Maroon 5: Harder To Breathe Meaning

Song Released: 2002

Harder To Breathe Lyrics

How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable
So condescending unnecessarily critical
I have the tendency of getting very physical
So watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle

You drain me dry and make me wonder why I'm even...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   Ren78753

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   Feb 19th 2006 !⃝

   Sorry guys, but this song is about the record company pushing them to release the album faster and Adam's frustration.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 3rd 2008 !⃝

   I personally think this song is about a guy and a girl who had a very "physical" relationship (as it says in the song) and they got in a fight and they're seeing who can last longer without the, um, physical part of the relationship. I belive this because the parts of the song that say the girl is alone, that they're not going to give up, its getting harder to breathe etc. Seem to say the guy and girl are both alone, suffering without each other but not going to cave in about the fight.
   just a guess
3. anonymous

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   Sep 1st 2022 !⃝

   For me, this is about emotional abuse in the relationship.
   
   The complexity between loving and letting go. The confusion between loving someone, and the frustration of knowing the authenticity of their feelings, but making the hard decision of letting go.
   
   This is a vent. He is resentful for all that she's done to him, and even though he promised that they're never going to give up, they broke up. He's still hung up over the relationship, and knew she was too. But the emotional abuse she's subjective him towards to, had already taken its toll.
   
   He knew her fears and insecurities, and it frustrates and kills him that he knows that both of them are hurting, but separating is a necessity that must be done because it's the only solution.
4. anonymous

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   Mar 11th 2017 !⃝

   Ok... Having read through some of these "song interpretations" if thats what you call saying "OMG I love maroon 5 they're so great, blah blah blah...." I thought that maybe I'd do what we're supposed to do here and say what I think the song is about.
   
   Perhaps a man and a woman get into a relationship and she finds out only too late that he's a sex offender or abusive or something (I have the tendancy of getting very physical so watch your step cause if I do you'll need a miracle). So she stands up to him and tells him what he's doing is wrong and the lyrics to the song are him exploding to what she says.
   
   He immidiately challenges what she says (How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable so condescending unnecessarily critical)
   
   He makes her feel like no one will have her besides him (When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love)
   
   He taunts her and shows his power over her(Does it kill does it burn is it painful to learn that it’s me that has all the control?
   
   And then to top it off he uses scare tactics to make her afraid of him (And like a little girl cries in the Face of a monster that lives in her dreams. Is there anyone out there cause it’s getting harder and harder to breathe?)
   
   I personally don't see anything that indicates that the girl in the relationship has done anything wrong. Perhaps I'm overlooking anything, but I think this song is just about a sicko flipping out on his girlfriend. It was the song that Law and Order: SVU used in it's ad's was it not?
   bigshot937on January 05, 2007 Link
5. anonymous

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   Apr 23rd 2013 !⃝

   I think this song is saying that he is struggling without her in his life and he needs someone there to be with him just my thoughts

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
6. anonymous

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   Apr 19th 2013 !⃝

   She is a narcissitic mess and is creating him to feel as if he is going insane Can't leave her but has too. Internal fight between her good and bad qualities.
7. anonymous

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   Sep 25th 2011 !⃝

   Its about a boyfriend and girlfriend fighting cause the girls has a serious drug issue, he smokes with her cause he's a druggie to but hes trying to quit cause its ruining his lungs and its getting harder to breathe.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
8. anonymous

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   Mar 11th 2011 !⃝

   The band has stated that it was about problems with their record company at the time.
9. anonymous

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   Mar 11th 2011 !⃝

   Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a thread on your web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal.
   I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your board provided bright clear concept

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
10. xuh4983

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    Aug 25th 2008 !⃝

    I believe this song is about a guy breaking up with his girlfriend and she doesn't want to leave so she keeps trying and trying to stay and its making it harder for him to breathe with her there all the time.
11. lumpgreenroom

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    Feb 1st 2006 !⃝

    This song is about sexual strain in a relationship.
12. 2QT2BSTR8

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    Jan 5th 2006 !⃝

    I'm sorry, but that's kind of a slow interpretation. The song is just a fun, rebellious song about how he's not letting anyone, least of all his girlfriend, push him around.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
13. anonymous

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    Nov 23rd 2005 !⃝

    Hello! Its me again, the one who interpreted This Love. Well, I think this song may be about how he is breaking up with a girl. Maybe the girl was acting a mess, so he broke it off. She's sad about it, and he is relishing in the fact that she is finally feeling pain (maybe to compensate for whatever mess she did to him?).
    
    Okay, but that sounds really stupid because he says "there's no way we're gonna give up" so maybe he actually wants to stay. And yet he wants her gone? Internal fighting. I dunno.

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