51 Secretly in Love Songs (Forbidden Or Secret Love)

You can always find a song for any situation in life. Sometimes, you might be secretly in love with a person you should not have feelings for or one you thought was just a friend. This situation is overwhelming because you are not sure whether you should tell them or keep the secret.

Forbidden love can happen at any time. For example, your secret love can be your best friend, coworker, or classmate, and that is okay. Various questions like “is the love worth the risk?” and “is it okay to be honest?” arise when you want to shout to the world and express your emotions.

This article outlines and describes songs about secret love and forbidden love. You can listen to these songs or dedicate them to the person you are secretly in love with to let them know how you feel.

1. “Treat You Better” – Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (Lyrics)

This 2016 pop hit qualifies to be a forbidden love song because the narrator loves another man’s girlfriend. He promises the girl many things like treating her better and stopping time for her if she agrees to lift him off the friend zone.

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2. “You Belong with Me” – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

This classic proves that a crush can make you feel young and special, even if you are not. The narrator is in love with her male best friend, but he has a girlfriend. She tries to convince her love interest that she is what he has been waiting for all along.

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3. “Breaking Up Somebody’s Home Tonight” – Ann Peebles

Ann Peebles - Breaking Up Somebody's Home

The narrator in this track has strong feelings towards somebody else’s partner. The loneliness on a rainy night makes her desire to interfere with the relationship.

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4. “Rewrite the Stars” – Zac Efron ft. Zendaya

Zac Efron, Zendaya - Rewrite The Stars (Lyrics / Lyrics Video)

This duet describes the forbidden love between a wealthy white playwright and a poor black acrobat. The two people feel each other intensely but cannot be in a relationship because the rich boy’s parents are against it.

They insult the girl’s lowly status, and she runs away. However, the man runs after her and tries to convince her about rewriting the stars and transforming their destiny.

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5. “This Kiss” – Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen - This Kiss

“This Kiss” is one of the best songs about forbidden love. It describes how Carly cheats on her partner with someone she finds more interesting and sentimental.

She is willing to go out for the second day to capture his attention. Carly also states that they are taking the secret relationship too far, but she cannot resist his kiss.

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6. “Confessions” – Usher

In this secret love song, a man confesses to his girlfriend that he had a secret relationship. He also states that he had impregnated his mistress. The narrator says that he wishes he never cheated on his woman or ruined their relationship.

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7. “Last Time” – Trey Songz

Trey Songz - Last Time [Official Music Video]

Trey Songz explains his decision to end the secret relationship with his mistress. He fears that his boo might catch them.

Next: The best songs about breaking up your relationship

8. “Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland

Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue

This song describes how two people stayed in a relationship for a long time, even though everybody else thought that they would break up. The narrator expresses that his love interest understands him better than other people who are against their relationship.

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9. “Forbidden Love” – Madonna

The story narrated in this song demonstrates the doubt, guilt, and potential rejection in forbidden love. For example, the narrator knows that her love interest is not suitable for her, but she does not care.

Next: The top songs about guilt and regret

10. “Uncover” – Zara Larsson

Zara Larsson - Uncover

Zara states that she cannot uncover or expose their secret love in the daylight. She says that they are in love, but nobody knows or sees.

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11. “Secret Love Song” – Little Mix

Little Mix - Secret Love Song (Official Video) ft. Jason Derulo

The two characters in this song are in forbidden love and have to hide their relationship. The lady wishes she could shout about their love from the rooftop and hold her secret partner in the streets.

12. “Girlfriend” – Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend (Official Video)

The confident girl in this 2007 pop song is in love with a man who is already in a relationship. She dislikes the crush’s girlfriend and states that he deserves better.

13. “Crush” – Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore - Crush

This song’s narrator is secretly in love with a guy who has feelings for another girl. She lacks the courage to express her emotions and escape the friend zone.

