I don't know if I can yell any louder
How many time I've kicked you outta here?
Or said something insulting?
I can be so mean when I wanna be
I am capable of really anything
I can cut you into pieces
When my heart is, broken

Please don't leave me
Please don't leave me
I'm always saying how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please, don't leave me

How did I become so obnoxious?
What is it with you that makes me act like this?
I've never been this nasty
Can't you tell that this is all just a contest?
The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest
But baby I don't mean it
I mean it, I promise

Please don't leave me
Please don't leave me
I'm always saying how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please, don't leave me

I forgot to say out loud how beautiful you really are to me
I can't be without, you're my perfect little punching bag
And I need you, I'm sorry.

Please, please don't leave me

Baby, please don't leave me
No, don't leave me
Please don't leave me
I'm always saying how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back,
It's gonna come right back to this.
Please, don't leave me.
I always say how I don't need you
But it's always gonna come right back to this
Please don't leave me
Baby, please don't leave me


Lyrics submitted by Fairy_Of_Ice

Please Don't Leave Me Lyrics as written by Max Martin Alecia Moore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Please Don't Leave Me song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

27 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +6
    General Comment

    I think its basically about Carey and how she doesn't really want him to go, but she makes it out like she does. She says shes become "Abnoxious." and that they're always fighting so thats why they've broken up. She believes she doesn't need him; "I always say how i don't need you." but then always goes back to missing him, "But its always gonna come right back to this."

    But its basically her begging him not to leave her because she still loves him. I love this song, i really can relate to this, sometimes when i get so angry with my boyfriend and we have a fight we end up not talking for a while, but then i cant stay angry at him because i love him so much and i end up missing him, and we both end up apologising and coming back together again.

    I love this song, P!nk rocks, i really can't wait for the new album! :D

    aw77on October 25, 2008   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    Well, after listening to this song a lot, and seeing the video, I personally think that it's about a girl who is afraid of being hurt in a relationship, whether it is do to past relationships or inexperience, so afraid , that, every time she gets into an argument or feels like she is going to be hurt by her husband or boyfriend, she hurts him instead. Not necessarily physically, but, she hurts him. She doesn't do it because she doesn't love him, it's just that she loves him so much that she doesn't know what to do to hold onto him, so she's asking him to "please not leave her".

    "I can be so mean when I wanna be"

    She can be mean when she wants to be, as if saying she can be mean when she feels betrayed.

    "But my heart is.... Broken."

    In reality, her heart is broken, for whatever reasons she has, showing a sign of insecurity which causes her to act out on her lover.

    "I always say how I don't need you But it's always gonna come right back to this"

    She says she doesn't need him because she wants him to be the one to feel inferior, when inside, she does, but she doesn't really want him to leave, which is going to cause it to "always come back to this", which is her abuse.

    "I forgot to say out loud how beautiful you really are to me I can't be without, you're my perfect little punching bag And I need you, I'm sorry."

    Her love really is beautiful to her, and she needs him, and then she goes back to calling him her "little punching bag", to show that her abuse is part of her love. The part where she says she needs him is basically just her apologizing.

    This is just my quick interpretation, I'm probably totally off, but, whatever. It's always fun to contribute either way. ^^

    Jigglypuffon August 04, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I think what Pink is saying in this song is that she doesn't want him to go but she's always fighting with him hurting him. Then when she says "that this is all just a contest" they both compete with each other. He is her punching bag and she needs to be with him.She doesn't want to hurt him any more but they will always end up loving each other.

    p.s Watch her Video it explains a lot too =]

    Opaque-Eyes on February 19, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I'm not a Pink fan, but this song really means something to me. It's actually a very interesting mainstream track, considering there was a time when you couldn't turn on the tv without some weird form of pop feminism on screen. It's sort of the anti-Meredith Brookes. I never thought a sentiment like this would come from Pink, who seemed to be a spearhead figure in the "don't care what anyone thinks about you, do your own thing". I appreciated the introspection when I first heard the song - it's difficult being in a relationship where one person is unhappy and insecure with themself and decides to take it out on the other person constantly. You almost have to endure a form of emotional abuse, which can wear you out completely - and people generally expect you to take it because it's not physical.

    Luckily, people can change.

    fogon October 29, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think it's "Don't know if I can yell any louder" instead of "Do you know if I can yell any louder" and not "But my heart is....broken" it's "When my heart is....broken" and one more :) not "say out loud", its "say aloud"...

    silverdoorinacastleon March 05, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song indicates that, when it comes to relationships, she's something of a self fulfilling prophecy. She thinks that no relationship lasts forever and that relationships eventually hurt (think of the pain in 'Family Portait'), so she pushes him away- as a self preservation type thing. She hurts him before he can hurt her, if you like. She thinks that if she keeps him at arms length, she won't get as hurt when he leaves. The man never intended to leave, and loved her, but her treatment of him causes him to leave thus confirming her belief that all things end and relationships hurt. She uses him as an easy target- someone to treat badly and who will put up with it. Deep down, she doesn't want to be alone, but is so afraid of being hurt that she hurts the ones who love her the most.
    'I forgot to say aloud, how beautiful you really are to me', says to me that she really adored him- but couldn't make herself vulnerable enough to put her true feelings out there. An important lesson, don't treat the people you love like crap, or they will leave, and you'll have done it to yourself. :)

    bohemian_like_youon March 22, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Oh, and this line:

    Can't you tell that this is all just a contest? The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest

    I belive is about their fighting. Or, it's at least what I can relate to. When me and my husband fight, it does end up being a content. Whoever gets the last word/hit in is the "one who wins."

    Just my opinion, it's how I relate to the song. I don't believe this song is meant to be taken sarcastically at all. Pink is obviously heartbroken over her and her husband not being together.

    franticxon June 10, 2009   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    I love this song. I have this crush on a guy a year and a half older then me who is in my tennis class. He just moved and we just email. During tennis I'll make fun of him, humiliate him, glare at him, even say I hate him! I think it's kind of like that "what is it with you that makes me act like this". After I make fun of him I always feel horrible about it. I JUST became a fan of P!nk and I didn't know she had a husband.

    musicmakstheworldgoOon June 26, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think she's kinda talking about how she just vents to him about everything that's going on with her and she's so upset about everything that she just takes it out on him cause he's there and he starts getting away from her cause she hurts him then she begs him not to leave her, but "it's always gonna come right back to this".

    kam1012on July 01, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I am in love with this song. It is simple, yet powerful.

    Its lyrics are pretty self-explanatory.

    The most striking parts, to me, are: "I can cut you into pieces." "I forgot to say out loud, how beautiful you really are to me." "You're my perfect, little punching bag."

    coldwakeupon July 22, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.