Somethin' I Can't Have
Unattainable Longing: Ronnie Dunn's Melancholic Tale
Lyrics
Well, forgive me bartender for givin' in to my crazy
Expressing regret to the bartender for succumbing to impulsiveness or emotional turmoil.
But that's just how her leavin' makes me
Describing the emotional impact of the person leaving and its effect on the speaker.
The whiskey helps the hurt, oh, but it don't heal
Acknowledging the temporary relief provided by whiskey but emphasizing that it doesn't truly heal the pain.
The way her stone-cold gone is makin' me feel
Conveying the profound emotional impact of the departed person, describing their absence as emotionally cold.
Oh, she's just somethin' I can't have
Affirming that the person is unattainable, highlighting the speaker's inability to have a relationship with them.
An old flame burnin' in my past
Referring to the departed person as an old flame from the past that still has a lingering emotional effect.
A way-long gone that won't come back
Describing the person as being long gone and expressing doubt about their return.
She's just somethin' I can't have
Reiterating the theme that the person is unattainable and cannot be possessed by the speaker.
These empty arms used to hold her almost every night
Reflecting on the past when the speaker's arms were once filled by the person who is now gone.
Learnin' the hard way's tellin' me I shoulda held on tight
Learning from past mistakes, regretting not holding onto the relationship tightly.
That jukebox keeps playin', oh, some sad ol' song
Highlighting the persistent reminders of heartbreak through a jukebox playing a melancholic song.
About some fool who can't let go and can't move on
Describing the common theme of a person unable to move on and let go, reflected in the song playing.
She's just somethin' I can't have
Reiterating the unattainability of the person, emphasizing the inability to have them.
An old flame burnin' in my past
Recalling the person as an old flame that continues to emotionally affect the speaker.
A way-long gone that ain't comin' back
Expressing skepticism about the person's return, emphasizing their long absence.
Oh, she's just somethin' I can't have
Restating the central theme that the person is something the speaker cannot possess or have.
She's just somethin' I can't have
Repeating the sentiment that the person is unattainable, echoing the speaker's inability to have them.
An old flame burnin' in my past
Referring again to the departed person as an old flame with lingering emotional effects.
Oh, a way-long gone, it ain't comin' back
Emphasizing the prolonged absence of the person and the skepticism about their return.
She's just somethin' I can't have
Reiterating the main theme that the person is something the speaker cannot possess or have.
She's just somethin'
Continuing the description of the person as something unattainable, leaving the sentence open-ended.
She's just somethin' I can't have
Concluding the song with a reaffirmation that the person is something the speaker cannot have.
Comment