☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the painful experience of wanting someone but never being able to have them.
- The protagonist always longs for this person but can never possess them.
- The love for this person often hurts the protagonist more than they can bear.
- The protagonist regrets not looking away from the first encounter.
- The message of the song is that unfulfilled longing can sometimes almost destroy us.
Interpretation
The song lyrics "Always Wantin' You" by
Merle Haggard are about the painful experience of wanting someone but never being able to have them. The protagonist of the song always longs for this person, but can never possess them. This conflict makes it difficult for him to look forward to the future, as he knows that he will wake up every day and want them.
The lines "Always loving you, but never touching you, Sometimes hurts me almost more than I can stand" express that loving this person sometimes hurts him almost more than he can bear. He longs to touch them, but can never do so.
The protagonist regrets not looking away from the first encounter, because then he could have continued his life without this longing. But when he looks into their eyes, he realizes that they also have feelings for him. Unfortunately, they come to the conclusion that their desires and dreams can never come true.
The song lyrics convey the message that it can often be painful to want someone but never be able to have them. This unfulfilled longing can sometimes almost destroy a person.