The Hurt

"The Hurt"
Spanish/Portuguese single sleeve
Single by Cat Stevens
from the album Foreigner
B-side"Silent Sunlight"
ReleasedJune 1973
RecordedSpring 1973
StudioDynamic Studios, Kingston, Jamaica
Atlantic Studios, New York
GenreFolk rock, soul, R&B
Length4:17
LabelIsland (UK/Europe)
A&M (US/Canada)
SongwriterCat Stevens
ProducerCat Stevens
Cat Stevens singles chronology
"Can't Keep It In"
(1972)		 "The Hurt"
(1973)		 "Oh Very Young"
(1974)

"The Hurt" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens in spring 1973, released on his album Foreigner. It was released as a single in June 1973, and peaked at no. 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background

uDiscover Music's Jamie Atkins characterized "The Hurt" as "[advocating] for experiencing pain to truly appreciate life, set to a slinky groove." Steve Gaines of Circus Magazine felt Stevens's near-death experience with tuberculosis was an influence on the track. He identified the song as summarizing "[Stevens's] feelings about death and a constant search for happiness."

Stevens stated: "There’s no way you can go through life without getting hurt. I realize I’m heading straight for death with no detour, and I want the moment of my death to be as free as possible."

Stevens has since described the song's sound as having "a soulful kind of root to it". He recorded the vocal backings at Atlantic Studios in New York, inspired by his fondness of the studio.

Release and reception

The song was released as the sole single from Stevens's 1973 album Foreigner. Stevens chose it, feeling it was the "only single-sounding thing on the Foreigner album".

In a review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann called the songwriting and arrangement of "The Hurt" "overly busy". Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone was critical of the song, labeling it as Stevens "deliberately renouncing the sentiments of his past work," adding "there is no way of telling (and then again, who cares?), since the lyrics digress completely, to end with the following confession: 'Till I got hurt, baby, I didn’t know what love is.'"

Charts

Charts (1973) Peak

position

Australia (Kent Music Report) 30
Canada RPM Top Singles 25
Spain 17
US Billboard Hot 100 31
US Billboard Easy Listening 38

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 DeYoung & Stevens 2001, p. 37
  2. 1 2 3 DeYoung & Stevens 2001, p. 82
  3. 1 2 "Cat Stevens | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-10-31.
  4. ↑ Atkins, Jamie (2025-07-01). "'Foreigner': Cat Stevens Embraces His Soulful Side". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  5. 1 2 Gaines, Steve. "Foreigner - Cat Puts an End to the 'Cat Stevens Sound'". Circus Magazine – via Majicat.
  6. ↑ Cat Stevens: Foreigner Tracks & Reviews | AllMusic, retrieved 2026-10-13
  7. ↑ Holden, Stephen (1973-08-30). "Foreigner". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  8. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ↑ "Search for "Cat Stevens"". RPM. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 August 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (2015). Sólo éxitos 1959–2012 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-866-2.
  11. ↑ "Cat Stevens | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-10-31.

Sources