☝️ Key Points
- The song is about the pain and loss that the singer experiences after the separation from a loved one.
- He can't imagine how his life will go on without her, as he has loved her for so long and built his world around her.
- He has built his dreams around this person and is now facing the end of those dreams.
- Despite his strength and desire not to cry, he finds the price of his shattered dreams unbearable.
- The lyrics are an expression of deep sadness, loss, and heartache.
Interpretation
The song 'How Am I Supposed to Live Without You' by
Michael Bolton is about deep pain and loss. The singer describes his feelings after learning that the person he loves is leaving him ('They said you were leavin', Someone's swept your heart away'). He is desperate and can't imagine how his life will go on without this person ('How am I supposed to live without you, Now that I've been lovin' you so long'). He has built his whole world and dreams around this person ('When I built my world around, The hope that one day, We'd be so much more than friends') and now faces the end of those dreams. He shows strength by saying he won't cry ('I'm too proud for cryin'), but at the same time admits that the price of his dreams, now that they're shattered, is more than he can bear ('I don't wanna know the price I'm gonna pay for dreamin', Oh, even now it's more than I can take'). This song is an expression of deep sadness, loss, and heartbreak.