Tom Odell’s “Another Love” Lyrics Meaning

“Another Love” is based on the somewhat well-trodden all-cried-out concept. That is to say that it is premised on the vocalist currently being in a troubled romantic relationship, with the addressee. 

Indeed things are so bad that he very much wants to cry and display the other types of typical emotional reactions which are part and parcel of living such a reality. But the thing is that all of those emotions have already been spent on “another love”. 

Or phrased otherwise, he loved his ex-girlfriend so much and she broke his heart so throughout that now, even though Tom has found himself faced with a similar situation with another lady, it’s like he doesn’t have any tears left to cry even though he wants to.

So macrocosmically, perhaps it can be said that this song speaks to a situation like serial monogamy, i.e. going from one failed romance to another.  

Odell has revealed that the ex being referred to is someone who broke his heart a few years prior to this song coming out. So if he is still feeling this way some years later, as implied by the lyrics he has yet to get over that woman. 

In fact all wording considered, the singer’s ex is even referred to more so than his current romantic interest. And indeed Tom comes off as a pitiful soul, having once again found himself entrapped in a tumultuous romance.

Thesis Expression

As far as the thesis expression goes, the vocalist is letting his present-day sweetheart know that she shouldn’t read too deeply into what may appear as an apathetic response to both the good and bad in their relationship. That is to say that if he doesn’t express love or distress as expected, that doesn’t mean he does not care for her. 

Instead all of his romantic emotions have already been used up on “another love”. And that’s more or less a poetic way of saying that the vocalist doesn’t really have the wherewithal to endure yet another seemingly destined-to-fail romance.

Facts about “Another Love”

Tom Odell, a singer from England, released “Another Love” on 15 October 2012. “Another Love” holds the distinction of being Tom’s debut single. It remains by far his biggest hit even up until the writing of this post, almost a decade later.

This track, whose primary label is Columbia Records, originally came out as part of Tom Odell’s first EP, “Songs from Another Love“. But shortly thereafter it was also featured on his debut LP, “Long Way Down”.

“Another Love” was a big hit, charting in nearly 15 countries and in the process breaking the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and reaching number 1 in Belgium. The song has also achieved multi-platinum status in the UK, Italy and Mexico.

Odell, who would have been 21 years old at the time “Another Love” was dropped, wrote this song himself. He has actually been musically active since 13 and later down the line caught the attention of a more established English musician, Lily Allen, who put him on. And this song’s producer is Dan Grech-Marguerat.

And another English artist, Jamie Thraves, directed what is known as the “short film” music video to “Another Love”, which was shot in Los Angeles and features an actress by the name of Sara Navratil.