14. “Secret Lovers” – Atlantic Starr

Atlantic Starr - Secret Lovers

The two secret lovers in this song are hiding their relationship to protect their partners and “happy” homes. According to the lyrics, they both know that they should not be together, meaning that their love is forbidden.

15. “Lie About Us” – Avant

Avant - Lie About Us ft. Nicole Scherzinger (Official Video)

Avant states that he has to sneak and love his mistress “on the low” because his girlfriend and the world do not officially know about the secret relationship.

16. “Love Story” – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift - Love Story

The lyric “stay away from Juliet” explains how the love between the two characters in this song was forbidden. The narrator believed that her love interest was everything to her, but her father was against the relationship.

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17. “Secret” – Ann Marie

Ann Marie - Secret ft YK Osiris (Official Audio)

The two artists on this track sing about hiding their relationship from the public. It allows them to enjoy memorable nights together, away from the rest of the world.

18. “Saving All My Love For You” – Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love For You (Official HD Video)

Whitney sings how she is in love with another woman’s man. Her friends are against this relationship, but she still saves her love for him.

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19. “Bleeding Love” – Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love (US Version - Official Video)

In this song, Leona declares how she is in a relationship that is hurting and draining her. Her friends think that she is crazy and try to pull her away, but she is still in love with the person.

20. “Teardrops On My Guitar” – Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar

In this song, Taylor is secretly in love with Drew and spends her night thinking about him. However, Drew is in love with a different girl and even asks Taylor for date ideas.

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21. “Slip Away” – Clarence Carter

Slip Away- Clarence Carter

This song demonstrates the pain of being in a part-time relationship. The narrator asks her secret lover to meet him behind her boyfriend’s back.

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22. “Angel of the Morning” – Merrilee Rush

Angel of the Morning

This is one of our favorite songs about forbidden love. It shows how women risk their hearts and social standing to be the “other woman.”

23. “I Was Checkin’ Out She Was Checkin’ In” – Don Covay

I Was Checkin' Out She Was Checkin' In

This underrated song offers painful details on how the narrator cheated on his old lady, but he discovers that she was also cheating on him with another man. Consequently, the situation traps him in awful secrets.

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24. “Don’t Matter” – Akon

Akon - Don't Matter (Official Music Video)

Akon explains how those around him disapprove his relationship, but he remains devoted to his girl.

25. “A Long as You Love Me” – Justin Bieber ft. Big Sean

Justin Bieber - As Long As You Love Me ft. Big Sean

In this secretly in love song, Justin wants to be with the girl he loves, but his dad is determined to break them up.

26. “Tryin’ to Love Two” – William Bell

Tryin' To Love Two

This song proves how career and family life demands can make having multiple relationships difficult. In most cases, one has to lie to sustain forbidden love.

27. “Call Your Girlfriend” – Robyn

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend (Official Video)

This 2010 pop song involves a story of a man who has met someone else and has to call his girlfriend and tell her about the secret love.

28. “Don’t Mess with My Man” – Irma Thomas

Don't Mess With My Man

In this song, Irma, a married woman, is in a relationship with a different man. She cares more about the forbidden love because she warns women to stay away from her man but permits them to have her husband.

29. “Sally Go ‘Round the Roses” – The Jynetts

The Jaynetts - Sally, Go Round the Roses [Stereo] (1963)

The song references a pregnant Sally who feels heartbroken after her boyfriend leaves her for another girl. It suggests that the saddest thing a woman can experience is watching the man she loves with another girl.

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30. “Strange Love” – Halsey

Halsey - Strange Love (Audio)

Everybody thinks that the narrator is insane for being in love with her secret partner. However, she states that she does not have to tell them anything because there is beauty in privacy.

31. “Your Secret Love” – Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross - Your Secret Love

The two characters in this song are pretending to be just friends in front of everyone else to protect their secret love.

32. “4 AM” – Melanie Fiona

Melanie Fiona - 4AM (Lyrics)

Melanie sings that she knows that her boyfriend is secretly in love with another person’s partner. This situation bruises her heart.

