Released: June 5, 2007

Songwriter: Lauryn Hill

Producer: Lauryn Hill

I used to do it for the love a long time ago
And all I ever wanted was love
I used to love without fear a long time ago
And all I ever wanted was love
Then somebody came around and tried to hurt me
Tried to make me feel like I was unworthy
Took a pure love and tried to make it dirty
Truth was they never did deserve me
No!

Chorus:
I had to lose myself so I could love you better
I had to lose myself, had to lose myself so I could
Love you better
Had to lose myself, had to lose myself
So I could love you better
Had to lose myself in love
And that's just the way it is…

Couldn't tell me I was loved when I needed it
When, all I ever wanted was love
Shoulda told me just because
I'm worth receiving it
But all I ever wanted was love
There's something awesome about the selflessness it
Takes to
Give love and the good that it makes you
True love can never really forsake you
But it took a little while just for me to see

Chorus:
I had to lose myself so I could love you better
I had to lose myself, had to lose myself so I could
Love you better
Had to lose myself, had to lose myself
So I could love you better
Had to lose myself in love
And that's just the way it is…

I had a paralyzing fear of facing failure
And I couldn't love you perfectly with fear in my head
So I perilously had to face the danger
So I could come back and love you whole instead
All of your soul I said
So I could love you better

Chorus:
I had to lose myself so I could love you better

I had to lose myself, had to lose myself so I could
Love you better
Had to lose myself, had to lose myself
So I could love you better
Had to lose myself in love
And that's just the way it is…

B-Sec:
And so it goes that I never meant to hurt you
Couldn't stay but I never meant to desert you
Whole lot a things I just had to work through
Time to heal and restore my self-worth too
Confrontation of my fears and anxiety
Cried a whole lot years, I suffered quietly
And though it may have taken years I can finally
Tell you that you were always on my mind

Chorus:
I had to lose myself so I could make it better
I had to lose myself, had to lose myself so I could
Make it better
Had to lose myself, had to lose myself
So I could make it better
Had to lose myself in love
And that was just the way!

Bridge:
Takes strength to absorb all the abuse I did
Great love to absorb all the misuse I did
Hey baby it's not an excuse I give
And I'd do it all again because for you I live

Takes strength to absorb all the abuse I did
Great love to absorb all the abuse I did
Hey baby it's not an excuse I give
And I'd do it all again because for you I live

Chorus:
I had to lose myself so I could make it better
I had to lose myself, had to lose myself so I could
Make it better
Had to lose myself, had to lose myself
So I could make it better
Had to lose myself in love
And that was just the way!
And that was just the way it is

Lauryn Hill

As one of the founding members of Fugees, Lauryn Hill has spit her truthful lyrics unlike any female rap artist in history. Being as informative as she is inspiring, Lauryn has received monumental success with her solo albums going multi-platinum.

Her classic, critically acclaimed debut album Miseducation of Lauryn Hill went outside of the box for female rappers of her kind, making listeners think about greater causes in their community and how to be a powerful female without selling yourself short. The album also proved to be a huge landmark in rap, as it combined rap, r&b and neo-soul into a unique and beautiful mixture, full of different religious stories and concepts.

Although she retired after the success of her debut, mostly due to her child, Lauryn continued to make appearances at different shows (including at a concert with Drake in 2014). Shortly after announcing her official retirement, Lauryn returned to the scene to release MTV Unplugged 2.0, a live album where she explored with folk, departing from her rap/neo-soul style. Hill is also set to perform tracks from Miseducation in 2018 on its 20th Anniversary.