History
History
2005–2008: Beginnings
Hurts performing in January 2010
Anderson (born 14 May 1985 in Manchester) and Hutchcraft (born 30 August 1986 in Richmond, North Yorkshire) met outside Manchester's 42nd Street nightclub in November 2005, standing by while their friends got involved in a fight. Too drunk to join in, they began discussing music instead; realising they had similar tastes, they decided to start a band. Over the next few months, they exchanged music and lyrics via e-mail, before forming Bureau in March 2006. They performed their first gig as a quintet in May at The Music Box in Manchester, and were shortly afterwards signed to independent record label High Voltage Sounds. They released their first double A-side single "After Midnight"/"Dollhouse" in November, which was made Single of the Week on Xfm. In 2007, Bureau disbanded and Hutchcraft and Anderson formed the band Daggers soon after. They signed to Label Fandango and in October released another double A-side single, "Money"/"Magazine", which, despite failing to chart, was nominated for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize.
Throughout 2008, Daggers continued to build a following and began working with producers Biff Stannard and Richard X, but after a disastrous A&R showcase in London in September, Theo and Adam returned to Manchester to reflect on the band's future. They recorded a mournful ballad called "Unspoken" together and they immediately realised that this was the sound that they wanted to develop as a duo. After informing the rest of the band that it was finished, they went on a short break to Verona in Italy, where they claim they discovered a musical genre called "Disco Lento". Daggers split on 30 January 2009.
2009–2012: Happiness
Now called Hurts, the duo recorded an amateur music video for a song called "Wonderful Life", with a female dancer who had responded to an advert they placed in a post office in Manchester. After they uploaded the video to their YouTube channel on 21 April 2009, it quickly went viral and has since had over 38 million views. In July, the band was signed to Sony subsidiary RCA Records as well as RCA imprint Major Label Records, run by their old friend Biff Stannard.
Although Hutchcraft and Anderson had decided to not do any gigs until they had enough songs, they began uploading demos to their Myspace page, and on 27 July 2009, they were named Band of the Day by The Guardian. On 7 December, they made the longlist of the Sound of 2010, an annual poll of music critics and industry figures conducted by the BBC. Following spot plays on BBC Radio 1 of "Wonderful Life", Hurts were invited to record at London's Maida Vale Studios on 9 December for Huw Stephens' radio show, where they performed "Illuminated" and "Silver Lining".
Hurts performing in October 2010
2010 began with Hurts finishing fourth on the Sound of 2010 poll, behind Ellie Goulding, Marina and the Diamonds, and Delphic. On 7 January, Zane Lowe premiered the song "Blood, Tears & Gold" as his "Hottest Record in the World", and another self-made music video debuted online three days later. Having released a limited edition 12" vinyl picture disc of the Arthur Baker remix of "Wonderful Life" on 18 January, Hurts performed their first ever gig as Hurts on 22 January at the Michalsky Stylenite in Berlin, followed by St Phillips Church in Salford on 22 February. This was quickly followed by gigs at Wiltons Music Hall, London, and in Berlin and Cologne in Germany.
In March, "Wonderful Life" was released to radio in various European territories; as manager Matt Vines explained to Music Week, the aim was to launch the band simultaneously across Europe and Asia. "It's an internationally focused campaign. We're looking at tours across Europe to back up the work we are doing in the UK." The single became a radio hit in countries such as Denmark, Cyprus and Russia throughout the spring. On 10 March, their first UK single "Better Than Love" was premiered on Huw Stephens' show on BBC Radio 1. After a nationwide tour with the NME Radar tour, the song was released on digital download, CD and vinyl formats on 24 May, and debuted at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart.
Following success on Greek radio, Hurts were invited to perform at the MAD Video Music Awards ceremony in Athens in front of 11,000 people on 15 June. Also in June, Kylie Minogue recorded a verse and backing vocals for the song "Devotion", which was to be included on the band's album. Hurts recorded a performance of Kylie's 1994 hit "Confide in Me" for newspaper The Sun's website, and has since been a regular inclusion on their gig setlists. Kylie later returned the compliment by recording a performance of "Wonderful Life" in Radio 1's Live Lounge.
