    He never was violent towards me when I was that young, but that changed as soon as my sisters had moved out.

    I know the pain and frustration that rests behind every word in this song and I adore Demi for sharing all this. I cry every time I hear this song because it’s so intense, and I feel it could might as well be a song written by myself.

    I've listened to Demi's music since nearly four years back now and I never knew all the things she had been through, but now lately I have learned that we've been facing a number of very similar struggles.
    Flag isabellaoctoberon October 25, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:This song is dead on my relationship with my dad. "Don't you remember I'm your baby girl" every time I hear that I burst into tears, because I've wanted to yell that so many times at my dad. Her voice really is haunting in this song but I love it. If this doesn't open your mind about alcoholic or abusive parents, I don't know what will. Demi is such a strong girl for letting the world hear this song.<3
    Flag youngdollon October 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When I first found out this song was a title to a song on the album I started rapidly wondering what it'd sound like.
    It's just like the relationship I have with my father.
    It' so powerful how she can impact someone's life like she has.
    I love you Demi. <3
    Flag JacobLasheron September 30, 2011   Link

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