Lyric discussion by Keliyah 

Cover art for Let Her Go lyrics by Passenger

I heard this song on the radio for the first time today. I like to think of the backstory like this - it's about a guy who breaks up with his lover because he doesn't have the ability to recognize that he has something special with her, and he doesn't have the courage to stay in the relationship when she starts asking for a commitment from him. So he lets her go, because he feels incapable of giving himself over to what has actually become real love. The line, "Maybe one day you'll understand why everything you touch, surely dies" speaks to this guy's chronic inability to return love and form a deep bond with someone else. It may be that his ideals of love are actually unrealistic ("Hoping one day you'll make a dream last"), and he keeps choosing to let love go because he doesn't understand that love can be a messy and difficult thing worth fighting for. But ultimately, this song is about the regret of only realising after breaking things off that he truly loved her. And of course, by the time he realises this, it will have been too late to get her back - she will have moved on to someone who can reciprocate her love. This kind of stuff is pure tragedy.

[Edit: VLlc]

Thank you for this interpretation. sadly, I know what this is about.

My Opinion

I agree; it is pure tragedy. Loss and regret to music. It is beautifully done.

Keliyah... I'm so glad that you decided to add your interpretation. You articulated it so well and I think you are spot-on. One thing to add... It is possible that he is the victim of the unrequited love and is actually regretting that she didn't value and commit to him, rather than the other way around. Cheers!

My Interpretation