Throughout the summer, Hurts performed at several music festivals including V Festival and T in the Park in the UK, Pukkelpop in Belgium, and SWR3 New Pop Festival in Germany. "Wonderful Life" was released in Germany on 6 August and it debuted at number two on the German Singles Chart. It was released in the UK on 23 August, where it debuted at number 21, becoming their first UK top 40 hit. The album Happiness, which had been recorded at Sunshine Dance Studios in Manchester and Pellerin in Gothenburg with producer Jonas Quant, was released on 6 September. It debuted at number four in the UK Albums Chart, selling 25,000 copies in its first week on sale, which made it the fastest selling debut album by a band in 2010.
In October, Hurts embarked on their first full headline UK tour, performing in Brighton, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and London. Their third UK single "Stay" was released in November, reaching number 50 in the chart. Meanwhile, in Germany, "Wonderful Life" was certified platinum for sales in excess of 500,000 copies, and they were awarded the BAMBI award for Best International Newcomer. They were also nominated at the MTV Europe Music Awards in the Best Push Artist category. Hurts ended 2010 by supporting Scissor Sisters on their UK arena tour in December, and released a Christmas single called "All I Want for Christmas Is New Year's Day" for free download on iTunes.
Happiness climbed back into the UK Top 30 albums chart in February 2011 following a second nationwide headline tour, several TV appearances including on The Graham Norton Show, and winning Best New Band at the NME Awards on 23 February, where they also performed "Wonderful Life". A fourth single from the album, "Sunday", was released in the UK on 27 February and it debuted at number 57, whilst the second single in Germany, "Stay", reached number three. In March, Hurts were awarded Best International Newcomer at the ECHO Awards in Germany. A fifth single, "Illuminated", was released in the UK on 9 May, entering the chart at number 159, though it had already reached number 68 in September 2010, following its use on trailers for television channel Sky1.
On 26 June, Theo and Adam performed on the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival, and their full set was broadcast on a loop on the BBC Red Button channel. Readers of music magazine NME voted their performance as the best of the festival, putting them ahead of headliners U2, Coldplay, and Beyoncé. They were later voted "Band of the Summer" by the same magazine. In June 2011 they announced a remix of the track "Lonely Lisa" by French singer Mylène Farmer.
"Blood, Tears & Gold" was released as the third single in Germany on 7 October, peaking at number 39. A deluxe CD/DVD edition of Happiness was released on 31 October. The album eventually sold 400,000 copies in Germany, earning it double platinum status. It sold 150,000 copies in the United Kingdom, and spent a year on the UK Top 200 albums chart.
Hurts embarked on their first full European tour in October 2011, performing in Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, North Macedonia, and the UK. They said in interviews that they planned to start writing and recording for their second album after they have completed the tour, but that they might find it more difficult than their first. On 4 November 2011, Hurts played their last show of their 'Happiness Tour' at Brixton Academy where Kylie Minogue joined them on stage to perform "Devotion" and "Confide in Me". Hurts have confirmed more festival shows for summer 2012. In 2012, Hurts played the Summerwell Festival, Romania (11 August), Open Air Zofingen, Switzerland (12 August) and the Pildyk Friends Festival, Lithuania (14 August).
2012–2015: Exile
Hurts performing in July 2014
In September 2012, Hurts confirmed that recording of their next album was underway, with producer Jonas Quant. Their second studio album, Exile, was available on 11 March 2013. A video-teaser on iTunes contained a new track from Exile called "The Road", which was released on 14 December 2012 on YouTube. In autumn 2013 the video got a nomination for UK Music Video Awards as the Best Music Ad – TV or Online. An audio-only video of "The Road" was also uploaded.
The lead single from the album, "Miracle", premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 4 January 2013. A music video directed by Chris Turner was uploaded to YouTube on 4 February, but was permanently removed shortly after. A second video was shot and appeared online on 28 February. The single reached number 23 in Germany and number 120 in the UK.
Exile was released on 8 March 2013, achieving a top ten position in ten countries worldwide, debuting at number three in Germany and number nine in the UK. "Blind" was released as the second single on 20 May, and "Somebody to Die For" followed as the third on 21 July. With the release of "Somebody to Die for" they included a cover version of "Ohne Dich" from the German band Selig. The band continued their Exile Tour across Europe in October and November 2013 and March 2014.
2015 – 2017: Surrender
In May 2015, Hurts released a new single titled "Some Kind of Heaven". The release was produced with long-term collaborator Jonas Quant.On 6 October 2015, Hurts released the music video for "Wish", directed by Bryan Adams. Surrender was released on 9 October 2015. At the end of the tour for the album, Hurts released a video for the song "Nothing Will be Bigger Than Us". The video consisted of live concert footage of the Surrender tour in Moscow and London.
