Although Gryffin has recently been on the cusp of a major breakthrough, he began his musical journey growing up as a classically trained pianist, before expanding his sonic palette with guitar at an early age. He played in bands to initially hone his instrumental abilities, until he dove head first into the world of music production at the University of Southern California. Throughout college and beyond, Gryffin further refined his skills that have blossomed into his artistic mastery that is appreciated by his counterparts and adoring fans around the world. In his genre, artists typically DJ to showcase their talents, but live performance is where his heart lies in capturing the essence of his work.
With a world-debut at this past SnowGlobe Music Festival, Gryffin unveiled his anticipated live performance to finally connect with those who have been behind his impressive play counts. His passion and love for musicianship, and artistry within music shined through as he performed with live instrumentation (guitar, keyboard, synths, & drum pads) in a continuous dance music format to keep up the energy characteristic of DJ sets. Since this performance was a resounding success, the excitement is brewing for his next two sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ The Roxy, and New York’s Bowery Ballroom to close out his first-ever live tour.
Following the conclusion of the tour, Gryffin made the leap to his first original production, “Heading Home” featuring Josef Salvat, which immediately became #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart, US Viral Chart, and accumulated a million plays in one week after being released via Darkroom/Interscope Records. It’s already looking like 2016 is going to be Gryffin’s biggest year yet.
Hurt People
Gryffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't wanna cause you pain
This ain't the way that I thought we would live
When I start to feel like I'm in trouble again
I just keep it as friends 'cause I know how it ends
When I feel like I'll be the devil again
I'll sit back and pretend like we both never met
I found courage at 16 but lost it at 23
I'm not okay, I'm not okay
And I lost my self-esteem believing in a dream
I lost my faith, I lost my faith, oh-oh
Hurt people hurt people's how it begins
And I don't wanna cause you pain
This ain't the way that I thought we would live
You might think that I'm crazy
You might think you can save me
I wish it was that easy, oh-oh-oh
Hurt people hurt people, that's how it ends
And I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
When the cracks appear and we fall in-between
Oh, you suddenly see this is far from your dreams
When the chaos comes and we're sleepless awake
I'm a slave to my ways
You deserve better days
I found courage at 16 and lost it when you had me
It's not okay, it's not okay
So don't lose your self-esteem believing in a dream
And lose your way, don't lose your faith, oh-oh
Hurt people hurt people's how it begins
And I don't wanna cause you pain
This ain't the way that I thought we would live
You might think that I'm crazy
You might think you can save me
I wish it was that easy, oh-oh-oh
Hurt people hurt people, that's how it ends
And I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
Why won't you hear me when I say
You're way too good for me anyway?
Why won't you hear me when I say
You're way too good for me anyway?
Hurt people hurt people's how it begins
And I don't wanna cause you pain
This ain't the way that I thought we would live, ooh
You might think that I'm crazy (Crazy)
You might think you can save me (Save me)
I wish it was that easy (Easy), oh-oh-oh
Hurt people hurt people, that's how it ends
And I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
No, I don't wanna cause you pain
Cause you pain
I don't wanna cause you pain
The song "Hurt People" by Gryffin and Aloe Blacc is about the cycle of hurt caused by our past experiences and how it can affect our present relationships. The chorus repeats the phrase "Hurt people hurt people" which means that people who have been hurt in the past tend to hurt others in their subsequent relationships. The lyrics express the singer's reluctance to enter into a relationship because they don't want to cause any pain to their partner. The lines "When I start to feel like I'm in trouble again/I just keep it as friends 'cause I know how it ends" shows the singer's fear of getting hurt again and their resolution to keep things platonic to avoid any pain.
The song talks about losing courage and self-esteem and struggling to believe in dreams. The lines "I found courage at 16 but lost it at 23/I'm not okay, I'm not okay/And I lost my self-esteem believing in a dream/I lost my faith, I lost my faith, oh-oh" indicates the singer's past traumas and how they have affected their present state of mind. The lyrics also contain a message of hope and the plea to break the cycle of hurt. The lines "So don't lose your self-esteem believing in a dream/And lose your way, don't lose your faith, oh-oh" encourages the listener to hold onto their beliefs and not let past experiences hold them back.
Line by Line Meaning
Hurt people hurt people's how it begins
People who are hurting emotionally or mentally often hurt others as well, and the cycle continues.
And I don't wanna cause you pain
I don't want to be the cause of your emotional or physical pain.
This ain't the way that I thought we would live
This is not the way I imagined our relationship or situation would turn out.
When I start to feel like I'm in trouble again
When I feel like I'm in a difficult situation and may act impulsively or irrationally.
I just keep it as friends 'cause I know how it ends
I choose to maintain a friendship because I am aware of the negative consequences of pursuing a romantic relationship.
When I feel like I'll be the devil again
When I feel like I am about to act in an unhealthy or harmful way.
I'll sit back and pretend like we both never met
I will avoid the situation entirely and pretend that we never met, to prevent further negative consequences.
I found courage at 16 but lost it at 23
I once had the courage to pursue my dreams or speak my mind, but have since lost that confidence.
I'm not okay, I'm not okay
I am not in a good mental or emotional state.
And I lost my self-esteem believing in a dream
I lost my sense of self-worth by pursuing a dream or ideal that turned out to be unattainable.
I lost my faith, I lost my faith, oh-oh
I lost my belief in something important to me, whether it be a religion or personal value.
You might think that I'm crazy
You may perceive me as irrational or illogical.
You might think you can save me
You may believe that you can help me overcome my issues or problems.
I wish it was that easy, oh-oh-oh
I wish that overcoming my challenges was as simple as someone helping me.
And lose your way, don't lose your faith, oh-oh
Don't lose sight of who you are and what is important to you, even when faced with challenges.
Why won't you hear me when I say
Why don't you listen to me when I express my thoughts or feelings?
You're way too good for me anyway
You deserve someone better than me regardless of my current state.
Cause you pain
Inflict emotional or physical pain upon you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dan Griffith, Dan Smith, Matthew Holmes, Philip Leigh, Corey Sanders
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind