Small Faces were an influential British mod/psychedelic band of the 1960s, … Read Full Bio ↴Small Faces were an influential British mod/psychedelic band of the 1960s, led by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane with Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan (who replaced original organist Jimmy Winston). The Small Faces were all genuine East End mods . They were signed to Decca records initially and enjoyed major success across Europe between 1965 and 1967 with classic singles like "All or Nothing" and "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" before moving to a new label.

By late 1967, the band had felt constricted financially & creatively by manager Don Arden (father of Sharon Osbourne), and were lured by Rolling Stones' publicist Andrew Loog Oldham into signing with his new Immediate label. They soon recorded more expansive psychedelic sounding material including hit pop tunes like "Lazy Sunday" which was included with their UK number one classic concept album Ogdens Nut Gone Flake and "Itchycoo Park" which was their only stateside charting single.

The demise of the Small Faces arrived on New Years Eve 1968, when Steve Marriott walked off stage at The Alexandra Palace in London. Marriott felt that despite the success of the group, he was still not being taken seriously as a musician. He went on to achieve major status in the U.S.A with Peter Frampton in Humble Pie. The others continued as the Faces, opting to drop the "Small" after one LP as new recruits Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood towered above their new band mates. Drummer Kenney Jones later joined The Who after the death of their drummer Keith Moon. As years went on, Marriott kept recording various lineups as Humble Pie but became somewhat of a caricature and casualty of rock excess. Tragically, Steve Marriott died in a house fire in 1991 and Ronnie Lane followed him in 1997 after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Keyboardist Ian McLagan has continued to tour and record with his own band as well as with artists like Billy Bragg, The New Barbarians ( a group composed of Ian, Ron Wood, Keith Richards, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham), and The Rolling Stones. According to announcements at the shows on the New Barbarians tour, the proceeds of the live gigs were going to pay Ronnie Lane's medical expenses associated with Ronnie's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis.

The Small Faces remain one of British rock's most important legacy acts, with their membership having links to so many other acts. Amongst the many bands they influenced were The Jam, Ramones, Oasis and X.

There are a number of locations around London linked to the Small Faces, many to be found in the East End where they grew up.

The J60 Music bar in Manor Park, an instrument shop where Steve Marriott first met Ronnie Lane
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Little Ilford park, also located in Manor Park, inspired the track Itchycoo Park, Steve and other kids in the East End used to play in this park when they grew up.
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In 1968 the Small Faces recorded a video for their track Lazy Sunday, Steve sings in his native East end accent and the video was shot in the East End using Kenney Jones parents' flat in Havering Street. The video ends with a shot of the nearby Thames.
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Take This Hurt Off Me
Small Faces Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come back and take this hurt off me
Baby, come back and take this hurt off me
'Cause, I'm too young to be in misery
Now baby, come back and take this hurt off me

I'll be waiting at the bus station
'Cause that's where you left me standin'
I got my clothes in a twenty-five cent locker

(Fool!) I be here (fool!)
'Till the Greyhound (fool!)
Bring you back again, girl
(Fool! fool! fool! fool!)

Come back and take this hurt off me
Baby, come back and take this hurt off me
'Cause I'm too young to be in misery, now
Baby, come back and take this hurt off me

I knocked on my mother's door
She said, a 'Don, walk on in'
'Son, you don't have to say a mumblin' word
I know your woman done and left ya, again'
(She left me! she left me! she left me! yes, she did)

I say, now
Come back and take this hurt off me
Baby, come back and take this hurt off me

Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, now
What kind of love could this be now?
Baby, baby, baby, I don't know what you've got
'Sho' that's it's got me'
(It's got 'em! it's got 'em! it's got 'em!
Mercy!

But now, I've been to see my doctor, yeah
(I been to see the doctor, now)
He did all he could
(He did all he could)
But there was nothin'
He could do for me, girl
You're the only one who could
(Come-come, come, come, come, come)
Come on baby, now

Come back and take this hurt off me
Baby, come back and take this hurt off me

It's hurtin' me
(Hurtin' me)
Heartbreak, now
(Hurtin' me)

It's hurtin' me, now
(It''s hurtin' me)
Heartache
(It's hurtin' me)

Too much pain
(It's hurtin' me)
Come back, again
(It's hurtin' me)

I need your lovin'
(It's hurtin' me)
Mercy, baby
(It's hurtin' me)

Heartbreak, now
(It's hurtin' me).

