Songfacts®:

• Kelly Clarkson has stated in interviews that finding the love of her life, her husband, Brandon Blackstock, has changed her world. During this doo-wop-tinged belter she sings passionately about how beautiful true love can be.
  
  When you hold me, I finally see
  When you say love, I know what it means
  I was broke down so alone in the dark
  Until you showed me the light (baby)
• The soulful song was originally recorded for Clarkson's 2015 album Piece by Piece, but she felt it didn't fit with the LP's other dance pop-heavy tracks. Instead, the singer kept it in her back pocket, to demonstrate to songwriters and producers the direction she wanted to take for her follow-up record, which was named after the tune.
  
  "'Meaning of Life' is the song that started this entire project," Clarkson explained. "The vibe, soul, and message of this song was very critical to show other writers and producers of the new direction we were taking."
• The song was co-written by English singer-songwriter James Morrison, who has enjoyed international success under his own name with such international hits as "You Give Me Something," "Broken Strings" and "I Won't Let You Go."
• Clarkson also shared a live version of the song taken from her Nashville Sessions series, performed at Nashville's famed War Memorial Auditorium.
• Kelly Clarkson told the UK Metro newspaper why she made "Meaning of Life" the title track: "(It) was the first to be written for it, which in turn signaled a departure from previous records. It's also a statement about how I feel right now. There's something to loving your personal life and also your work life, and being able to choose who I work with after my American Idol contract finished. It feels like a new chapter."