Trying My Best to Love You

Song Meaning

The narrator opens by painting a picture of an almost impossibly perfect love, describing it as "sweeter than strings" and "thicker than angel wings." Yet, this idealized vision is immediately undercut by a profound sense of disbelief: "I can't believe you're real." This juxtaposition hints at an internal struggle, where the sheer intensity of the feeling is almost too much to process, creating a strange disconnect. The lyrics then introduce a subtle tension. While the love is declared "simple" and "crystal," the partner's actions are described as uncontrollable, stepping outside to "hear bells ringing." This suggests an external or internal distraction that pulls the partner away, even as the narrator tries to anchor the relationship. The repeated phrase "For you, for you" emphasizes the narrator's focus, even amidst this perceived wandering. The core of the song lies in the repeated chorus: "Trying my best to love you." This isn't a declaration of effortless adoration, but a confession of effort. The external force, "they," is blamed for making things "so hard on us." This external pressure, whatever its source, creates a significant obstacle that the narrator is actively battling, rather than passively experiencing. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics comes from their honest portrayal of love's difficulty. The narrator isn't just singing about being in love; they're singing about the active, sometimes exhausting, work of maintaining that love against unseen forces. The contrast between the initial sweet imagery and the later struggle for effort makes the plea in the bridge, "I want you back," feel earned and desperate.