03 Every Little Bit Hurts
Steve Winwood; The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics


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Every little bit hurts
Every little bit hurts
Every night I cry
Every night I die
Every night I wonder why
You treat me cold
Yet you won't let me go
Every little hurt does
Every little hurt does
To you I am a toy
And you're the girl
Who has the say
Why I should play
Yeah you hurt me
Desert me I just can't take
The loneliness you give me
I just can't go
Another night this way
Come back to me
Darlin' you'll see
I can give you all the things
You wanted me for
If you will stay with me
Every little bit hurts
Every little bit hurts
Every night I cry
Every night I die
Every night I wonder why
You treat me cold
Yet you won't let me go
Come back to me
Darlin' you'll see
I can give you all the things
That you wanted me for
If you will stay with me
Every little bit hurts




Every little bit hurts
Every little bit hurts

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steve Winwood's song "Every Little Bit Hurts" tell the story of heartbreak and desperation in a relationship. The singer laments about how every little hurt inflicted by their partner causes them to cry and wonder why they are being treated so coldly. They assert that they are seen as a toy, with their partner being the one who holds the power and decision-making in the relationship. Despite this, the singer is unable to let go of their partner, even though they are aware that the loneliness they feel is hurting them.


The repetition of the phrase "every little bit hurts" emphasizes the cumulative effect of even the smallest actions or words in a relationship. The use of the word "toy" implies a lack of agency or respect for the singer's feelings, and the phrase "why I should play" speaks to their feeling of being manipulated or coerced.


The chorus's plea for their partner to come back to them and see what they can offer is a common trope in love songs, but the repeated reference to the hurt and pain that the singer is experiencing adds a darker tone to the song's overall message.


Line by Line Meaning

Every little bit hurts
Every small action of yours causes me suffering and pain.


Every night I cry
Every single night, I shed tears for the way you treat me.


Every night I die
Every night, a part of me dies inside due to the heartache you cause me.


Every night I wonder why
Every night, I am left asking myself why you treat me this way.


You treat me cold
You treat me with indifference and a lack of emotion.


Yet you won't let me go
Despite your cold treatment, you still hold onto our relationship and won't let me end it.


To you I am a toy
To you, I am just a plaything - something to occupy your time or amusement.


And you're the girl
You are in control of our relationship.


Who has the say
You have the final say and the power in our relationship.


Why I should play
You decide when and how I should participate in our relationship.


Yeah you hurt me
You cause me pain and heartache.


Desert me I just can't take
If you were to leave me, I wouldn't be able to handle the loneliness and heartache.


The loneliness you give me
Your actions cause me to be isolated and alone.


I just can't go
I am unable to continue living this way and enduring your treatment of me.


Another night this way
I cannot handle another night of feeling this pain and heartache.


Come back to me
Please return to our relationship.


Darlin' you'll see
My love for you will be evident when you return to our relationship.


I can give you all the things
I am willing and able to provide you with everything you desire.


That you wanted me for
The reasons you fell in love with me can still be fulfilled.


If you will stay with me
If you choose to remain in our relationship, we can be happy together.




Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ED COBB

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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