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Small Faces' "Take This Hurt Off Me" are a plea for a lover to come back and take away the pain the singer is experiencing after being left behind. The singer is "too young to be in misery" and is waiting for their lover to return at the bus station where they were left standing. The desperation is palpable as the singer has their belongings in a locker and will remain at the bus station until their lover returns, even though they are referred to as a "fool" for doing so. The singer has even gone to see a doctor but says that their lover is the only one who can truly make them feel better.

The song is a classic example of a heart-wrenching soul ballad, full of emotion and vulnerability. The repetition of the plea to "come back and take this hurt off me" illustrates just how much the singer is in pain, and the use of the word "baby" throughout the song adds to the overall feeling of helplessness and the need for comfort.

Overall, "Take This Hurt Off Me" is a powerful song about heartbreak and the desire for a lover to return and make things right. It speaks to the universal feeling of being in pain after being left behind and the longing for someone to take that pain away.

Line by Line Meaning

Come back and take this hurt off me
The singer is imploring their love interest to return and make them feel better after the pain they have caused.

Baby, come back and take this hurt off me
The singer uses the term of endearment 'baby' to persuade their love interest to take away their emotional pain.

'Cause, I'm too young to be in misery
The singer believes they are too young to be experiencing heartbreak and sadness and therefore wants their partner to make things right.

Now baby, come back and take this hurt off me
The artist reiterates their desire for their love interest to return and make things right by taking away their pain.

I'll be waiting at the bus station
The artist indicates where they will be waiting for their love interest to return and help them ease their pain.

'Cause that's where you left me standin'
The singer's love interest had previously left them at the bus station, where they will now wait for their return.

I got my clothes in a twenty-five cent locker
The singer has stored their belongings in a cheap locker while they wait for their love interest's return.

(Fool!) I be here (fool!)
The artist refers to themselves as a fool for waiting for their love interest's return instead of moving on.

'Till the Greyhound (fool!)
The artist indicates that they will keep waiting at the bus station until the Greyhound (a bus service) brings their love interest back to them.

Bring you back again, girl
The artist is certain that their love interest will return to them, and addresses them using a term of endearment ('girl').

I knocked on my mother's door
The singer has gone to their mother seeking comfort and advice after being left heartbroken by their love interest.

She said, a 'Don, walk on in'
The artist's mother welcomes them into her home, indicating she is there for support and will listen to their problems.

'Son, you don't have to say a mumblin' word
The singer's mother reassures them that they can confide in her without fear of being judged or interrupted.

I know your woman done and left ya, again'
The singer's mother expresses sympathy for their child's situation and acknowledges that their love interest has left them before.

(She left me! she left me! she left me! yes, she did)
The singer is still processing the fact that their love interest has left them again and repeats the painful fact to their mother.

What kind of love could this be now?
The artist is questioning the nature of the love between themselves and their love interest because it has left them in so much pain and heartbreak.

Baby, baby, baby, I don't know what you've got
The artist is wondering what it is about their love interest that has caused such intense feelings in them, while also acknowledging they don't have the answers.

'Sho' that's it's got me'
The singer admits that their love for their partner has completely consumed them and caused them intense emotional pain.

(It's got 'em! it's got 'em! it's got 'em! Mercy!)
The singer repeats that their love has a hold over them and pleads for mercy from the emotional pain.

But now, I've been to see my doctor, yeah (I been to see the doctor, now)
The artist has consulted a medical professional in an attempt to find a cure for their emotional pain.

He did all he could (He did all he could)
The medical professional was unable to help the artist alleviate their emotional pain completely.

But there was nothin' He could do for me, girl You're the only one who could
The artist now realizes that their love interest is the only one who can take away their pain and make them whole again.

(Come-come, come, come, come, come) Come on baby, now
The singer repeats a plea for their love interest to come back and help them overcome their heartbreak.

It's hurtin' me (Hurtin' me) Heartbreak, now (Hurtin' me)
The artist repeats that they are in pain and heartbroken, indicating that the pain is almost unbearable.

Too much pain (It's hurtin' me) Come back, again (It's hurtin' me)
The singer is begging for their love interest to come back, emphasizing the amount of pain they are in and how much they need them to return.

I need your lovin' (It's hurtin' me) Mercy, baby (It's hurtin' me)
The singer reiterates their love for their partner and how much they need them to come back and show them affection in order to heal their emotional pain.

Heartbreak, now (It's hurtin' me)
The singer ends the song repeating that they are heartbroken and that the pain is affecting them deeply.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DON COVAY, DONALD COVAY, RONALD MILLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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