Meaning of "The Way That I Need You" by Passenger

"The Way That I Need You" explores the pain of unrequited love and the internal struggle of holding on to a relationship that is one-sided. The imagery of a deflated balloon, a drunk man with bad breath, and a beauty queen stringing someone's heart along symbolizes the flawed and undesirable characteristics of the person the narrator's love interest is drawn to. However, the narrator knows that the other person loves the flawed individual deeply, which creates a sense of hopelessness. The line "I'm just grieving for a love I never knew" highlights the bitterness the narrator feels, mourning a love that they wanted but never experienced. Despite feeling mistreated and unneeded, the narrator continues to hold on to their love, unable to let go and accept the reality that they are not reciprocated. The lyrics convey the narrator's plea for the other person to not mistreat them and acknowledge their feelings, even if they are not necessarily misleading them. Overall, "The Way That I Need You" explores the complexities of unrequited love, the pain of holding on, and the difficulty of letting go.