10 of The Beatles’ Darkest Love Songs
The Beatles‘ darkest love songs are interesting for a couple of reasons. While the Fab Four knew how to write romantic tunes like “All My Loving” and “She Loves You,” they also knew how to make darker, moodier love songs. They knew what it felt like to have all-consuming love, but they also knew of the dangers, insecurities, and fears that it could bring. Here are the 10 darkest Beatles songs that describe that.
10. ‘Chains’
The Beatles’ “Chains” is one of their darkest love songs because it speaks about the mental chains that can wrap around someone in a relationship. The speaker admits their lover has them in metaphorical chains, and they’re not opposed to them. Despite the person being willing to be bound, it’s still dark and possessive.
9. ‘Misery’
“Misery” is a song about being miserable after a relationship ends. Everyone’s had their breakups, so connecting with the song is easy. However, there’s something dark about the lyrics, “I’m the kind of guy who never used to cry/ The world is treatin’ me bad/ Misery.” It’s also pretty morbid that the speaker will be miserable without their lover.
8. ‘Not a Second Time’
The speaker in “Not a Second Time” is clearly talking about the end of a toxic and possibly dark relationship. They’re not giving their ex another chance because whatever the ex did was pretty bad. There’s lying involved, and their relationship likely went through a pattern of deception.
7. ‘Devil in Her Heart’
There’s something dark in the opening lyrics of “Devil in Her Heart,” “But her eyes, they tantalize/ (She’s gonna tear your heart apart)/ Oh, her lips, they really thrill me.” The speaker is willing to start a romance with someone they know who could chew them up and spit them back out. That’s undoubtedly toxic.
6. ‘You Can’t Do That’
In “You Can’t Do That,” the speaker warns their love that they’ll drop them if they catch them with another again. It’s possessive and domineering, to say the least. However, the listener doesn’t quite get the whole picture. The speaker could be jealous and possessive, but their love could be blatantly flirting with another. Either way, nothing about the song sits right.
5. ‘I’ll Cry Instead’
“I’ll Cry Instead” is another dark Beatles song because it speaks about the lengths one will go to to have their love with them again. In this one, the speaker is willing to lock themselves up: “I’ve got every reason on earth to be mad/ ‘Cause I just lost the only girl I had/ If I could get my way/ I’d get myself locked up today/ But I can’t, so I’ll cry instead.”
4. ‘Baby’s in Black’
“Baby’s in Black” is one of The Beatles’ darkest love songs but also one of the creepiest. It’s something straight out of a gothic romance novel. The speaker is hopeless because their love is mourning the loss of another. She’s dressed in black, and the whole theme of the song is gloomy.
3. ‘I’m a Loser’
“I’m a Loser” is a song about self-deprecation. The speaker feels worthless and calls themselves names because they can’t keep their relationship. However, it’s unknown who truly is the guilty party. In one lyric, the speaker said that their love won in the end. Saying they are a loser could mean they were tricked or used in the relationship. Behind their mask, they’re crying. It’s all dark.
2. ‘No Reply’
The speaker in “No Reply” has undeniable starker vibes. The speaker is desperate to contact their ex, knocking on their door, looking up at their window, and calling them repeatedly. It’s all in the lyrics: “I tried to telephone/ They said you were not home/ That’s a lie/ ‘Cause I know where you’ve been/ And I saw you walk in/ Your door/ I nearly died.”
1. ‘Run For Your Life’
“Run For Your Life” is positively The Beatles’ darkest song and the creepiest. It’s violent, dangerous, and a stark reminder that love can turn dark quickly. The speaker tells their love that they’d rather see them dead than with another man. If the speaker does catch them with another, they’d better run. That’s an extremely unhealthy relationship. John Lennon said it was garbage and a throwaway he made up quickly. However, one can’t help thinking about where the story originated.
Ultimately, The Beatles knew how to make some of the most beautiful love songs, but they also knew how to make the darkest and gloomiest. They knew with the good sometimes came the bad. Relationships weren’t always meant to be.
