Because of You

Sorry kids, but it is definitely about her parents' divorce. She won't make the same mistake of falling in love because she sees how much it hurt her mom. She doesn't trust anyone because she sees how her dad hurt her and her mom. Because of all this she hasn't let herself fall in love and therefore, her life is empty.

"I was so young you should have known better than to lean on me"-- her mom used her as support even though she was so young at the time and wasn't strong enough to support both of them emotionally. He mom didn't think about how it would efect Kelly--she only saw her pain.

etc. etc. etc.

It's about divorce.

This song sounds like shes crying out to her mom. Her mom acted afraid or timid of life, and she learned that from her mom and now shes repeating the same things. I think that she must have written this after a breakup wherein she realized that she was acting like her mom and this is her way of saying that she wont repeat the pattern.

I read somewhere that it was about her parents' divorce when she was 16. It makes sense...now shes afraid to take risks and love someone because she doesn't want it to happen to her like it did her parents.

I definitely agree with the ppl who said it was about her parent's divorce...it obviously has something to do with her parents...if it was a boyfriend she wouldnt have to "fake a smile...everyday of her life" because she wouldnt see the boyfriend everyday if the relationship was over or hear him cry EVERY night in his sleep it also says she was "so young you should have known better than to lean on me" so its definitely her mom depending on her too much, burdening her with pain she wasnt supposed to know about or have to worry about

Each person is entitled to their own interpretation of songs. If a song means something to you, then let it be. Who is someone else to say whether or not that meaning is right or wrong? An interpretation is according to the intrepretor!

That being said, this song, to me, goes along with my father's alcoholism. I grew up going to his house every other weekend. I watched him destroy his life with his addiction-saw this with my very own eyes. I am now 16 years old and my father has done nothing but dug himself an even bigger hole than what he was in to begin with. He hasn't had a job in years, he lives off of unemployment, his sister pays for his house payment, he has no vehicle, he's $30,000 behind in child support, etc.

Watching someone that you love fall into depression and addiction is hard. Knowing that they put alcohol before you, their only child, is even worse. Seeing my dad stay single year after year is pathetic. "Because of you, I find it hard to trust, not only me, but everyone around me, because of you.." goes along with the fact that this man used to be a good man. He used to treat me and the rest of his family so well. What happened?

"I watched you die, I heard you cry, every night in your sleep. I was so young, you should have known, better than to lean on me." He's always tried to complain to me about his problems..which, once again, goes along with the song.

@FatBottomedGurl I totally disagree. This song isn't whiney. If you had ever experienced anything like this you would understand. I relate to literally every word in this song. My parents did not divorce, but instead they're just in constant turmoil and I live with it every day (for the last 20 years). As much as I would love to say it hasn't affected my life, it has and I definitely have trust and intimacy issues because of it. Its hard to embrace love when you've seen how painful and empty it can be every day of your life. For me this song is completely therapeutic. It points out all the subconscious feelings I have and releases them in an emotional catharsis. It point out the bad in order to promote a consicous change. Its all about breaking the cycle. She's taking all the bad that's happened and looking at how she's let herself be afffected by itin order to change it. This song has honestly helped me analyze many of my issues and almost look at it from a removed persepective. Now I think about my actions and how I can change them and not continue the cycle. I've tried to become a better person because of it and rise above all the pain. This song's lesson is about finding strength. I think, for writing this at 16, she must have had a great sense of self and ability to reflect on her life. It takes a lot to mentally remove yourself from the dysfunction and not just be caught up in the rage. Also, she's said herself that she got her family's approval first before releasing the song and that she loves her family, but her and her family agree that this is an important message, especially today in a world full of family dysfunction. I love my parents and I know its hard for them, its much more heartbreaking for them than it is for me, but I would give anything for them to be able to reflect on themselves from a removed perspective like this song does so they can begin to fix their pain and move on. No one needs to be stuck in an endless cycle of hurt and hate like that.

I sifted and read through many of the opinions and interpretations of this song. I decided to share mine since I didn't see any comments extremely similar to my own. I had discussed this with my sister once and instantaneously, we both thought the same thing- based on our experience. Then, my husband had a friend over one day and we happened upon the discussion somehow. We had been talking about growing up in an abusive household. Anyway, he briefly skimmed over his interpretation of the Kelly Clarkson song, "Because of You". He said, when he hears this song, it speaks to him, that it reminds him of being sexually abused. I was shocked. I completely heard the same thing, as did my sister. There are certain sentences in the song, that to me relate to that way more than to a disfunctional relationship between parents, resulting in divorce. The line, "Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk", is so telling to those of us who have experience sexual abuse. Truly it colors your world, unfortunately. You really learn to not trust anyone and to play it safe all of the time. I wanted to share this with those who haven't heard this interpretation and for those who interpret it the same way. CDLTNLA

I feel like it's about someone close to her--her mother, perhaps, as others have suggested--who has a lot of problems that end up hurting her. For example, say the mother was abused as a child and never got the support/help that she needed. Throughout her life it still affects her, and she endures other hardships as time wears as. Because of her problems, she inadvertently isn't a very strong parent, and the child suffers from both watching the mother's state and also from receiving neglect.

At least, that's one possibility.

i feel like this song can apply to alot of different situations. i see it though, that it could also be someone's relationship with themselves and their inner demons.

I always thought this song was about how her relationship with her mother affected her relationships with men....

Maybe that's just because I grew up with divorced parents though,,,

That's how I take it. :)