Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me: Never a Dry Eye in the House

A few days ago Jason Bentley featured this timeless song on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Somewhere there was somebody tearing up—letting some tears fall at home, trying to hide the emotion in the workplace. We all have been through this, trying to win somebody’s love but failing. That’s why it’s always heartrending to hear it, even if you’re in a good place emotionally and relationship-wise. We all can remember being there. It’s such a powerless emotional situation. If you break up with somebody, that’s bad enough. At least you had love once. Not being able to be loved by another you love is worse. There are volumes of poetry about unrequited love. Lots of blues songs too.

I first heard Bonnie do this song at the Greek Theater in LA years ago. I hadn’t heard it before, and it tore me up. I just couldn’t hide it. And Bonnie’s is still the best version of it.

Here she is, performing the song in a concert from youtube.com:

Here are the lyrics by songwriters: REID, MICHAEL / SHAMBLIN, ALLEN

Turn down the lights, 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 – 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 and I’ll feel the power

But you won’t, no you won’t

‘Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’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 fightCause 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 lonely hours

I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power

But you won’t, no you won’t

‘Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’t