2017–2018: Desire
"Beautiful Ones", the first single from Desire, was released on 21 April 2017, the one-year anniversary of the death of American musician Prince, whom Hurts have cited as an inspiration. The song is assumed to be inspired by the Prince song "The Beautiful Ones", from his 1984 breakthrough album Purple Rain. The video for the song was shot in Kiev and was also released on 21 April 2017. In the video, which plays out in reverse, Hutchcraft portrays a drag queen who is chased and beaten by a group of men after one of them mistakes him for a woman in a nightclub and subsequently feels that his masculinity has been insulted. On 1 September, the band released another single, "Ready to Go". The video was filmed in Horwich, Greater Manchester. On 22 September, a single titled "Hold On to Me" was released.
Desire was released on 29 September 2017. During the tour for the album, Hurts liked the welcome they received from fans in Russia so much that they extended the tour to include a return to Russia at the end of it. The second part of the tour also saw the duo perform in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and China. The final concert took place in Bucharest on 22 September 2018.
2020–present: Faith
In May 2020, Hurts blacked out their pictures on their social media profiles and posted links to a Telegram profile, on which they released puzzles leading to the release of a lyric video for "Voices", the first single from their upcoming fifth album. With lyrics inspired by "isolation, desperation, and mania", Hutchcraft said that "Voices" had become "oddly prescient" during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 June, they revealed that the upcoming album would be titled Faith and released its second single, "Suffer". On 16 July, they released a third single called "Redemption" and announced that the album was released on 4 September.
White Horses
Hurts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She took a drive to the coastline
She stood on the sand and watched the sunrise
Hoping one day that her prince will come
Madeleine was a showgirl
She said, "Paris was not the way it seems"
But in Montreux she found a lover
But diamonds and pearls are her religion
Her princes they come and then they go
But they ride white horses
Yeah, they ride white horses
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
Out on the plains
White horses
But they ride white horses
Yeah, they ride white horses
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
Out on the plains
The lyrics to Hurts's song "White Horses" tell the story of a woman named Madeleine who hopes to find her prince charming. The first stanza introduces us to Madeleine, who is portrayed as a wealthy and elegant woman, as she has a chauffeur and takes drives to the coastline. Standing on the sand, she watches the sunrise with the anticipation that one day her prince will come into her life.
In the following stanza, we learn that Madeleine used to be a showgirl and had a less glamorous experience in Paris than she expected. However, she eventually finds love in Montreux, a city in Switzerland. The mention of a blue-eyed rich man symbolizes her connection with someone who is wealthy and perhaps becomes a savior figure for her. This man helps to heal her emotional wounds, which are represented by her broken wings.
The chorus emphasizes the transient nature of Madeleine's romantic relationships. Diamonds and pearls, which are often associated with material wealth and luxury, become her religion, suggesting her attachment to a superficial lifestyle. Her princes, symbolizing her lovers or suitors, come and go in her life like white horses galloping by. The image of riding white horses symbolizes the excitement and intensity of these relationships, as she clings tightly to her partners while they thunder across the plains. The use of the violet sky adds a touch of mystique and fantasy to the scene, suggesting a departure from reality.
Overall, the lyrics of "White Horses" depict Madeleine as a woman who longs for love and fantasy. She seeks a lasting connection with a prince charming, but finds that her relationships often come and go like fleeting white horses. The song explores themes of materialism, fleeting romance, and the yearning for something more meaningful and lasting.
