I Can't Make You Love Me lyrics

Words & music: m. reid & a. shamblin

** chantal has said this is one of her favorite songs to sing (along with carole king's "(you make me feel like a) natural woman"), and she has called bonnie raitt, for whom this song was a hit in the early 90's, "the godmother of singing-it-like-you-mean-it soul." the two women met during their overlapping stints with lilith fair 1998. these are the official lyrics and not accurate to the way chantal performs the song. **

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 lonely 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 lonely 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