The Love I Lost – English Lyrics

• By: Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heart and soul of Philadelphia through Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' iconic track, “The Love I Lost.” This song offers a unique opportunity to learn English by exploring the universal language of love and loss. Teddy Pendergrass's passionate and clear vocals make the poignant lyrics easy to follow, allowing you to connect with the raw emotion of heartbreak while appreciating the birth of the disco sound. It's a musical lesson in both feeling and history.

[English]

The love I lost

Was a sweet love

The love I lost

Was complete love

The love I lost

I will never, no, no never

Love again

I can remember planning

Building my whole world around you

I can remember hoping

That you and I could make it on through

But something went wrong

We loved each other

We just couldn't get along

Take a good look at me

I'm in misery, can't you see?

The love I lost (the love, the love, the love, the love, the love, the love)

Was a sweet love (yes it was)

The love I lost

Was complete love

The love I lost

I will never (never), no, no, never (never)

Love again

I can't remember nothing, no, no, no

But the good times we used to share, my love

I'm so sad and lonely

But without you, my life is so dead

I'm sorry to say

You go your way and I'll go my way

It hurts deep inside

The day we said goodbye, but the love

The love I lost (the love, the love, the love I lost)

Was a sweet love

The love I lost

Was complete love

The love I lost

I will never (never), no, no never

Love again (I will never, never, never love again)

Never (never) no, no, never (never)

Love again (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Never (never) no, no, never (never)

Love again (oh)

Never, no, no, never

Love again (never, never)

Never, no, no, never (never)

Love again (love, love, love, love, love, love, love)

Never (love, love, love, love, love, love, love)

There was good love (I lost it)

She was a sweet love (sorry I lost it)

I thought I had you right here in my hands (but I lost it)

I thought I had you all to myself (sorry I lost it)

I can realize (I lost it)

I ain't realize and I ain't prepared (sorry I lost it)

But come on back home (I lost it)

Yeah, come on back home, baby (sorry I lost it)

Come on back home, baby (I lost it)

Oh Lord, come on back home, baby (sorry I lost it)

Ah, I wanna know what you've been doing, baby (I lost it)

I've been thinking 'bout you (sorry, I lost it)

What about you, I've been wanting where you are (I lost it)

What you've been doing? (Sorry, I lost it)

Won't you forgive me, babe (I lost it)

Babe, I got down on my head to knees (sorry, I lost it)

I'm begging you please, won't you take me back? (I lost it)

Take me back, take me back (sorry, I lost it)

Yeah hey, yeah, yeah, my Lord (I lost it)

'Cause you are the sweet love (sorry, I lost it)

I wanna say to anybody out there to feel the life

The way I do that you lost it

Has anybody out there lost someone?

Said they kinda meant the world to you

I said stand out there and sing along let me show 'em

Sing it, y'all (I lost it)

Sing it, y'all (sorry, I lost it)

Sing it, y'all (I lost it)

Sing it, y'all (sorry, I lost it)

Sing it, sing it (I lost it)

Sing you lost it (sorry, I lost it)

Ah, I lost it (I lost it)

Yes, I did, yes, I did (sorry, I lost it)

Oh (I lost it), my Lord (sorry, I lost it)

Come on, y'all

Mmm-hm, mmm-hm

Well, well

Mmm-hm

Groove it, y'all

I wanna know how many out there again

Just lost somebody, stand out

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection or sexual love for someone
lost /lɒst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; no longer possessed verb - past tense of lose, to be deprived of
sweet /swiːt/ A2	adjective - having a pleasant taste like that of sugar or honey; pleasant or agreeable
remember /rɪˈmem.bər/ A2	verb - to be able to bring back a past event into your mind
planning /ˈplæn.ɪŋ/ B1	noun - the act or process of making plans verb - deciding in detail what you are going to do or what is going to happen
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.
hoping /ˈhoʊ.pɪŋ/ B1	verb - wanting something to happen or to be true
wrong /rɒŋ/ A1	adjective - not correct or accurate noun - an immoral or unfair action
misery /ˈmɪz.ər.i/ B2	noun - a state or feeling of great distress or discomfort of mind or body.
complete /kəmˈpliːt/ B1	adjective - having all the necessary or appropriate parts. verb - finish making or doing.
times /taɪmz/ A1	noun - an amount of time
sad /sæd/ A1	adjective - unhappy
lonely /ˈloʊn.li/ A2	adjective - unhappy because you are not with other people
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
hurts /hɜːts/ A2	verb - cause physical pain or injury
deep /diːp/ A2	adjective - extending far down from the top or surface
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A1	noun - a farewell
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
forgive /fərˈɡɪv/ B1	verb - stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone for an offense

Key Grammar Structures

• The love I lost Was a sweet love

  ➔ Past Simple Tense (was)

  ➔ Uses the past simple tense "was" to describe a state of being in the past. It indicates that the love existed and was sweet at some point in the past.

• Building my whole world around you

  ➔ Present Participle as a Noun Modifier (Building)

  ➔ "Building" acts as a modifier, describing the action of creating the world. The phrase suggests a continuous process and deep emotional investment.

• That you and I could make it on through

  ➔ Modal Verb 'could' expressing possibility

  ➔ The use of "could" expresses a possibility or a wish from the past, implying uncertainty about whether they would actually succeed.

• We just couldn't get along

  ➔ Negative Modal Verb 'couldn't' expressing inability.

  ➔ "Couldn't" indicates the inability to maintain a harmonious relationship, implying a lack of compatibility.

• I'm in misery, can't you see?

  ➔ Question Tag ('can't you see?')

  ➔ The question tag "can't you see?" is used for emphasis and to seek confirmation of an obvious fact. It suggests frustration and a plea for understanding.

• I'm so sad and lonely But without you, my life is so dead

  ➔ Contrast using 'But' ('I'm so sad and lonely' vs. 'my life is so dead')

  ➔ "But" introduces a contrasting idea, highlighting the stark difference in feelings with and without the person. The sadness and loneliness are contrasted with the emptiness of life without them.

• You go your way and I'll go my way

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will' (I'll go)

  ➔ Using 'will' (contracted to 'll) indicates a future decision or intention. It expresses a plan to separate and move on.

• I wanna know what you've been doing, baby

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous (you've been doing)

  ➔ The Present Perfect Continuous, 'you've been doing', emphasizes the duration of an action that started in the past and continues to the present or has recent relevance. It expresses the singer's persistent curiosity about the other person's activities.