Hard Love
June Tabor Lyrics

I remember growing up like it was only yesterday,
Reflecting on the past, it seems like it was just yesterday when I was young.

Mom and Daddy tried best to guide me on my way.
My parents did their best to help me find my path in life.

But the hard times and the liquor drove the easy love away,
Difficult circumstances and alcohol addiction caused the love in my family to become strained and distant.

And only love I knew about was hard love.
As a result of my upbringing, the only concept of love I understood was that of hardship and struggle.

It was hard love, every hour of the day,
The love I experienced was difficult and relentless, day in and day out.

When Christmas to my birthday was a million years away,
The passage of time felt long and slow as a child, especially between the excitement of Christmas and the anticipation of a birthday.

And the fear that came between them drove the tears into my play,
The anxiety that dwelled within me caused me to cry while I played.

There was love in Daddy's house, but it was hard love.
Despite the love in my family, it was still a difficult, trying experience.

And for every song of laughter was another song that cried,
For every happy moment I experienced, there was always an equally sad one to follow.

This ain't no easy week-end, this is hard love.
This is a difficult life, not a carefree vacation.

It was hard love, every step of the way,
The love I experienced was hard and challenging at every turn.

Hard to be so close to you, so hard to turn away,
It was difficult to be close to the people I loved, even though it hurt to push them away.

And when all the stars and sentimental songs dissolved today,
The romantic notions and passionate feelings faded away, leaving only the truth of the difficult love in my heart.

There was nothing left to sing about but hard love.
All that remained was the tough and challenging nature of the love I experienced.

So I loved you for your courage and your gentle sense of shame,
Despite the difficulties of love, I found strength and endearment in your bravery and modesty.

And I loved you for your laughter and your language and your name,
I cherished you for your happiness, communication, and unique identity.

And I knew it was impossible, but I loved you just the same,
Although I knew it would be hard, I loved you regardless.

Though the only love I gave to you was hard love.
Though I could only love you with the difficult love I had learned, it was still love.

It was hard love, it was hard on you I know,
I understand that the difficult love I gave was hard on you as well.

When the only love I gave to you was love I couldn't show.
The love I gave you was difficult to express or demonstrate.

You forgave the heart that loved you as your lover turned to go,
When my love for you was not enough and I had to leave, you still forgave me for my shortcomings.

Leaving nothing but the memory of hard love.
All that remained was the hard love we had shared and the memories that lingered.

So I'm standing in this phone booth with a dollar and a dime,
I'm now alone, with very little to my name except a small amount of change and a telephone to connect me to you.

Wondering what to say to you to ease your troubled mind,
I'm unsure of how to comfort you and lift your worries.

For the Lord's cross might redeem us, but our own just wastes our time,
While we may believe in divine redemption, our own attempts at reconciliation can sometimes be futile and pointless.

And to tell the two apart is always hard, love.
Distinguishing between divine redemption and personal efforts at reconciliation can be difficult, especially when it comes to expressing love.

So I'll tell you that I love you even though I'm far away,
Despite the distance between us, and the difficulties of our love, I still care for you deeply.

And I'll tell you how you change me as I live from day to day,
I'll express the positive impact you have on my life as I navigate daily challenges.

How you help me to accept myself and I won't forget to say,
I'll acknowledge the ways in which you've helped me to accept myself and love in a better way.

Love is never wasted, even when it's hard love.
Although the love we feel may be difficult, it is never wasted or meaningless.

Yes it's hard love, but it's love all the same,
Even though our love may be hard and challenging, it is still love at its core.

Not the stuff of fantasy but more than just a game.
Our love is not just a fanciful idea, but is more meaningful and substantial than a mere game or superficial attraction.

And the only kind of miracle that's worthy of the name,
The only kind of miracle that truly makes a difference is one that involves the difficult and transformative power of love.

For the love that heals our lives is mostly hard love.
Love that truly transforms and heals our lives is often difficult and requires hardship and sacrifice.