Saturday January 29, 2022 “I Can’t Make You Love Me” Bonnie Raitt

Also inducted into the Rock & Hall of Fame in 2000, Bonnie Raitt is the daughter of John Raitt broadway and movie star and singer and pianist Marjorie Haydock.

Before we knew Bonnie Raitt she had developed a fascination for the blues and was touring with blues legends like Son House and Mississippi Fred McDowell picking up tricks and licks…sorry, it was just too hard to resist.  It wouldn’t be until 1991 that Bonnie Raitt achieved broad exposure and success with her Luck of the Draw album which included today’s song.  That album would earn her three Grammys.

Luck of the Draw included some of Raitt’s close musical friends like John Hiatt, Richard Thompson, Benmont Tench (a Heartbreaker with Tom Petty and one of my favorite rock names), Ivan Neville and Kris Kristopherson.

Of today’s song, Bonnie Raitt has said "It was absolutely one of the most honest and original heartache songs I had ever heard. It was a point of view that I had been on both sides of, and it struck me deeply. I knew immediately I wanted to sing it."

Bonnie Raitt has recorded sixteen albums and has won twelve Grammys and is not only a remarkable vocalist but, although not demonstrated in today’s song, is one of the premiere slide guitarists.

Raitt uses her celebrity and some of her wealth in a variety of social causes ranging from homelessness to No Nukes.

Stay safe and well…and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” has been described by one music critic as “one of the greatest but saddest songs ever recorded”. And BTW that’s Bruce Hornsby playing piano on this song.

Turn down the lights

Turn down the bed

Turn down these voices inside my head

Lay down with me

Tell me no lies

Just hold me close, don't patronize

Don't patronize me

'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't

You can't make your heart feel something it won't

Here in the dark, in these final hours

I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power

But you won't, no you won't

'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't

I'll close my eyes, then I won't see

The love you don't feel when you're holding me

Morning will come and I'll do what's right

Just give me till then to give up this fight

And I will give up this fight

'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't

You can't make your heart feel something it won't

Here in the dark, in these final hours

I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power

But you won't, no you won't

'Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't