Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “I Love You Like An Alcoholic” by The Taxpayers
The Taxpayers’ song “I Love You Like An Alcoholic” is a heartbreaking and honest expression of unrequited love and addiction. The opening lines foreshadow the depth of emotion to come as the narrator admits that “love will chase you ’til the day you die” and sets the tone for a darker song than one may typically expect from a love song. The song progresses to delve deeper into the co-dependent nature of the relationship being described with the narrator confessing that they “[lie] to hold you close” despite being fully aware that “[the more] clinging, the less you need”.
The metaphor of alcoholism as an equivalent for the destructive behaviors of a partner in an obsessive relationship is clear and vividly painted. The narrator is admitting that they are so desperate for the other person’s attention that it’s just like being an addict, wrapped up in a never-ending cycle of being deprived of their needs only to come back for more.
The chorus laments “I love you like an alcoholic/ I always seem to come back for more/ Even though it only hurts more and more everytime.” This indicates that the narrator is self-aware- they understand the hurt and pain that they are subjecting themselves too, yet they’re constantly unable to refuse themselves the possibility of something more in the hope that the one they love may eventually learn to love them back. But ultimately, this is a cycle that can’t be served without the willingness of both parties.
The Taxpayers’ “I Love You Like An Alcoholic” is a stunningly honest and evocative depiction of love, addiction, and never-ending longing. It is a sad tale of desperation, self-awareness, and hope, all wrapped up in a beautiful and powerful melody.