“It Hurts Me,” released in 1965 by Decca Records, was an early single by Bobby Sherman, recorded during his pre-fame years before his rise as a teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Born Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, California, Sherman was a 22-year-old aspiring singer and actor at the time, still years away from hits like “Little Woman” (1969) and “Julie, Do Ya Love Me” (1970). The song, originally the B-side to “You Make Me Happy” (1964), was later promoted as an A-side but did not chart, reflecting Sherman’s ongoing struggle to break into the music industry. Written by Dick Glasser, the single featured a melancholic pop ballad style with a teen-oriented sound, characteristic of the mid-1960s. It was included on the 1990 compilation What Came Before (Teen Ager Records). Released as Sherman gained exposure through his role as a house singer on Shindig! (1964–1966), the song marked a transitional moment in his early career.
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Reasons Behind the Creation of “It Hurts Me”
The creation of “It Hurts Me” was part of Bobby Sherman’s continued efforts to establish himself as a pop singer in the competitive mid-1960s music scene, building on his early recordings with Decca Records. By 1965, Sherman had released several singles, including “Judy, You’ll Never Know” (1962) on Starcrest Records, “I Want to Hear It from Her” (1963) on Dot Records, and “You Make Me Happy” (1964) on Decca, none of which achieved commercial success. His signing with Decca, a major label with artists like The Who and Patsy Cline, offered better production and distribution than his earlier efforts, and “It Hurts Me” was initially released as the B-side to “You Make Me Happy” in 1964. Decca’s decision to promote it as an A-side in 1965 was likely an attempt to capitalize on Sherman’s growing visibility through television, particularly his role as a house singer on Shindig!, a popular music variety program on ABC.
Dick Glasser, who wrote both “You Make Me Happy” and “It Hurts Me,” crafted the song to showcase Sherman’s ability to convey emotional depth, contrasting the upbeat tone of its original A-side with a more introspective, heartbreak-driven ballad. Glasser, a seasoned songwriter and producer with experience working on teen pop and rock, tailored the song to fit the mid-1960s teen idol market, which favored romantic, emotionally resonant tracks that appealed to young listeners, especially teenage girls. The song’s melancholic style, with its simple piano and guitar arrangement and plaintive vocals, was designed to align with the era’s popularity for dramatic love ballads, as exemplified by artists like Gene Pitney and Roy Orbison. Decca likely saw Sherman’s youthful good looks and sincere delivery as assets that could position him as a heartthrob, competing with other young male vocalists in a crowded pop landscape.
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Sherman’s personal context influenced his engagement with the song. At 22, he was a determined performer from Van Nuys, California, with a background in local gigs and school events, driven by ambition but still lacking a major breakthrough. His role on Shindig! provided a platform to showcase his vocal talent and charm, increasing his industry credibility. The song’s theme of romantic pain may have resonated with Sherman’s own experiences as a young man navigating love and relationships, though it was a professional assignment rather than a personal creation. His ability to deliver heartfelt performances, honed through early live shows, made him a natural fit for a song that required emotional vulnerability, appealing to the teen audience’s fascination with love’s highs and lows.
The cultural landscape of 1965 shaped the song’s creation. The mid-1960s were a transitional period for pop music, with the British Invasion led by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones reshaping the industry, while teen idols like Bobby Vinton and Bobby Rydell maintained a foothold with romantic ballads. Shindig! and similar shows highlighted both emerging rock acts and traditional pop singers, creating a diverse musical environment. “It Hurts Me” was crafted to fit within this context, offering a classic teen pop ballad that could appeal to fans of the genre amidst the rise of rock influences. Its release coincided with Sherman’s increasing television exposure, but its lack of chart success reflects the intense competition and the industry’s shift toward more innovative sounds, making it difficult for traditional pop singles to stand out.
Decca’s decision to promote “It Hurts Me” as an A-side in 1965 was likely a strategic move to test Sherman’s potential as a breakout artist, leveraging his Shindig! visibility. Glasser’s involvement ensured a professional product, but limited promotion and the dominance of British Invasion acts likely hindered its commercial impact. For Sherman, the single was an opportunity to refine his vocal style and gain further industry experience, paving the way for his eventual success with Metromedia Records in 1969.
Content and Themes Conveyed Through “It Hurts Me”
“It Hurts Me” is a melancholic, mid-1960s pop ballad that explores themes of heartbreak, betrayal, and the pain of witnessing a loved one with someone else. Delivered with Bobby Sherman’s youthful, emotive vocals, the lyrics tell the story of a narrator who is devastated by seeing his beloved in the arms of another, grappling with the emotional anguish of lost love. The song’s somber melody, featuring gentle piano chords, soft guitar strums, and a restrained rhythm section, creates a poignant, introspective atmosphere typical of teen pop ballads of the era, contrasting with the upbeat energy of Sherman’s previous single “You Make Me Happy” and the polished production of his later hits like “Little Woman.”
The lyrics open with a raw expression of pain: “It hurts me, baby, to see you with him / My heart breaks in two, my world grows dim.” This establishes the song’s central theme of heartbreak, as the narrator confronts the reality of his beloved’s new relationship. The phrase “it hurts me” is a direct, visceral expression of emotional suffering, repeated to emphasize the depth of his anguish. The imagery of a heart “break[ing] in two” and a “world grow[ing] dim” conveys the devastating impact of the betrayal, painting a vivid picture of despair. Sherman’s delivery, though less seasoned than in his later recordings, carries a trembling sincerity that enhances the lyrics’ emotional weight, making the narrator’s pain relatable to listeners.
The chorus intensifies the narrator’s sorrow, with lines like “It hurts me, oh, it hurts me, to know you’re not mine / I’m lost in this pain, I’m losing my mind.” The repetition of “it hurts me” serves as an emotional anchor, reinforcing the narrator’s inability to escape his suffering. The phrase “losing my mind” suggests a descent into emotional chaos, a dramatic flourish common in teen pop that captures the all-consuming nature of young love’s pain. The chorus’s slow, deliberate melody, paired with Sherman’s heartfelt performance, invites listeners to empathize with the narrator’s despair, creating a cathartic experience for those familiar with heartbreak.
The verses delve deeper into the narrator’s experience, detailing the moment of betrayal and its aftermath. Lyrics like “I saw you last night, his arms held you tight / Now I’m all alone, crying in the night” provide a specific, visual scene that grounds the song’s emotional narrative. The image of “his arms held you tight” is a stark contrast to the narrator’s loneliness, amplifying his sense of rejection. The act of “crying in the night” underscores his isolation and vulnerability, a universal sentiment that resonates with listeners who have felt the sting of unrequited or lost love. The song avoids explaining the reasons for the breakup or the new relationship, focusing instead on the narrator’s raw emotional response, which enhances its relatability.
Thematically, “It Hurts Me” captures the universal pain of romantic betrayal and the anguish of seeing a loved one move on. The narrator’s intense emotional reaction reflects a broader human experience of grappling with loss and jealousy, particularly poignant in the context of adolescent romance, where feelings are often magnified. The song’s pop ballad style, with its mournful melody and minimalistic arrangement, aligns with the mid-1960s’ emphasis on dramatic, teen-oriented love songs, evoking artists like Bobby Darin or The Righteous Brothers. Its focus on heartbreak made it relatable to young listeners navigating the complexities of relationships and crushes.
The song’s appeal lies in its emotional directness and accessibility. Though it did not achieve commercial success, its inclusion on What Came Before (1990) highlights its significance as a window into Sherman’s early career. The gender-specific reference to a female love interest situates the song within the teen pop tradition, though the theme of heartbreak transcends gender, inviting broad identification. The song’s modest production reflects the limitations of Sherman’s early recordings, but his emotive vocals foreshadow the charisma that would later make him a star.
The song also reflects the cultural mood of 1965, when teen pop ballads provided an emotional outlet for young listeners amidst the excitement and upheaval of the British Invasion. Its emphasis on romantic pain aligns with the era’s portrayal of love as both exhilarating and devastating, capturing the melodramatic perspective of youth. The absence of a specific name for the love interest, unlike Sherman’s earlier “Judy, You’ll Never Know,” broadens its relatability, making it a universal lament for lost love.
Ultimately, “It Hurts Me” conveys a timeless message about the agony of heartbreak and the struggle to cope with romantic loss. Its poignant lyrics, somber melody, and Sherman’s sincere performance capture the essence of a young heart in pain, offering a compelling glimpse into his early artistry and the emotional depth of mid-1960s teen pop.