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Only Love Can Break Your Heart Lyrics

When you were young and on your own
How did it feel to be alone?
I was always thinking of games that I was playing.
Trying to make the best of my time.

But only love can break your heart
Try to be sure right from the start
Yes only love can break your heart
What if your world should fall apart?

I have a friend I've never seen
He hides his head inside a dream
Someone should call him and see if he can come out.
Try to lose the down that he's found.

But only love can break your heart
Try to be sure right from the start
Yes only love can break your heart
What if your world should fall apart?

I have a friend I've never seen
He hides his head inside a dream
Yes, only love can break your heart
Yes, only love can break your heart
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Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

The thing that makes you feel so great is the only thing that can make you hit rock bottom

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

This song is about the end of a relationship between Graham Nash and Joni Mitchell. The friend he refers to in the song is Graham.

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

Good point mattkid4, I think the "friend" is definitely his younger self. In this song, therefore, Neil Young is advising his younger self to be careful with love and not live with "his head inside a dream", the dream being false love.

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

Im sorry but i wouldnt listen to either version more then once, even though Neil Young wrote it, the Saint Etienne version is the best.

@arash_1 Really? I hope youre kidding. It misses COMPLETELY the entire feeljng of the song. My cat with a drum machine couldve done better. My cat PUKING wouldve had more feeling. Youre missing the point of the song COMPLETELY. Sad.

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

indeed a good song

I think the "friend" he refers to is himself in happier times. I believe this is so because he refers to the "down" that this "friend" is experiencing. How true is this song though? In the end, the loss of money, power, and status are irrelevant unless you are truly in love with these things. The loss of true friendship or true love is the most painful feeling there is.

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

I love the Everlast version

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

The Everlast version is probably my favorite cover of any song. If it isn't my favorite, it's in my Top 3 covers for sure.

Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

LunaCaravan is correct. Also, a great cover version is done by The Verbs.

This song speaks the truth so fluently. Love can be the greatest joy in your life But it can also cut you so very deep and hurt you so very bad. I always loved Neil Young's music because it is downright honest. It speaks to me on an emotional level and really helps me to understand another person's perspective on life. He is definitely better than most artists out there today

My Opinion
Cover art for Only Love Can Break Your Heart lyrics by Neil Young

It's a cautionary tale.

 
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