Line by Line Meaning
Madeleine had a chauffeur
Madeleine had a personal driver
She took a drive to the coastline
She went on a car ride to the beach
She stood on the sand and watched the sunrise
She stood on the sandy beach and admired the sunrise
Hoping one day that her prince will come
Having a wish that one day she will find her true love
Madeleine was a showgirl
Madeleine was a performer in a show
She said, 'Paris was not the way it seems'
She expressed that Paris was not as glamorous as it appeared
But in Montreux she found a lover
However, in Montreux she met a romantic partner
A blue-eyed rich man who clipped her broken wings
An affluent man with blue eyes who restricted her freedom
But diamonds and pearls are her religion
Material possessions like jewelry are incredibly important to her
Her princes they come and then they go
Her suitors come into her life but eventually leave
But they ride white horses
However, her suitors come in a grand manner
Yeah, they ride white horses
Indeed, they arrive in a majestic manner
And she'll be up on the saddle
She will be on the horse's saddle, close to her suitor
And she'll be holding him tight
She will embrace him tightly
They'll be galloping thunder
They will ride at a fast pace, reminiscent of thunder
Under the violet sky
Beneath the colorful sky during twilight
As they ride white horses
While they experience this grand romantic gesture
Out on the plains
In the wide open countryside
White horses
These majestic horses
But they ride white horses
Yet, they arrive in a grand manner
Yeah, they ride white horses
Indeed, they arrive in a majestic manner
And she'll be up on the saddle
She will be on the horse's saddle, close to her suitor
And she'll be holding him tight
She will embrace him tightly
They'll be galloping thunder
They will ride at a fast pace, reminiscent of thunder
Under the violet sky
Beneath the colorful sky during twilight
As they ride white horses
While they experience this grand romantic gesture
Out on the plains
In the wide open countryside
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Adam Anderson, Theo Hutchcraft
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@HurtsArmenia
Madeleine had a chauffeur
She took a drive to the coastline
She stood on the sand and watched the sunrise
Hoping one day that her prince will come
[Refrain]
Oh-eh, oh-eh
Oh-eh
Oh-eh, oh-eh
Oh-eh, oh-eh
[Verse 2]
Madeleine was a showgirl
She said Paris was not the way it seems
But in Montreux, she found a lover
A blue-eyed rich man who clipped her broken wings
But diamonds and pearls are her religion
Her princes, they come and then they go
[Chorus]
But they ride white horses
(Oh-eh, oh-eh)
Yeah, they ride white horses
(Oh-eh, oh-eh)
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
[Bridge]
Out on the plains
Oh-eh, oh-eh
Oh-eh, oh-eh
White horses
Oh-eh, oh-eh
Oh-eh, oh-eh
[Chorus]
But they ride white horses
(Oh-eh, oh-eh)
Yeah, they ride white horses
(Oh-eh, oh-eh)
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
Out on the plains
@iconbit2468
У Мадлен был шофер
Она поехала на побережье
Она стояла на песке и смотрела на восход солнца.
Надеясь однажды, что ее принц придет
Мадлен была танцовщицей
Она сказала, что Париж не такой, каким кажется
Но в Монтре она нашла себе любовника.
Голубоглазый богач, подрезавший ей сломанные крылья
Но бриллианты и жемчуга-ее религия.
Ее принцы приходят и уходят
[Припев]
Но они ездят на белых лошадях
Да, они ездят на белых лошадях
И она будет сидеть в седле.
И она будет крепко держать его
Они будут скакать галопом.
Под фиолетовым небом
Как они ездят на белых лошадях
На равнине
Белые лошади
@purr_fect3meow
Madeleine had a chauffeur
She took a drive to the coastline
She stood on the sand and watched the sunrise
Hoping one day that her prince will come
Madeleine was a showgirl
She said, "Paris was not the way it seems"
But in Montreux she found a lover
A blue-eyed rich man who clipped her broken wings
But diamonds and pearls are her religion
Her princes they come and then they go
But they ride white horses
Yeah, they ride white horses
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
Out on the plains
White horses
But they ride white horses
Yeah, they ride white horses
And she'll be up on the saddle
And she'll be holding him tight
They'll be galloping thunder
Under the violet sky
As they ride white horses
@LadyMartinson
There's something so charming and addicting about this song, can't really tell what it is but it's definitely strong. It's a perfect mixture of old and new, it's a back to the roots yet discovering new grounds and I'm totally in for it.
@sallyharvey1036
Love this 💖💖💖💖💖
@MaCherie92
The pattern for the song is the same as Beautiful Life, that's why.
@sallyharvey1036
Beautiful life????? HURTS never did a song of that title
@sethmorgan9377
I agree love it
@sethmorgan9377
LOVE
@user-ki5on3bj8w
Это настоящее произведение искусства, целая история, оформленная чарующе-мрачной музыкой. В голове сразу вырисовывается нереально эпичный фильм. Браво, Тео. Браво, Адам. Кажется, лучше уже быть просто не может, но с каждым альбомом ребята доказывают обратное.
Hurts – это легендарно.
@arthurmcgarrett8580
Согласен. Это действительно шедевр. Как и Liar. На прошлом альбоме не было ничего подобного.
@TiziLein
This track is so epic! My absolute favorite off of the album so far... so dark yet so beautiful
@HinataMUSIKA
Me too