B-side "Out There" Length 4:28 | Released August 1992 Label MCA Records | |
Format Cassette single, CD single, 7" single Writer(s) Patty Smyth, Glen Burtnik | ||
"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" is the title of a 1992 ballad performed as a duet by the American singers Patty Smyth and Don Henley. The song was written by Smyth and Glen Burtnik.
Contents
History
Smyth was the former lead singer for the band Scandal, whose hits included "The Warrior" and "Goodbye To You"; Henley is a longtime member of the band Eagles (singing lead vocals on "Desperado" and "Hotel California", among many others) as well as a successful solo artist ("The Boys Of Summer", "The End Of The Innocence"). "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" was written by Smyth and Glen Burtnik and would appear on her self-titled 1992 album.
Meaning
The lyrics refer to a past relationship between two people as narrated by the two singers, and their efforts to move on with their respective lives and make sense of the aftermath: There's a reason why people don't stay where they are / Baby sometimes love just ain't enough. In the final chorus, there is a slight lyrical change to this line ("stay where they are" becomes "stay who they are"). Also, the line It's sad when you know it's your heart you can't trust is changed to It's sad when you know it's your heart they can't touch.
Reception
The single was very successful, being certified Gold by the RIAA and spending six weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the fall of 1992 during the 13 week reign at No. 1 of Boyz II Men's song, "End of the Road". It remained in the Top 40 for 20 weeks. The duet also topped the U.S. adult contemporary chart for four weeks. In Canada, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Canadian pop chart, while in the United Kingdom, the song reached No. 22 on the British pop chart. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Pop Vocal, Duo or Group.