About the song
Background
“Without Love (There Is Nothing)” is a song written by Bert Berns and Jerry Rago. It was first released in 1967 by Ruby Andrews, but it did not become a hit until it was covered by Tom Jones in 1969. Jones’s version of the song was a major international success, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
The song is a powerful ballad about the pain of heartbreak. The lyrics describe the singer’s feelings of despair and loneliness after losing his lover. The song’s message is that love is essential to happiness, and without it, life is meaningless.
Themes
- Heartbreak: The song is about the pain of losing a loved one. The singer is devastated by the breakup and feels lost and alone.
- Despair: The singer feels hopeless and sees no way out of his pain. He feels like he will never be happy again.
- Loneliness: The singer feels isolated and alone without his lover. He has no one to talk to or share his feelings with.
- The importance of love: The song argues that love is essential to happiness. Without love, life is meaningless.
Video
Lyrics
To live for today and to love for tomorrowIs the wisdom of a foolBecause tomorrow is promised to no oneYou see, love is that wonderful thingThat the whole wide world needs plenty ofAnd if you think for one minute that you can live without itThen you are only fooling yourselfListen, pleaseI’d like to tell you somethingThat happened to me just the other day
I awakened this morningI was filled with despairAll my dreams turned to ashesNow, they’re goneAnd I looked at my lifeIt was barren and so bareWithout love, I had nothing, nothing at all
Without love, I had nothingWithout love, I had nothing, nothing at allI had conquered the worldBut what then did I have?Without love, I had nothing, nothing at all
I once had a sweetheartWho loved only meThere was nothing that she would not give (no, no)I was blind to her goodnessAnd I just could not seeThat a heart without love cannot live
Without love, I had nothingWithout love, I had nothing, nothing at allI had conquered the worldBut what then did I have?Without love, I had nothing, nothing at allWithout love, I had nothing, nothing at all(Without love)