He Won't Go

I watched an interview with Adele, where she said that this song was about 2 of her friends, who were in a relationship together. The man was a heroin addict, and it was about their journey as he went through rehab, and how they overcame it together. Absolutely beautiful song.

When I first heard this song, it sounded like it was about a woman in a codependent relationship that she needed to leave. She says she can't "do it on her own", which is something people ususally falsely believe when they are scared to be alone, too attached to leave someone who isn't good for them. But after listening to it a couple more times, I realized it's actually a very sweet love song about your devotion to someone, even when times get rough. The guy in this song has a substance abuse problem, ("poison"), and the girl is saying she will still by him regarless, because HE is the one who can't get through this problem on his own.

This is one of my favorite Adele songs, I'm surprised it doesn't have more comments. I love the retro feel to the song, but the lyrics add that extra touch that makes this one of my favorite songs at this moment.

Before reading the comments on this song and learning that it was a about a couple where one of the partners was a drug addict, I came to a similar conclusion.
I think that from a general point of view, it is about being a relationship with someone that everyone else thinks is bad for you, but you love them and see past their flaws. She won't forgive herself is she gives up on him, no matter what people are telling to do, and she loves him too much to leave. In some ways, it seems like he has some sort of hold on her emotionally. In the end, he also realizes that he can't bring himself to leave her, and needs her just as much as she needs him.

blu girl 4eva solves it! I was kind of close.

It reminds me of 'Rumour Has It' in that how it starts out makes you think one thing, but towards the end you get the true meaning of the song.

At first she sounds desperate to be someone no good for her, but she leaves clues that he was a different person, and the 'poison' is what changed him. Because he's trying, she's still clinging to the hope that he can return to that person. The end imo definitely reveals that. I was thinking he was probably an alcoholic or a generic druggie, so I wasn't too far off!

And he probably doesn't have a great support system, so she's bearing a lot of the weight. Even though it's hard, she can't leave him because he won't get anywhere alone.

'She' in general terms, of course. A lot of people are making it seem like Adele (and artists in general is talking about herself in all her songs, but that^ interview (and others) confirms she writes off her experiences and the people around her.

Its true, Adele has publicly stated that this song is about two "friends" she met, and that one was a heroin addict and all that....I don't buy it. Just like every other song on the album, this song is about her and her ex. Lets examine the clues. We know that:

1. Adele used to drink...alot. She has publicly stated that the relationship was sort of centered around drinking.
2. Adele cancelled her world tour to be with her ex.

These are facts that she has discussed herself and make sense when you think of them in context with the song. I think that perhaps her ex had the heroin problem, and she had a drinking problem. He probably went off to rehab, and she cancels her tour to be with him. Or maybe they both went to rehab. If thats not love what is? She was willing to take that risk. I find this particularly true when she says, "so petrified, I'm so scared to step into this light. What if I lose my heart and fail the climb? I won't forgive me if I give up trying" She's talking about the tour, stepping into the "light", pursuing her singing career.

Of course she's going to lie about it and say its about someone else, to protect her self and her ex. If you listen closely to her songs and her interviews, she lets out quite a lot. And her ex WAS Alex Sturrock, the photographer. He was with her on her tourbus, and accompanied her to the Grammy's. She even thanks him at the end of her speech. They were "born and raised in a summer haze" - I love that lyric from her other song. They got together in the summer - and I'm sure it was quite hazy with all the boozing going on.

For whatever reason, this song was a little ambiguous to me at first. Now, I'm leaning more toward it being about a couple with a dysfunctional relationship, yet neither one of them has the strength, nor even the desire, to leave. OR, it could be that the male in this relationship is battling something; he's no longer the guy the girl fell in love with, but she doesn't want to give up on him. LOVE this song, by the way. Best one on the new album !

I think this young lady is my new favorite.What an incredible talent.

"fail decline" to "fail the climb"

This song is really deep and means a lot. I interpret it as a woman who is in love with a man who has an addiction. She won't go because of her love for him and he wont go away from his addiction because he loves it. Both of them are willing to take the risk. She risks hanging in there with him and not knowing if he'll ever kick the habit and wasting her life and love on him. He is risking his life and his being and her to continue using. What a powerful, powerful song. I love Adele and I love this song! It makes me cry.

It's really funny how life works out. I was dating a heroin addict and this song really hits me. It's true in every aspect. He told me he loved me and I finally had the courage to say it back and he left for detox. Came back. I didn't kiss him or hug him at first becaue I thought he might feel differently and I told him that. He laughed and said he wouldn't. Left a week or so later for detox once again (relapse) and then went straight to a 60 day rehab. I cried. The first month was no contact. He wrote me one letter. I wrote three. I was terrified that maybe he only loved me because he was high or that he would come back and feel differently. This time he did. I listened to this song whie he was in rehab. I hoped it would turn out like this song. Adele, you have written my life, time and time again.