Meaning of "Valentine" by Richard Hawley

The lyrics of "Valentine" by Richard Hawley convey a sense of longing and heartache for lost love. The narrator is pleading to their partner to hold them in their arms and sing them a lullaby, emphasizing their need for emotional connection and support. However, they express a deep fear that their partner no longer needs or desires them. This fear is mirrored in the warning they see in their partner's eyes, suggesting a potential end to the relationship.

The absence of their partner is a source of great pain for the narrator, as they describe the sleepless nights and the loneliness that accompanies them. The mention of Valentine's Day and roses represents a time when their love was still intact, but now serves as a painful reminder of what has been lost. The narrator finds solace in the memories of their past love, but these memories are bittersweet, as they only serve to highlight the absence of their partner in the present moment.

The lyrics also touch on the narrator's reluctance to move on or seek comfort from other sources. They explicitly state that they don't need Valentines or roses, as they only serve to take them back to a time when their partner loved them exclusively. The reference to aged wine suggests that the narrator is unwilling to let time heal their heartache, as the absence of their partner lingers on and prevents them from finding closure and moving forward.

Overall, "Valentine" expresses the deep longing, fear of abandonment, and emotional turmoil experienced by the narrator in the aftermath of a lost love. It captures the pain of unrequited love and the struggle to find solace and peace in the absence of a beloved partner.