If you're not the one for me
Then how come I can bring you to your knees?
If you're not the one for me
Why do I hate the idea of being free?
And if I'm not the one for you
You've gotta stop holdin' me the way you do
Oh, honey, if I'm not the one for you
Why have we been through what we have been through?
[Pre-Chorus]
It's so cold out here (Here, here, here)
In your wilderness (Eh, eh, eh)
I want you to be my keeper (Eh, eh, eh)
But not if you are so reckless
[Chorus]
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
[Post-Chorus]
Woah
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
What are you waiting for?
You never seem to make it through the door
And who are you hiding from?
It ain't no life to live like you're on the run
Have I ever asked for much?
The only thing that I want is your love
[Chorus]
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
[Post-Chorus]
Woah
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
[Pre-Chorus]
It's so cold (Here, here, here)
In your wilderness (Eh, eh, eh)
I want you to be my keeper (Eh, eh, eh)
But not if you are so reckless (Ooh)
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
[Post-Chorus]
Woah
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
Woah
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
(Say it ain't so, say it ain't so)
[Outro]
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
About
While the title of this songs sets up the expectation that it’s about a relationship that’s over, the opposite is actually the case. Adele confirmed in her Rolling Stone cover story that it’s about her relationship with Simon Konecki, the father of her son Angelo, whom she’s since married.
It was sort of about a relationship suddenly getting really, really serious, and then getting a bit frightened by it, and then realizing that ‘I think this must be right. This is the relationship that I want to be in for as long as I can possibly be in it.’
She also told Zane Lowe on Beats 1:
‘Water Under The Bridge’ is more like, I’m waiting for him to be horrible but I don’t think he’s going to be—waiting for the relationship to end, this is the relationship now that I’m going to be in. It was quite a ground-breaking moment.
Adele performed this song on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on November 25, 2015.
On November 1, 2016, it was confirmed by Billboard that “Water Under the Bridge” would be the fourth single released from 25.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In addition to the quotes in the song bio, Adele often gives some variation of this lead-in to “Water Under the Bridge” at her live shows:
- 1.Hello
- 3.I Miss You
- 5.Remedy
- 6.Water Under the Bridge
- 7.River Lea
- 10.All I Ask
- 12.Can’t Let Go
- 13.Lay Me Down
