Turn down the light
Turn down the bed
Turn down these voices
Inside my head

Lay down with me
Tell me no lies
Just hold me close
Don't patronize me
Don't patronize me

'Cause I can't make you love me
If you don't
You can't make your heart feel
Something it won't
Here in the dark
In these final hours
I will lay down my heart
I'll feel the power
But you don't
No, you don't
'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
And if you don't
No, you won't

I'll close my eyes
Then I won't see
The love you don't feel
When you're holding me

Morning will come
And I'll do what's right
Just give me till then
To give up this fight

And I will give up this fight

'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't
I can't make your heart feel
Something it won't
Here in the dark
In these final hours
I will lay down my heart
And I'll feel the power
But you don't
No, you don't
I can't make you love me if you don't
And if you don't
No, no, no, you won't

I found love darling
I found love darling
I found love darling, yeah
I found love darling, yeah
I found love darling, darling
Love in the nick of time
I found love darling, yeah
Love in the nick of time


Lyrics submitted by indieaddic, edited by Mellow_Harsher, AmberBell

I Can't Make You Love Me/Nick of Time Lyrics as written by Michael Barry Reid James Allen Shamblin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, AMPLIFIED ADMINISTRATION

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

I Can't Make You Love Me/Nick of Time song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    So painful to listen...

    gabrieljnon March 18, 2013   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    The song is essentially about couple, a pair of lovers. One is still madly in love with the other, while the other doesn't love them in return. The one still in love can see this and knows their love is coming to an end but holds on just for another small moment, knowing they will have to give up this fight, as love isn't worth it and isn't real, if the other person isn't in love as well.

    So sad.

    mercurianqueenon February 25, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Just heard this on Jimmy Fallon, pretty epic stuff.

    Dawgman8on June 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    That's "NICK of time"

    Winternoiseon September 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its a fantastic song i really enjoy this songs and most interesting of this song is lyrics of this song were very heart touching <a href="mazapoint.com/category/love-quotes">love facebook status</a>

    jaanpon May 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this song. but i also feel like it has something to do with his other song skinny love

    ilovelaneon February 15, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Kills me every time I hear it, and sadly this is exactly how I'm feeling right now so I can totally relate to the lyrics. Sometimes love just isn't enough when the other person's feelings have faded. The worst part is dealing with your own thoughts and emotions, wondering if you could have done more to make them stay.

    Salt23on June 22, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about someone who is madly in love, uncontrollably. Despite this, the other person doesn't feel the same and is simply incapable. They are starting to realise this and they know all they can do is accept it because there is no use in fighting it. They don't want the other person to talk or move they just want to cherish the moment to remember them by, remember what it felt like to hold them because they know they will never get the chance to again. They know that love can't be forced because it wouldn't be fair on either of them. The morning will to and they just need until then to accept that it is over.

    danmancan6on June 08, 2016   Link

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