In a narrative form familiar to country songs, “Does He Love You?” depicts conversations between two friends. The narrator lives in California and is unmarried, while her friend is married to a man and begins to feel insecure in her marriage. The lyrics reveal at the end that the friends are in love...
[Verse 1]
Get a real job, keep the wind at your back
And the sun on your face
All the immediate unknowns
Are better than knowin' this tired and lonely fate
[Chorus 1]
Does he love you?
Does he love you?
Will he hold your tiny face in his hands?
[Verse 2]
I guess it's spring; I didn't know
It's always seventy-five with no melting snow
A married man, he visits me
I receive his letters in the mail twice a week
[Chorus 2]
And I think he loves me
And when he leaves her
He's coming out to California
[Verse 3]
I guess it all worked out
There's a ring on your finger
And the baby's due out
You share a place by the park
And run a shop for antiques downtown
[Chorus 3]
And he loves you
Yeah, he loves you
And the two of you will soon become three
And he loves you
Even though you
Used to say you were flawed if you weren't free
[Bridge]
Let's not forget ourselves, good friend
You and I were almost dead
And you're better off for leaving
Yeah, you're better off for leaving
[Verse 4]
Late at night, I get the phone
You're at the shop, sobbing all alone
Your confession, it's coming out
You only married him, you felt your time was running out
[Chorus 4]
But now you love him, and your baby
At last, you are complete
But he's distant and you found him
On the phone pleading, saying
"Baby, I love you, and I'll leave her
And I'm coming out to California"
[Outro]
Let's not forget ourselves, good friend
I am flawed if I'm not free
And your husband will never leave you
He will never leave you for me
Does He Love You? was written by Blake Sennett & Jenny Lewis.
Does He Love You? was produced by Mike Mogis.
Rilo Kiley released Does He Love You? on Tue Aug 17 2004.