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Don Williams “That’s The Thing About Love”: You Can’t Have It Until You Give It

Don Williams + That's The Thing About Love
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

If you think loving someone is easy, Don Williams’s “That’s The Thing About Love” will tell you otherwise. Richard Leigh and Gary Nicholson wrote the song in March 1984, and it narrates the contradictions one feels while falling in love. The song ranked no. 1 on the country charts for 12 weeks, making it the 16th no.1 song of Don Williams.

Meaning Behind The Song 

Don Williams believes that love is full of complexities, which he sings about in “That’s The Thing About Love.” The song conveys that love is unpredictable and loving someone can be like a rollercoaster ride – at one point, you feel lost, and in just one kiss, you’re a king on the throne. 

In love, nothing is certain, yet it is still worth trying. But as Williams put it – you can’t have it until you give it.

The song encourages listeners to take risks in love and never to give up understanding it. Embrace love’s contradictions and open your heart to all the possibilities and uncertainties of loving someone. 

Known as country music’s “Gentle Giant,” Williams’s reputation solidified after he released “That’s The Thing About Love.” It became the crowd’s favorite and has stayed relevant up until today.

This might not be your typical country love songs, but the message gives  a real view of ‘love.’ It tells us that it’s not perfect, but it’s worth the shot.

Listen to Don Williams’s “That’s The Thing About Love” here.

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