Hurt Me Tomorrow
K'naan Lyrics

This ain't a good time
The current moment is not ideal

But when is it ever
Implying that life is always filled with challenges

I know the perfect time
The singer is implying that there is no such thing as the perfect time

And baby that's never
The perfect time does not exist in reality

So don't you dare leave me now
The artist does not want the person to leave at this moment

Throw my heart on the ground
The singer does not want their emotions to be dismissed or disregarded

'Cause tonight ain't the night for sorrow
The singer is suggesting that this moment is not one for mourning or sadness

But you can hurt me tomorrow, okay
The artist suggests that the person can hurt them at a later time

It's on you,
The decision to hurt the artist is up to the person

I used to be a strange fruit, Billie Holiday
The artist is likening themselves to Billie Holiday, whose music often dealt with themes of social injustice and suffering

Then you got me by my roots, took the pain away
The person being addressed helped the singer deal with their emotional pain

I tried to question our direction, that was my mistake
The artist made an error in questioning the direction of their relationship

I had to ask you where we going baby, Marvin Gaye
The singer is likening themselves to Marvin Gaye, who often sang about love and relationships

I used to do it like Sinatra, do it my way
The singer is likening themselves to Frank Sinatra, who was known for his individualistic style

Now I'm the Fugee of my Lauren Hill that got away
The singer is comparing themselves to Lauren Hill, who was a member of the Fugees, and is suggesting that they failed to hold on to someone special

I thought we had an at last love, Etta James
The artist is likening their love to that of Etta James, who sang about finding a lasting love

But now I'm wondering
The artist is questioning their relationship

If what I heard it's true
The singer is questioning the information they received about their relationship

Then I know what you came to do
The singer knows what the person intends to do

Love may be blind but I'm looking at you
The artist can see the person they are addressing, despite love being described as blind

So before you pull the trigger
The artist is asking the person to consider their actions before hurting them

Did you ever consider
The artist is suggesting that the person has not thought carefully about their actions

Hey! Why you turn around and walk away
The singer is questioning why the person is leaving

I know you got a lot to say
The artist knows the person has something they want to express

And I really wanna talk about it
The singer wants to have an open conversation with the person

Just not today, not today
However, the singer is not ready to have that conversation at this moment

Is there an instrument to measure all the heartache in
The singer is questioning whether there exists a tool that can quantify emotional pain

A looking glass so we can see where all the magic went
The artist is suggesting that they want to understand where things went wrong in their relationship

I need a button, I can push so we can start again
The artist wants an easy way to restart their relationship

'Cause girl you bring me to my knees, Nancy Kerrigan
The singer is likening the emotional pain they are experiencing to physical pain, using the example of Nancy Kerrigan's knee injury

If you can take a rain check on a stormy night
The singer is asking the person to delay hurting them until a later, less emotionally charged moment

Then I will love you till you're old, like you Betty White
The artist promises to continue loving the person even as they grow old, likening them to Betty White who is known for her longevity

You can hurt me any other day, pick a fight
The artist is permitting the person to hurt them at any other time they choose

But not on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday night
The artist does not want to be hurt during the weeknights, when they want to focus on their work

And not the weekend either 'cause I got a song to write
The singer does not want to be hurt on the weekend when they want to focus on their art

I promise I'mma hear you out when the time is right
Despite wanting to avoid emotional pain at the moment, the artist promises to listen to the person when the time is right

Let's have a talk, August 7th, 2099
The singer suggests they have the conversation with the person they are addressing on a specific date in the distant future

At your place or mine?
The singer is asking the person where they want to have the conversation in the future

You can hurt me, (you can hurt me)
Reiterating that the person has the power to hurt the singer

You can hurt me tomorrow, you can hurt me tomorrow
The artist permits the person to hurt them at a later time

Girl save it for tomorrow
The artist is asking the person to put off hurting them until a later time