What Am I Gonna Do With You?

Song Meaning

Alannah Myles's "What Am I Gonna Do With You?" isn't just a simple love song; it's a raw, exposed nerve of vulnerability grappling with the overwhelming force of unexpected connection. The opening lines hint at a preordained destiny, a sense that this encounter, this "you," was inevitable. But destiny doesn't negate the sheer terror of surrendering to something powerful. The central question, "What am I gonna do with you?" isn't a joyful exclamation but an anxious, almost desperate plea. It speaks to the disorienting effect of finding oneself utterly unprepared for the intensity of emotion. The lyrics suggest a past littered with experiences that have hardened the narrator, making the act of falling in love feel impossibly difficult: "It's so hard to fall after all that's fallen through." The song's power lies in its unflinching honesty about the internal conflict that arises when desire clashes with self-preservation. Myles captures the feeling of being caught between the magnetic pull of attraction and the fear of repeating past mistakes. The lines "Love is like a flood / And there ain't no end in sight" illustrate the all-consuming nature of this newfound feeling, a force that threatens to wash away the carefully constructed defenses. This "deeper part of me" is not some romanticized ideal but a primal, untamed space that the narrator struggles to reconcile with their established identity. "What Am I Gonna Do With You?" is a study in emotional ambivalence. It acknowledges the simultaneous pull of hope and fear, the intoxicating allure of vulnerability and the instinct to protect oneself from potential heartbreak. The repetition of the central question underscores the narrator's internal struggle, highlighting the daunting task of navigating the complexities of love when burdened by the weight of past experiences. The song meaning ultimately revolves around the question of how to reconcile the desire for connection with the ingrained habits of self-protection, a universal dilemma that resonates long after the final note fades.