Love Him I Don’t

Maisie Peters' song "Love Him I Don’t" is a poignant exploration of the emotional turmoil and eventual liberation that comes from ending a toxic relationship. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a love that was once intense but ultimately damaging. The opening lines, "I could see a bloodbath coming / Playing checkers as the flat was flooding," set the stage for a relationship fraught with tension and neglect. The imagery of a flooding flat and playing checkers suggests a sense of denial and distraction from the impending disaster. Peters acknowledges her own stubbornness in staying, describing it as her "stubborn season," where she became adept at "underwater breathing," a metaphor for enduring emotional suffocation.

The chorus, with its repeated declaration, "Love him I don't / Love him I won't," signifies a powerful moment of self-realization and decision. Peters reflects on the pain and futility of loving someone who is "bad in the bones," a phrase that underscores the deep-seated issues in her partner. The line "What a long winter / What a bad joke" captures the prolonged suffering and the eventual realization that the relationship was a mistake. The metaphor of winter suggests a period of coldness and hardship, while the bad joke implies a sense of regret and disillusionment.

Throughout the song, Peters uses vivid and relatable imagery to convey her journey from infatuation to disillusionment. Meeting her partner through her favorite cousin and lighting cigarettes off an oven are small, intimate details that ground the story in real-life experiences. The repeated refrain of "Loving him hurts / Loving him don't work" serves as a mantra of self-empowerment, reinforcing her decision to move on. By the end of the song, Peters has come full circle, recognizing that while she once loved him deeply, she has learned that loving him is not worth the pain. This realization is both a personal victory and a universal message about the importance of self-respect and emotional well-being.