There’s a reason why this song has been rerecorded over and over: Because this is the saddest song ever written. Originally sung by Bonnie Raitt in 1991 and then sung live by George Michael on MTV Unplugged. As one Youtube commenter said,

“This reaches a place (where) strangers are not allowed. Thank you for giving me a place to grieve.“

And if the imagery in this song ever happened to you in real life, this song is like a knife twisting in your chest, killing your heart a hundred times. The painful part is you are still alive and you have to endure this gaping wound in your chest for the rest of your life. It doesn’t go away; you just learn to live with the dull ache through time. I never felt this kind of pain since my father died 15 years ago. Until now.

Turn down the lights
Turn down the bed
Turn down these voices inside my head
Lay down with me
Tell me no lies
Just hold me close, don’t patronize
Don’t patronize me

‘Cause I can’t make you love me if you don’t
You can’t make your heart feel something it won’t
Here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power
But you won’t, no you won’t
‘Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’t

I’ll close my eyes, then I won’t see
The love you don’t feel when you’re holding me
Morning will come and I’ll do what’s right
Just give me till then to give up this fight
And I will give up this fight

‘Cause I can’t make you love me if you don’t
You can’t make your heart feel something it won’t
Here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power
But you won’t, no you won’t
‘Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’t