33. “She Doesn’t Have to Know”- John Legend

John Legend 'She Don't Have To Know'

This song proves forbidden love because John is “stealing” moments to be with his mistress. He knows that it is wrong but finds it hard to tell his girlfriend the truth.

34. “My Little Secret” – Xscape

Xscape - My Little Secret (Official Video)

Xscape tells her secret boyfriend that they should hide their relationship from everybody, including his girlfriend. She describes him as “her little secret.”

35. “Girl Crush” – Little Big Town

Little Big Town - Girl Crush (Official Music Video)

The narrator of this Grammy Award-winning song is in love with a man who loves a different girl. She desires to be like this girl because she believes that it would help her attract the man.

36. “I Wanna Be Your Lover” – Prince

I Wanna Be Your Lover

This song is about a man whose crush hangs around and dates other guys. He yearns to be with her and uses sweet words to convince her that he would treat her better and be everything she needs if she agrees to date him.

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37. “Magnets” – Disclosure ft. Lorde

Disclosure - Magnets ft. Lorde

The narrator is in a secret relationship with a man who already has a girlfriend. She loves the experience and does not want to see it end.

38. “Holding Her and Loving You” – Clay Walker

Clay Walker - Holding Her and Loving You (Official Audio)

Clay Walker is cheating on his girlfriend and finds it hard to tell her about his mistress because she supported him when life was rough.

39. “Touch my Body” – Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey - Touch My Body (Official Music Video)

In this track, Mariah agrees to have a physical relationship with her partner as long as it remains secret.

40. “Thinking of You” – Katy Perry

Katy Perry - Thinking Of You (Official)

In this track, Katy narrates how she thinks of her secret lover whenever she is with her boyfriend. She also expresses how she regrets letting him go.

41. “Just A Friend To You” – Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor - Just A Friend To You (lyrics)

This song features two friends who are in love with each other. However, they act as “just friends” when they are around other people to keep their emotions a secret.

Next: Top songs about friendship of all time

42. “Can I Be Him” – James Arthur

James Arthur - Can I Be Him

James is in love and yearns to be with a woman who is already with another man.

43. “Be My Downfall” – Del Amitri

Del Amitri - Be My Downfall (with Lyrics)

This track’s narrator spends the night with his secret lover, yet his girlfriend is waiting for him about 20 miles away.

44. “I Honestly Love You” – Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John - I Honestly Love You

The singer is in a relationship, but she expresses her love for a man who is also in a relationship with someone else.

45. “How Do I Get There” – Deana Carter

Deana Carter - How Do I Get There (Audio)

This track’s narrator is in love with her best friend and wonders how she can get lost in his arms.

46. “Dirty Little Secret” – All American Rejects

The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret (Official Music Video)

The singer tells his secret lover that she is the only one who needs to know about the relationship. He promises to keep her as long as she does not tell anyone about the situation.

47. “Diary” – Alicia Keys

Most songs about secret love explain one-sided emotions. Here, the narrator tells her partner that their emotions should remain a secret.

48. “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”- The Police

The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me (Official Music Video)

In this song, a schoolgirl gets into a secret affair with her teacher. It describes the fear and guilt associated with such a relationship.

49. “Run for Your Life” – The Beatles

Run For Your Life (Remastered 2009)

This track warns a girl to end a forbidden relationship before it intensifies and causes her to lose her life.

50. “Me and Mrs. Jones” – Billy Paul

Billy Paul - Me and Mrs. Jones (Official Audio)

The narrator states that he is in a strong secret relationship with Mrs. Jones, and they both know that it is wrong.

51. “Untouchable Face” – Ani DiFranco

Ani DiFranco - Untouchable Face

The narrator in this track yearns to be with someone who already has his better half. She feels horrible for having feelings towards this person and feels like she has lost her identity.

These secretly in love songs demonstrate the emotional challenges that people with secret or forbidden love go through.

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