Only Love Can Hurt Like This

2014 single by Paloma Faith

"Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Single by Paloma Faith
from the album A Perfect Contradiction
Released11 May 2014 (2014-05-11)
Genre
  • Pop
  • soul
Length
  • 3:52 (album version)
  • 3:37 (radio edit)
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Diane Warren
Producer(s)
  • AC Burrell
  • Kyle Townsend
Paloma Faith singles chronology
"Can't Rely on You"
(2014)
"Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
(2014)
"Trouble with My Baby"
(2014)
Music video
"Only Love Can Hurt Like This" on YouTube

"Only Love Can Hurt Like This" is a song by English singer Paloma Faith, written by Diane Warren. Released as the second single to promote her third studio album, A Perfect Contradiction (2014), on 11 May 2014,[1] it was promoted on shows such as Alan Carr: Chatty Man.[2] The song peaked at number six in the United Kingdom, making it Faith's highest-charting single there. In Australia, the song was promoted through a high-profile TV advertisement for Channel 7's drama series Winners & Losers,[3] and it reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart on 26 July 2014. In 2022, due to a resurgence of popularity on TikTok, the song charted in several other countries.

Background and composition

"Only Love Can Hurt Like This" was written by Diane Warren, who has previously written songs for Whitney Houston, Cher, Toni Braxton, LeAnn Rimes, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.[4] Initially, Faith refused to record the song because she hadn't any writing credit for it, however after hearing the song Faith felt overwhelmed by how (lyrically) the song reflected on her relationship and emotion at the time.[2][5] Warren has also written a song with a synonymous title, "Nothing Hurts Like Love", sung by Daniel Bedingfield. The song "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" was premiered in a stripped back acoustic version on Amazon.com, and was later performed at a Burberry fashion show in February 2014; later this performance was made available on the iTunes Store.[6]

The song has been described as a Motown-influenced sixties-style ballad and is a largely acoustic song featuring mainly brass and drums, expanding to include backing vocals and heavy use of violins in the final choruses. The song also includes subtle piano accentuation. The iTunes album review for A Perfect Contradiction describes the song as: "[a] towering, wall-of-sound ballad ..."[7] - a reference to the production formula developed by record producer Phil Spector.

Unlike other songs produced by AC Burrell or Kyle Townsend, "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" is not tuned to the widely used concert pitch of A=440 Hz. Instead, it was recorded about 35 cents sharp, about one-third of the way to the next semitone.[8]

Follow-up material

Diane Warren has written for Faith twice again, towards the single "Leave While I'm Not Looking" (featured on the 'Outsider's Edition' of A Perfect Contradiction), and "The Crazy Ones" (featured as the main theme of the film "Miss You Already").[9][10]

Music video

The official music video for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" was preceded by an '"Off the Cuff"' version, released on Faith's official Vevo account and was premiered on 31 March 2014. In this video, is shown just Paloma (looking typically vampish in a trademark vintage outfit) and her pianist (Dom Pipkin, who had previously recorded piano for Faith on the acoustic tracks included in the deluxe edition of Fall to Grace[11][12]) performing the song alone in a room. This video was directed by Anthony Saul.[13][14]

On 25 April, Faith uploaded a teaser of the official music video on her official Instagram account, and informed that the video was set to release on 28 April.[15] The song's official video has been credited to Denna Cartamkhoub (as the producer) and Paul Gore (as the director) who also worked with Faith on her "Can't Rely on You"'s and Trouble with My Baby's music video. The video for this song was shot by Daniel Landin.[16][17]

Uses in media

The track was used in the promotional video for the 2015 season of the New Zealand popular soap opera Shortland Street.[18]

Faith performed 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' at the 2015 BRIT Awards which was held on 25 February 2015. An indoor rain system was activated to add emotive effect. After her performance, Faith commented: "I am drenched!" and "I just sang my song... in torrential rain!". Wayne McGregor's "Random Dancers" performed in the background.[19][20]

A cover of the song in Spanish, titled "Sólo el Amor Lastima Así", was released by the Mexican band Motel, featuring María José, for the 2015 film A La Mala.

