Songs About Loving Someone You Can’t Have

Lately, there’s a recurring theme in my short stories: love; more specifically, forbidden love. The exploration of that theme has given way to several stories which will remain under lock and key. But there are three stories I want to publish and share with the world.

One of those three stories centers around Josh and Hanna. And while it’s been easy to see their dark, complicated world, connecting to their innermost desires and getting their angst to show up on the page has been difficult. Can’t pinpoint why either. So I’m resorting to my favorite cheat: songs to inspire writing.

I’d love to hear your suggestions for other songs!

A quick list of songs about loving someone you can’t have or loving someone you shouldn’t:

(The links take you to a video on YouTube.)

• The Last Something That Meant Anything by Mayday Parade
• All I Wanted by Paramore
• For Far From Me by Brett Dennen
• Mr. Pitiful by Matt Costa
• Come Down To Me by Saving Jane
• Untouchable Face by Ani DiFranco – Read the lyrics below. This song expresses an honesty that only someone who’s lived the experience could convey.
• I Hate Myself For Loving You by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
• Lover I Don’t Have to Love by Bright Eyes – Read the lyrics below. A song for the cynical, if not jaded, person after having their heart broken.
• Send His Love To Me by PJ Harvey
• Cry To Me by Solomon Burke
• I’ve Got Dreams To Remember by Otis Redding
• Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis

P.S. I also made a list of songs for a broken heart.

Lyrics: Untouchable Face by Ani DiFranco

Think I’m going for a walk now
I feel a little unsteady
I don’t want no one to follow me
Except maybe you
I could make you happy, you know
If you weren’t already
I could do a lot of things
And I do

Tell you the truth, I prefer the worst of you
Too bad you had to have a better half
She’s not really my type
But I think you two are forever
And I hate to say it but you’re perfect together

So fuck you
And your untouchable face
Fuck you
For existing in the first place
And who am I
That I should be vying for your touch?
Who am I?
Bet you can’t even tell me that much

2:30 in the morning
My gas tank will be empty soon
Neon sign on the horizon
Rubbing elbows with the moon
Safe haven of the sleepless
Where the deep fryer’s always on
Radio is counting down the top 20 country songs

Out on the porch the fly strip is
Waving like a flag in the wind
You know I really don’t look forward
To seeing you again soon

You look like a photograph of yourself
Taken from far, far away
I won’t know what to do
I won’t know what to say

So fuck you
And your untouchable face
Fuck you
For existing in the first place
And who am I
That I should be vying for your touch?
Who am I?
Bet you can’t even tell me that much

See you and I’m so perplexed
What was I thinking?
What will I think of next?
Where can I hide?
In the back room there’s a lamp
That hangs over the pool table
And when the fan is on it swings
Gently side to side
There’s a changing constellation
Of balls as we are playing
I see Orion and say nothing
The only thing I can think of saying

Is fuck you
And your untouchable face
Fuck you
For existing in the first place
And who am I
That I should be vying for your touch?
Who am I?
Bet you can’t even tell me that much

Lyrics: Lover I Don’t Have to Love by Bright Eyes

I picked you out
Of a crowd and talked to you
Said I liked your shoes
You said “Thanks, can I follow you?”
So it’s up the stairs
And out the aim of prying eyes
I poured some wine
I asked your name
You asked the time

Now it’s two o’clock
The club is closed, we’re up the block
Your hands on me
Pressing hard against your jeans
Your tongue in my mouth
Trying to keep the words from coming out
You didn’t care to know
Who else may have been you before

I want a lover I don’t have to love
I want a girl who’s too sad to give a fuck
Where’s the kid with the chemicals?
I thought he said he’d meet me here but I’m not sure
I got the money if you got the time
He said, “It feels good”
I said, “I’ll give it a try”

Then my mind went dark
We both forgot where your car was parked
Let’s just take the train
I’ll meet up with the band in the morning

Bad actors with bad habits
Some sad singers
They just play tragic
And the phone’s ringing
And the band’s leaving
Let’s just keep touching
Let’s just keep keep, keep singing

I want a lover I don’t have to love
I want a boy who’s so drunk he doesn’t talk
Where’s the kid with the chemicals
I got a hunger and I can’t seem to get full
I need some meaning I can memorize
The kind I have always seems to slip my mind

But you, but you
You write such pretty words
But life’s no storybook
Love’s an excuse to get hurt
And to hurt
Do you like to hurt?
I do, I do
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me
Then hurt me

Photo credit: Kiomi