Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: funk
Song Meaning of “Hand Me Down Love” by Clarence Carter
The song “Hand Me Down Love” by Clarence Carter is a classic blues song, which is about an individual lamenting about love not being authentic. The narrator explicitly expresses their view that when it comes to love, its best not to accept it from someone who has received it and is trying to pass it on like a hand-me-down.
The song encapsulates the idea that a person cannot truly experience love if it was previously derivative of another. Drawing on the classic blues theme of lost love, the narrator speaks of how a person’s heart is damaged when their love is not authentic and can tell when something is just not right. From this, the chorus creates the idea of a warning: “Don’t give your heart away, just take it away, don’t believe in hand me down love.” The singer wants to protect the listener from experiencing the suffering caused by a love that is not genuine and free from being influenced or handed down from someone else.
The song also focuses on the idea that true love comes with certain expectations and risks. The narrator calls on the listener to be brave and to take the chance to explore and attempt to find something more real and genuine. To this effect, the chorus acts as an empowering reminder to the listener, prompting them to remain strong and take the courage to walk away from a hand-me-down love in search of something more fulfilling.
Ultimately, “Hand Me Down Love” speaks to the importance of holding out for true and genuine love, rather than settling for a love that is not unique and truly your own. Love has the power to bring great joy into one’s life, however in order to access this potential, one must seek a connection that is free from outside influence and predisposed expectations.