The song went viral on TikTok in 2022. Faith subsequently released a slowed-down version of the song, which also went viral on the platform.[21]

Track listings and formats

  • Digital download[22]
  1. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" – 3:52
  • Digital download – Live Performance for Burberry[23]
  1. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (Live for Burberry) – 6:19
  • Digital download – remixes[24]
  1. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (MS MR Remix) – 3:34
  2. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (Adam Turner Remix) – 6:53
  1. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (Radio edit)
  2. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (Instrumental)

Charts

Weekly charts

2014 weekly chart performance for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 1
Croatia (HRT)[27] 14
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 3
Scotland (OCC)[30] 5
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 6
2022 weekly chart performance for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Global 200 (Billboard)[32] 75
Greece International (IFPI)[33] 75
Netherlands (Single Tip)[34] 9
Portugal (AFP)[35] 94
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[37] 58

Year-end charts

2014 year-end chart performance for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Chart (2014) Position
Australia (ARIA)[38] 17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[39] 22
UK Singles (OCC)[40] 37
2022 year-end chart performance for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Chart (2022) Position
Global 200 (Billboard)[41] 168

Certifications

Certifications for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[42] 4× Platinum 280,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[43] Gold 45,000
Italy (FIMI)[44] Gold 50,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[45] 2× Platinum+Gold 150,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[46] Platinum 15,000*
Portugal (AFP)[47] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] 3× Platinum 1,800,000
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[49] Gold 1,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Format
United Kingdom 11 May 2014[1] Digital download

References

  1. ^ a b "Paloma Faith announces new single, Only Love Can Hurt Like This". Officialcharts.com. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b Daniela S (7 May 2014). "Paloma Faith- (Alan Carr Full)". YouTube.
  3. ^ "Paloma Faith claims the top spot". ARIA CHARTS.
  4. ^ Paloma Faith Unveils Heartstrings-Pulling "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" Video: Watch from Idolator, 31 March 2014
  5. ^ PalomaFaithVEVO (19 August 2014). "Paloma Faith - The Story Behind "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"". YouTube.
  6. ^ "iTunes - Music - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Live For Burberry) by Paloma Faith". iTunes. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  7. ^ "iTunes - Music - A Perfect Contradiction (Album) by Paloma Faith". iTunes. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  8. ^ "ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS by PALOMA FAITH". Songfacts. 2014.
  9. ^ PalomaFaithVEVO (8 December 2014). "Paloma Faith - Leave While I'm Not Looking (Official Audio)". YouTube.
  10. ^ PalomaFaithVEVO (25 September 2015). "Paloma Faith - The Crazy Ones (Miss You Already Soundtrack)". YouTube.
  11. ^ "Fall to Grace (Deluxe Edition)". iTunes. 19 October 2012.
  12. ^ Sam Unboxing (12 July 2013). "Paloma Faith - Fall to Grace (Deluxe) (Unboxing)". YouTube.
  13. ^ "Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Off the Cuff) - Music Video - MTV". MTV. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  14. ^ PalomaFaithVEVO (31 March 2014). "Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Off the Cuff)". YouTube.
  15. ^ "Instagram". Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  16. ^ "Paloma Faith, Only Love Can Hurt Like This". MPC Advertising.
  17. ^ "Paloma Faith, Trouble With My Baby". MPC Advertising.
  18. ^ Shortland Street - Love Hurts. YouTube. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  19. ^ BRITAwards (25 February 2015). "Paloma Faith performs 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' - BRIT Awards 2015". YouTube.
  20. ^ Gigwise (26 February 2015). "Paloma Faith thanks her fans back stage at the BRITs - BRITs 2015". YouTube.
  21. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (11 July 2022). "Paloma Faith and Diane Warren's 2014 Hit "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" Blows Up on TikTok Nearly a Decade Later". American Songwriter. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  22. ^ "iTunes – Music – Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paloma Faith". iTunes Store. 11 May 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  23. ^ "Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Live For Burberry) – Single by Paloma Faith". iTunes Store. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  24. ^ "Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Remixes) – Single by Paloma Faith". iTunes Store. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  25. ^ EARLY Sarah Brightman. "Paloma Faith Only Love Can Hurt Like This Rare 2 Track promo cd single". Tictail.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ "Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  27. ^ "Croatia ARC Top 100". HRT. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Paloma Faith". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  29. ^ "Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. ^ "Paloma Faith Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  33. ^ "Greece Digital International singles" (in Greek). IFPI. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  34. ^ "Dutch Single Tip 02/07/2022". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  35. ^ "Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  36. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 1". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  38. ^ "End of Year Charts – ARIA Top 100 Singles 2014". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  39. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2014". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  40. ^ "The Official Top 100 Biggest Songs of 2014 revealed". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  41. ^ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  42. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2017 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  43. ^ "Danish single certifications – Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  44. ^ "Italian single certifications – Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 7 February 2023. Type Paloma Faith in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Only Love Can Hurt Like This in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  46. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  47. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  48. ^ "British single certifications – Paloma Faith – Only Love Can Hurt Like This". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  49. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 42/2022" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albumsSingles
Featured singles
Concert toursSee also
  • Youth