Her debut single, Stone Cold Sober, was released in June 2009 and entered the British charts at number 17, while her second single New York reached number 15. Her debut album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? was released on 28 September 2009, peaking at number 9 and later certified double platinum.
In 2012, she released her second studio album, Fall to Grace, which reached number two in the UK and has since been certified double-platinum. The album produced her first top ten single, Picking Up the Pieces and the top twenty cover version of INXS's Never Tear Us Apart. Her third album, A Perfect Contradiction was released in 2014 and has become her most successful album to date. The album included the top ten singles, Can't Rely on You and Only Love Can Hurt Like This, which became her highest-charting single in the UK.
Paloma's fourth and current album The Architect was released in November 2017.
Paloma won Best British Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards in 2015 and has been nominated four other times. She has also made feature film appearances in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Dread and the 2007 remake of St Trinian's.
Only Love Can Hurt Like This
Paloma Faith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what we got, got no hold on me
But when you're not there, I just crumble
I tell myself I don't care that much
But I feel like I die 'til I feel your touch
Only love, only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Say I wouldn't care if you walked away
But every time you're there, I'm begging you to stay
And when you come close (when you come close), I just tremble
And every time, every time you go
It's like a knife that cuts right to my soul
Only love, only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Must've been a deadly kiss
Only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Your kisses burn into my skin
Only love can hurt like this
But it's the sweetest pain
Burning hot through my veins
Love is torture, makes me more sure
Only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Must've been a deadly kiss
Only love can hurt like this
Only love can hurt like this
Your kisses burn into my skin
Only love can hurt like this
(Only love can hurt like this)
Only love can hurt like this
(Only love can hurt) save me, save me
Only love, only love
'Cause only love can hurt like this
And it must've been a deadly kiss
Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paloma Faith is a beautifully crafted song about heartbreak and the pain that only love can bring. The lyrics talk about the struggle of pretending not to care about a person who doesn't reciprocate the same feelings, but when they are not around, it feels like the world is crumbling. Even though the person tries to convince themselves that they don't care that much, they can't help but feel like they are dying until they feel that person's touch. The chorus describes how only love can hurt this bad and must have been a deadly kiss. Despite knowing that the love is hurting, it's still deeply cherished and sweet in its own way.
The song highlights the bittersweet pain of love but also portrays a sense of hope for the future. The bridge acknowledges that love is torture, and it hurts badly, but it also makes the person more sure of what they want. The ad libs towards the end of the track express the pain of the person and their desperate cry for help, hoping that only love can save them.
Line by Line Meaning
I tell myself you don't mean a thing
I try to convince myself that you have no significance in my life
And what we got, got no hold on me
Our relationship doesn't have any power over me
But when you're not there, I just crumble
But in reality, when you're not around I fall apart
I tell myself I don't care that much
I try to convince myself that I don't have strong feelings for you
But I feel like I die 'til I feel your touch
But the truth is, I feel like I'm dying inside until I'm close to you
Say I wouldn't care if you walked away
I pretend that I wouldn't be affected if you chose to leave me
But every time you're there, I'm beggin' you to stay
But when you're with me, I plead with you to stay
And when you come close (when you come close), I just tremble
And when you get close to me, I can't help but shake
And every time, every time you go
And every time you leave
It's like a knife that cuts right to my soul
It feels like a sharp object is piercing my soul
Only love, only love can hurt like this
Love is the only thing that can cause such intense emotional pain
Must've been a deadly kiss
Your kiss had a powerful effect on me
Your kisses burn into my skin
Your kisses leave a lasting effect on me
But it's the sweetest pain
Even though the pain is intense, it's worth it because of the love I feel
Burnin' hot through my veins
The intensity of the pain feels like it's flowing through my veins
Love is torture, makes me more sure
Love is painful, but it also makes me more certain of my feelings
'Cause only love can hurt like this
The pain I feel is unique to love
And it must've been a deadly kiss
Your kiss had a powerful, even deadly effect on me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Realsongs
Written by: Diane Eve Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind