The group was founded as The Roosters by Chattanooga, Tennessee natives Sam Gooden, Richard Brooks, and Arthur Brooks, who moved to Chicago, Illinois and added Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield to their lineup to become Jerry Butler & the Impressions. By 1962, Butler and the Brookses had departed, and after switching to ABC-Paramount Records, Mayfield, Gooden, and new Impression Fred Cash collectively became a top-selling soul act. Mayfield left the group for a solo career in 1970; Leroy Hutson, Ralph Johnson, Reggie Torian, and Nate Evans were among the replacements who joined Gooden and Cash before the group's demise in 1983.
Inductees into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, The Impressions are best known for their 1960s string of hits, many of which were heavily influenced by gospel music and served as inspirational anthems for the Civil Rights Movement.
Personnel:
Jerry Butler (1958 - 1960)
Curtis Mayfield (1958 - 1970)
Sam Gooden (1958 - 1983)
Arthur Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Richard Brooks (1958 - 1962)
Fred Cash (1960 - 1983)
Leroy Hutson (1970 - 1973)
Ralph Johnson (1973 - 1976)
Nate Evans (1976 - 1979)
Reggie Torian (1973 - 1983)
Discography
Albums
1963: The Impressions
1964: Keep on Pushing
1964: The Never Ending Impressions
1965: One by One
1965: People Get Ready
1966: Ridin' High
1967: The Fabulous Impressions
1968: We're a Winner
1968: This Is My Country
1969: The Young Mods' Forgotten Story
1969: The Versatile Impressions
1969: Amen
1970: Check out Your Mind!
1972: Times Have Changed
1973: Preacher Man
1974: Finally Got Myself Together
1974: Three the Hard Way
1975: First Impressions
1975: Sooner or Later
1976: It's About Time
1976: Originals
1976: Loving Power
1979: Come to My Party
1981: Fan the Fire
You Always Hurt Me
The Impressions Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You that I love so hard
You and your cold cold heart
Why do you hurt me
You've caused, me so much pain
Because of love I'm now insane
Your loving I needed
You always hurt me
Can't you see my love oh darling
Why wont you love me as I love you
Why won't you mend this heart, this broken heart
Don't hurt me
You always hurt me
Another goal, you have achieved
So well I couldn't believe
Made me love and care, what wasn't there
You hurt me
You always hurt me
Can't you see my love oh darling
Why wont you love me as I love you
Why won't you mend this heart, this broken heart
Don't hurt me
You always hurt me, and you know it
You always hurt me, when you show it
You always hurt me, little girl now
You always hurt me
You always hurt me
You always hurt me
The Impressions’s song You Always Hurt Me speaks to the pain of loving someone who cannot or will not reciprocate that love fully. The singer addresses a girl that he loves deeply, but who consistently inflicts emotional pain on him. He acknowledges her “cold cold heart” and the pain that she has caused him. The singer says that love has driven him insane, and he feels that he needs her love despite the hurt that she causes him. The chorus of the song repeats the refrain “you always hurt me,” indicating that this pain is a constant in their relationship.
The second verse seems to suggest that the girl in question may be intentionally causing the singer pain. He refers to “another goal” that she has achieved, which made him care about something that he didn’t want to. This could imply that the girl in question has manipulated the singer in some way to make him feel more invested in their relationship, even though she knows that she cannot fully return his love. Despite this, the singer still begs the girl to love him as he loves her, and to mend his broken heart.
The song speaks to the universal experience of loving someone who is unable or unwilling to love us back in the way that we need. The Impressions capture the pain and anguish of unrequited love, and the desperation to hold onto even a small amount of affection from the person we love. The soulful lyrics and vocals create a bittersweet mood that gets to the heart of the pain of unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey girl
Addressing the love interest
You that I love so hard
Expressing the intensity of love towards the person
You and your cold cold heart
Acknowledging the person's lack of warmth and affection
Why do you hurt me
Questioning the reasoning behind the pain inflicted on the artist
You've caused, me so much pain
The artist's recognition of the amount of suffering inflicted on them
Because of love I'm now insane
The extreme emotions resulting from love have caused the singer to question their sanity
Your loving I needed
Acknowledging the desire for affection from the person causing the pain
So why do you hurt me
Re-emphasizing the confusion and questioning behind their pain
You always hurt me
Stressing the constant nature of the person's actions
Can't you see my love oh darling
Expressing confusion and pleading for the person to recognize their love
Why wont you love me as I love you
Questioning the lack of reciprocation for their affection
Why won't you mend this heart, this broken heart
Pleading for the person to repair the emotional damage they've caused
Don't hurt me
A direct plea to the person to stop causing pain
Another goal, you have achieved
Acknowledging that the person's actions were intended to achieve a specific outcome
So well I couldn't believe
Recognizing the person's effectiveness in achieving their goal
Made me love and care, what wasn't there
The person caused the artist to develop feelings that weren't initially there
You hurt me
Stressing the pain caused by the person's actions
You always hurt me, and you know it
Emphasizing that the person is aware of their actions
You always hurt me, when you show it
Stressing that the person's actions are apparent when they show their lack of affection
You always hurt me, little girl now
Addressing the person in a condescending manner
You always hurt me
Re-emphasizing the constant nature of the person's actions
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Fuqua
on People Get Ready
Amen brothers. Get ready people