Introduction
The Enduring Heartbreak of “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes”
While the smooth harmonies of the Oak Ridge Boys might make “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes” sound like a classic country ballad about lost love, the song’s origins lie in a deeper place. Songwriter Randy VanWarmer penned the tune in 1981 for his album “Beat of Love” following the loss of his father.
The lyrics explore the raw pain of grief, acknowledging that sometimes the only way to heal is to fully feel the hurt. Lines like “There’s nothin’ stronger than a love that’s lost its way” capture the complex emotions of loss, where the intensity of the pain reflects the depth of the love that’s been lost.
The Oak Ridge Boys picked up the song in 1984 for their album “Deliver.” Their rendition took the country charts by storm, reaching number one in 1984. However, tenor singer Joe Bonsall has shared that he interprets the song through the lens of heartbreak, focusing on the pain of a lost relationship. This duality adds another layer to the song’s enduring appeal.
Whether it’s the gut-wrenching grief of losing a loved one or the crushing weight of a broken romance, “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes” offers a poignant reminder that heartache, though painful, is a part of the human experience. It’s a song that allows us to embrace the vulnerability of feeling and find solace in the knowledge that we’re not alone in our struggles.