Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Hornsby – I Can’t Make You Love Me

Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Hornsby – I Can’t Make You Love Me – Live Performance

This song is so powerful and moving because it is the universal cry of the soul that wants to give and receive love as a basic need, even when it is sometimes blocked or misplaced. Bonnie Raitt, in this masterfully done song, gives perfect voice to this archetypal longing and need, and it’s denial.

Everybody’s heart cries inside when she sings this. It’s just too real. And it’s so absolutely beautiful, we can’t turn away. Simply amazing performance!

Lyrics:
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 fight

‘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

Songwriters: Allen Shamblin / Michael Reid

I Can’t Make You Love Me lyrics © Amplified Administration, Unison Rights S.L., Universal Music Publishing Group