It Hurts Me Too

Lyrics: Elmore James
Music: Elmore James

Sung by Pigpen with the Grateful Dead from 1966 to 1972, but never revived after his death.

You said you was hurtin', almost lost your mind
'Cause the man you love hurt you all the time (note 1)
But when things go wrong, wrong with you
It hurts me too

You love him a little more, when you should love him less (note 2)
Why pick up behind him and take his mess
'Cause when things go wrong, wrong with you
It hurts me too

You love another man, little girl you know I love you
But you love him and stick to him just about like glue
'Cause when things go wrong, wrong with you
It hurts me too

Well he'd better leave you, or you'd best put him down
'Cause you know I just can't stand to see, see you pushed around (note 3)
'Cause when things go wrong, wrong with you
It hurts me too
Notes
(1) Pigpen sometimes sings "'Cause the man you've been loving ..."
(2) sometimes "You love him a little more now child, when you know you ought to love him less"
(3) sometimes "... see the way you've been pushed around"

Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
      1966 Vintage Dead
     22 Oct 1967 Anthem Of The Sun (2018 bonus disc)
     10 Nov 1967 30 Trips Around The Sun
     23 Jan 1968 Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2
     23 Feb 1968 Dick's Picks Vol 22
     24 Oct 1970 Dave's Picks Volume 48
     18 Feb 1971 American Beauty (50th Anniversary Edition)
     19 Feb 1971 Three From The Vault
     29 Apr 1971 Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
      9 Dec 1971 Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
     24 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
     28 Mar 1972 Dick's Picks Vol 30
      8 Apr 1972 Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead: England '72 (note 4)
     14 Apr 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     17 Apr 1972 Grateful Dead Scrapbook (DVD) (note 5) (note 4)
     24 Apr 1972 Rockin' The Rhein (note 4)
      3 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
      4 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     11 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     13 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     16 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     18 May 1972 Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
     24 May 1972 Europe '72 (note 4)
 
Other Dead-related Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     2001 Blues Tribute To The Grateful Dead Various (Amy Helm)

Notes
(4) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
(5) DVD included with deluxe edition of the Scrapbook

Roots
The song is normally attributed to Elmore James, but the earliest recording seems to be by Tampa Red (Hudson Whittaker), with him listed as the composer. It may be that the song goes back further and should really be listed as "traditional"

Elmore James' lyrics are very close to what Pigpen sings, and his is clearly the version that Pigpen learnt from:
You say you hurting, you almost lost your mind
The man you love, he hurts you all the time
When things go wrong, go wrong with you
It hurts me too

You love him more when you should love him less
Why [lick?] up behind him and take his mess
When things go wrong, go wrong with you
It hurts me too

He loves another woman, he don't love you
But you love him and stick to him like glue
When things go wrong, go wrong with you
It hurts me too

He gonna leave you, are you gonna put him down
'Cause I won't stand to see you pushed around
When things go wrong, go wrong with you
It hurts me too
By contrast, the Tampa Red version, though recognisably the same song (and with the same chorus), has very different lyrics for the verses. It is also played at a much faster tempo.
I can't be happy, mama, for being so blue
When you keep on worrying the way you do
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

The man you loving, he don't want you 'round
So take me mama, let's leave this town
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

If he keep on dolling you, the way you do
I may lose my head mama, and my temper too
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

He wrecked your life mama, right at the start
And if you ain't careful mama, he will break your heart
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

I love you baby, you know it's true
So why put up mama, with the way you do
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too
Bill Bill Broonzy recorded a version on his album "Trouble In Mind", released by Smithsonian Folkways in 2000. It is credited to Tampa Red but has different lyrics from either Tampa Red's or Elmore James's version.
I love you baby, ain't no lie
Without you woman, I just can't be satisfied
'Cause when things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

So run here baby, put your little hand in mine
I got something to tell you baby, I know that would change your mind
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

I want you baby, just to understand
I don't want to be your boss, baby, I just want to be your man
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

Now when you go home, you don't get along
Come back to me baby, where I live, that's your home
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

I love you baby, you know it's true
I wouldn't mistreat you baby, not for nothing in this world like you
When things go wrong, so wrong with you
It hurts me too

So yes you know
When things go wrong
It hurts me too
Even where the song is credited to Elmore James, there appears some confusion over who else is given credit. This is part of the entry from Matt Schofield's site:
The NMPA registration for the song for Elmore James lists Elmore James and James Marshall Sehorn as writers. Other performances of the song are registered with NMPA and BMI with other writers credited, including; Mel London, Hudson Whittaker (aka Tampa Red), Champion Jack Dupree and Barry Goldberg. ASCAP has only one entry for the song with Hudson Whittaker (Tampa Red) as writer.

Further Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com

 


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