Only You

Sheesh, kids these days... No, this song was NOT written for the movie Can't Hardly Wait, it was released by Yaz in 1982 on eighties classic "Upstairs at Eric's". No, *his* voice is not gorgeous, it was sung by Alison Moyet, who does admittedly have a deep voice, smokey for a woman, but is all female.

This song is great, one of my favorites. It is a little difficult to attach a meaning to it simply because the meaning is different for everyone. Some people see this as a breakup song and to other's it is their wedding song and I think that is the beauty of songs like these. They have the ability of taking us back to that point in our lives when we felt heartache or joy.

I remember the heartache after a break up back in the 80's and this song playing over and over on the radio and the tears just roliing down my cheeks again and again. Oh the pain fo being a teenager. This sure captured it.

No one is talking about the song meaning itself.

this is in the top 3 greatest 80s songs of all time. and this song is played at the end of "cant hardly wait" and it makes the movie perfect. this song reminds me of my love...we would play it over and over because its just one of those songs you cant get sick of ever. damn no comments. jeez 80s fans.

u are sooo right genetru. kids these days think they know everything. by the way...one of the best songs ever written and may i add "midnight" is awesome too. vince clarke is a genius and alison moyet is a great vocalist!

Even more beautiful when harmonized by The Flying Pickets.

i lovee this song! i first heard it in the movie can't hardly waut (favorite movie ever) and i fell in lovee with it. its beautiufll i heard it was about a death err something like that but maybe i'm wrong

This song is about separation from your only love and the long and uncertain road back home. 'Only You' came out in 1982, when I was in the third year of my relationship with my future wife. It has been 'Only Her' for 28 years. Now my chronic addiction is tearing us apart. We are recently separated: "I'm moving farther away, want you near me." My pleas to come back home are being met with tough liove: "Listen to what you have to say, it's getting harder to stay." I realize now: "This is going to take along time, and wonder what's mine, can't take no more. All I want is the touch of your hand behind a closed door." And as the reality sets in, the chorus keeps going through my head: "All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew, only you." Why didn't I see this before? The past tense of the lyrics gives a sense of capitulation. But I am not giving up as long as I get sober. For another take on growing old and possibly alone, listen to Lukas Graham and his song, '7 Years,' which asks when we are 60, "Will I think the world is cold or will I have lots of children who can warm me?" Time will tell, one day at a time....

To me, the song's about a man coming to terms with the fact that his significant other isn't good to him or for him. She's too abrasive with her words, and probably tends to get a bit violent when upset ("Wonder if you'll understand, it's just the touch of your hand behind a closed door."). He clearly loves her, and has clearly made her an important factor in his life, but this newfound awareness of her dark side is pushing him further from her. He knows he doesn't deserve this kind of relationship. Finally he does the unexpected and breaks things off with her, much to her clear surprise. She demands reasons, so he bravely tells her ("Listen to the words that you say, it's getting harder to stay when I see you."/"It's just the touch of your hand behind a closed door"). She's distraught, but he stands his ground ("Can't take no more") and leaves, departing with these final words "All I needed was the love you gave, all I needed for another." telling her all she had to do was change her attitude, be a little nicer and more loving, and he wouldn't be gone. Though he's liberated by the break-up, he knows he's got a long recovery process ahead of him. He just lost one of the most important people in his life, and if they were married he probably just lost half his belongings too ("This is going to take a long time and I wonder what's mine") but he continues on knowing this is the right choice.