Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate
"My vacation's ending, I'm coming home late
The weather was fine and the ocean was great
And I can't wait to see you again"

Hate reads the letter and throws it away
"No one here cares if you go or you stay
I barely even noticed that you were away
I'll see you or I won't, whatever"

Love sings a song as she sails through the sky
The water looks bluer through her pretty eyes
And everyone knows it whenever she flies
And also when she comes down

Hate keeps his head up and walks through these streets
Every stranger and drifter he greets
And shakes hands with every loner he meets
With a serious look on his face

Love arrives safely with suitcase in tow
Carrying with her the good things we know
A reason to live and a reason to grow
To trust and to hold and to care

Hate sits alone on the hood of his car
Without much regard to the moon or the stars
Lazily killing the last of a jar
Of the strongest stuff you can drink

Love takes a taxi, a young man drives
As soon he sees her hope fills his eyes
But tears follow after at the end of the ride
Because he might never see her again

Patience, patience, patience

Hate gets home lucky to still be alive
He screams over the sidewalk and into the drive
The clock in the kitchen says 2:55
And the clock in the kitchen is slow

Love has been waiting patient and kind
Just wanting a phone call or some kind of sign
That the one that she cares for who's out of his mind
Will make it back safe to her arms

Hate stumbles forward and leans in the door
Weary head hung down, eyes to the floor
He says, "Love, I'm sorry," and she says, "What for?
I'm yours and that's it, whatever
I should not have been gone for so long
I'm yours and that's it, forever
Your mine and that's it, forever"


Lyrics submitted by Thrilliam, edited by InhaleExhale

The Ballad of Love and Hate Lyrics as written by Scott Yancey Avett Robert William Crawford

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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The Ballad of Love and Hate song meanings
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41 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I actually am glad it ended the way it did. The taxi driver seemed like a minor character, and if he ended up with love in the end it would seem too much like a fairly tale, and hate would be the bad guy. When I hear this song I think of it as, love is love, and because that's all she is, she's not going to leave hate. It's about loving someone who doesn't deserve it. I like that hate never really did anything for her, but in the end is sorry. It seems very real and honest. Clearly hate isn't perfect, and neither is the relationship between the two, but the song shows that even the hateful can feel remorse. All hate really wants is to be loved. All love wants is to provide that love.

    topsecreton August 14, 2010   Link

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