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Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'•
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  1. Tracks
  2. Adele
  3. 30 (Target Exclusive)
  4. Can’t Be Together

TRACK

Adele

Can’t Be Together

Release date: 19th November 2021

From 30 (Target Exclusive)
Spotify
More on Adele

About This Track

A piano-led ballad produced by Greg Kurstin, 'Can't Be Together' frames a relationship that has outlived its viability. Adele traces the architecture of a connection that persists despite incompatibility: two people who still want each other, who miss each other, but who have become different versions of themselves. The song acknowledges the pull of what might have been whilst insisting on the necessity of letting go. The emotional weight sits in that paradox. She sings of loving someone forever whilst recognising that forever cannot include a shared life. The lyrics move between confession (recklessness, jealousy, doubt) and acceptance, building toward a refrain that doubles down on the central tension: the need to learn how to love who you're actually loving, not who you wish them to be. By the final chorus, that instruction has become a plea, almost a prayer, before the outro settles into quiet finality: they cannot be together, and they will not be.

"Can’t Be Together" is a track by Adele, from the album 30 (Target Exclusive), released 19th November 2021. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 8 articles about Adele.

About the Artist

Adele

Adele

Lyrics

Can’t Be Together

[Verse 1]

You've got your eye on me after all these years

You think that I can't see you from over here

I may be out of your view, but I can hear you

I may be out of the room, but I can see you

I know you still want me, you always will

And I can guarantee I know just how it feels

To never be free completely

Sometimes you just feel so empty

[Pre-Chorus]

Like lately when I have been missing you

And I would still do anything for you

[Chorus]

But we need to learn how to love who we're loving

It's hard but we must we've got to let it go

And turn off the urge to know what could have been

But I will love you forever

[Verse 2]

I was far too reckless, I know that now

Trying to make you jealous made me feel proud

But now I'm in too deep to climb out

But know that I live with my doubt, oh-oh

[Pre-Chorus]

Like lately when I have been missing you

And I want to do everything with you

[Chorus]

But we need to learn how to love who we're loving

It's hard but we must, we've got to let it go

And turn off the urge to know what could have been

But I will love you forever

[Bridge]

Since we were together everybody's changed

Our reflections in the mirror no longer look the same

And we're only just beginning to live the lives we'll make

But I will always miss you at the end of each day

[Chorus]

But we need to learn how to love who we're loving

It's hard but we must, we've got to let it go

And turn off the urge to know what could have been

My love, let's learn how to love who we're loving

It's so hard but we must, we've got to let it go

And turn off the urge to know what could have been

But I will love you forever

[Outro]

But we can't be together

No, we won't be together

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From 30 (Target Exclusive)

2021
Listen
Album
30 (Target Exclusive)
30 (Target Exclusive)
Adele
Release year
2021
  1. —Easy On Me (Duet Version)
  2. —Can’t Be Together
  3. —Wild Wild West

More from Adele

Albums & EPs

30
30
2021
25
25
2016
When We Were Young
When We Were Young
2016
21
21
2011
Set Fire to the Rain (Remixes)
Set Fire to the Rain (Remixes)
2011
Hometown Glory - EP
Hometown Glory - EP
2008

Explore

More tracks by Adele

  1. All My Life*
  2. All Night Parking (with Erroll Garner) Interlude30
    2:42
  3. All Night Parking Interlude30
  4. Another Love
  5. But I Want To (Unreleased)
  6. Can I Get It30
    3:30
  7. Cry Your Heart Out30
    4:15
  8. Cry Your Heart Out (Live In Las Vegas)
  9. Devil On My Shoulder
  10. Don't You Remember (Live In Las Vegas)

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Adele

Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Beyoncé

Beyoncé

Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston

Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse

Sia

Sia

Paloma Faith

Paloma Faith

Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
Adele, Greg Kurstin
Producer
Greg Kurstin
Engineer
Greg Kurstin, Julian Burg
Bass
Greg Kurstin
Additional Engineering
Alex Pasco
Mastering Engineer
Matt Scatchell, Randy Merrill
Mixing Engineer
Tom Elmhirst
Piano
Greg Kurstin
Strings
Steve Churchyard
Strings Arranger
David Campbell
Strings Conductor
David Campbell
READ MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELE
READ MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELEREAD MORE ABOUT ADELE
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