12 Songs About Loving Someone You Can’t Have
Sometimes in life, we have someone on our minds that we desire to build a relationship. However, they may not be emotionally available due to various reasons such as being in another relationship or just not reciprocating the same feelings. Below is a list of songs about loving someone you can’t have:
1. Trey Songz – Can’t Help But Wait
Trey sings about a girl that is dating a guy who isn’t treating her the way she deserves. He does the bare minimum, lies and makes her cry then turns to ask for forgiveness. However, Trey doesn’t want to come between her and her man and all he can do is love her from afar. He believes he can treat her better than her boyfriend does. He just wants her to finally open her eyes and see that she is worth more than that.
The track is part of the album Trey Day released in 2007.
2. Ne-Yo – Do You
Ne-Yo reminisces about an ex and he is torn by the way things ended. He writes a letter to state how he felt about how everything ended even though she has moved on. He reaches out to his ex because the thoughts of her have been weighing heavily on him. He wants to get some form of closure by telling her that he has not stopped thinking about her.
Ne-Yo’s ex has already moved and is engaged to someone else. The two just had a baby girl. Ne-Yo makes it clear that he doesn’t want to cause any trouble between the two of them.
3. James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
During an interview with Oprah, James Blunt stated that the song is about seeing his ex-girlfriend on the subway in London with her new man who he didn’t know existed. She and he locked eyes and lived a lifetime at that moment but didn’t do anything about it.
In another interview with Huffington Post, James said that it is about a guy who was as high as a kite on drugs in the subway stalking someone else’s girlfriend when that guy is there in front of him.
4. Olivia Rodrigo – Happier
In this track, Olivia wishes the best for an ex-lover in his new relationship but at the same time, she also hopes to remain a significant memory in his life. She hopes he is happy but doesn’t want him to be as happy as he was with her. She admits to being selfish with him and not wanting him to find a girl who is better than her.
The song is part of the album SOUR which centers on her breakup with her ex-boyfriend Bassett.
5. Cher Lloyd feat T.I – I Wish
This is the lead single from Lloyd’s second studio album, Sorry I’m Late which was released in 2014. The main message in the track is wishing to be better than her ex’s new girl so that she could steal him back.
Cher starts out by describing how she thinks the new girl is perfect and feels stupid for convincing herself that she ever had a chance with him. She sees that she is not this guy’s type but she still wishes that she was.
6. Shawn Mendes – Treat You Better
This is the lead single for Shawn’s second studio album, Illuminate. There was speculation that it was about Camila Cabello but at the time they insisted that they were just friends.
Lyrically, Shawn sings to a girl he has an interest in but she is currently dating another guy He promises her that he will make a better boyfriend than the guy she is currently with. He says she deserves to be loved properly and respected.
7. James Arthur – Can I Be Him
The slow tempo track describes Arthur’s feelings towards someone he loves but they don’t love him back. Her singing reminds him of a time he felt unbroken and now she is all he wants. The girl, however, doesn’t notice him and is actually dating someone else.
The track is off the album Back from the Edge, released in 2016.
8. Olivia Rodrigo – Driver’s License
This is the first single on Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album SOUR. Her ex-boyfriend Joshua Bassett is the main subject of the song and the album. He broke up with her and shortly started dating Sabrina Carpenter. Olivia stated that the heartbreak was so confusing to her.
Joshua helped Olivia learn how to drive when they were still dating. In the track, Olivia is in denial that he could actually love someone else so quickly.
9. Eric Ethridge – If You Met Me First
The track is about meeting someone and you have a spark with them. However, they are already in a committed relationship and it pains you whenever you just think of them together with their significant other. It leaves you wishing they had met you first.
10. Halsey – Is There Somewhere
Halsey tries to show her listeners her point of view on falling in love with someone despite being in a relationship and being their second choice. She accepts her feelings for him and she comprehends him only participating in it for lust. However, she is willing to pretend they’re together.
Halsey stated that the track is a prologue to her other track “Room 93”. It tells the story of a couple in a hotel room experiencing a tender moment together.
11. Drake – Marvin’s Room
The title of the song is a reference to Marvin Gaye’s studio which is popularly known as Marvin’s Room. It is where Drake recorded the track.
In the song, we see Drake deciding to call his ex while drunk to vent the feelings he still has for her. He shares how lonely he is, how in love he is still with her, reminisce the times they had and goes further to try to get her to leave her new man.
12. Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me
The song tells the story of a boy who is in some sort of toxic relationship but he likes the girl too much to be able to see that another girl, Taylor Swift, would be a better match for him.
Taylor Swift stated that the inspiration behind the song was after she overheard a friend of hers talking to his girlfriend and he was completely on the defensive while his girlfriend was just yelling at him. He felt bad for him at the moment. This helped her come up with the first line of the song and build it from there.