Although critically acclaimed, John Hammond has had only moderate commercial success. Nonetheless, he enjoys a strong fan base and has earned respect from the likes of John Lee Hooker, Roosevelt Sykes, Duane Allman, Robbie Robertson, and Charlie Musselwhite, all of whom have contributed their musical talents to Hammond's records. In addition, he is the only person who ever had Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix in his band at the same time, even if it was only for five days in the 1960s when Hammond played the Gaslight Café in New York. To his regret, they never recorded together.
John Hammond has had a longstanding friendship with songwriter Tom Waits, and has performed Waits' songs on occasion. In 2001, he released Wicked Grin, an album entirely of Tom Waits compositions. Waits himself provided guitar work and backing vocals as well as producing the project.
2. John Hammond was a old time banjo player from the 1920's. He recorded the bluegrass classic 'Little Birdie' in 1925.
It Hurts Me Too
John Hammond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the man you love, he hurts you all the time
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
You love him more when you should love him less
I pick up behind him and take his mess
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
But you love him and stick to him like glue
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
Now you better leave him, he better put you down
Oh, I won't stand to see you pushed around
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
John Hammond's rendition of "It Hurts Me Too" is a blues ballad that delves into the pain of unrequited love and emotional manipulation. The opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song with the line "You said you was hurting, almost lost your mind" conveying the depths of the hurt that the woman being described is feeling. The second part of the line "And the man you love, he hurts you all the time" highlights the cause of her pain, which is that the man she loves not only doesn't love her back, but continually causes her emotional harm.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the central theme - when the woman is suffering, the singer feels it too. The lines "When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too" create a connection between the two characters where their emotional states become intertwined. The second verse of the song adds another layer of complexity to the situation. The woman is in love with a man who doesn't love her back, but the singer loves her. The line "He loves another woman and I love you" sets up a love triangle dynamic where the woman being described is stuck between two men who don't love her equally.
The final verse of the song is a call to action for the woman being described. The singer urges her to leave the man who is causing her harm and disrespecting her. The line "He better put you down, oh, I won't stand to see you pushed around" shows that the singer cares for the woman and doesn't want to see her suffer anymore. The final repetition of the chorus along with the poignant guitar riffs emphasizes the depth of feeling and the pain that comes with this kind of complicated love.
Line by Line Meaning
You said you was hurting, almost lost your mind
You expressed to me that you are in pain and feeling overwhelmed.
And the man you love, he hurts you all the time
Your significant other constantly causes you emotional distress despite your love for him.
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
I feel sadness and empathy when I see you suffering.
You love him more when you should love him less
You have an intense desire for him despite the harm caused by his actions.
I pick up behind him and take his mess
I am willing to help clean up after his mistakes and offer comfort to you.
He love another woman and I love you
He has affection for someone else while I have deep feelings for you.
But you love him and stick to him like glue
You cling to him despite his flaws, possibly out of fear of being alone.
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
Your negative experiences affect me deeply and cause me pain.
Now you better leave him, he better put you down
I advise you to end the toxic relationship before he causes more damage.
Oh, I won't stand to see you pushed around
I am willing to take a stand against mistreatment towards you.
When things go wrong, go wrong with you, it hurts me, too
I care about your well-being and experience pain when you are suffering.
Contributed by Jasmine I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.