Introduction:
“It Hurts Me” is a poignant ballad recorded by Elvis Presley, first released on February 10, 1964, as the B-side to the single “Kissin’ Cousins.” The song was penned by Joy Byers and Charlie Daniels, though it’s noteworthy that Bob Johnston, Byers’ husband, later claimed authorship of several songs attributed to her, including this one.
The recording session took place on January 12, 1964, marking the beginning of a 28-month period during which Presley recorded no other non-movie songs. “Kissin’ Cousins,” the A-side, reached number 12 on the U.S. singles charts, while “It Hurts Me” peaked at number 29. Despite its moderate chart performance, the song didn’t achieve the classic stature that its composition and Presley’s performance seemed to promise.
The song gained renewed attention when Presley re-recorded it on June 20, 1968, for his NBC Comeback Special. This version was featured during the montage medley sequence of the show, showcasing Presley’s enduring vocal prowess and emotional depth. Subsequently, the recording was included in the 1968 RCA Victor compilation “Elvis’ Gold Records Volume 4.”
Over the years, “It Hurts Me” has been featured in various compilations, such as the 2001 BMG/RCA release “The 50 Greatest Love Songs,” and has inspired numerous artists to record their own versions. Notably, Marco Tulio Sanchez, known as “the voice of rock and roll in Colombia,” delivered a Spanish rendition, and artists like Johnny Hallyday and Ronnie McDowell have also covered the song, attesting to its enduring appeal.
The collaboration between Byers, Daniels, and Johnston is particularly significant. Charlie Daniels recounted that he began forming the idea for the song before Christmas in 1962 while driving from El Paso, Texas, to the East Coast. Afterwards, Bob Johnston invited him to Nashville to co-write songs, and they finished “It Hurts Me” together. Daniels recalled: “We just went on, and we finished it up, and Bob did a demo on it, and the company that he was writing for at the time—Hill and Range was the parent company—handled Elvis Presley Music and Gladys Music, which was Elvis Presley’s two companies.”
Daniels further explained: “Elvis came to town. He picked it up and held it for almost a year in what was called his portfolio. You know, they’d pick songs out for Elvis and when he’d go in to record, he’d review them, and if he liked it, he’d do it. So anyway, he recorded it, and it was by far the biggest thing that had ever happened to me in my life.” Although he never met Presley, Daniels did meet his daughter, Lisa Marie, at an event in Memphis: “I just got to tell her, I said, ‘You know your dad picked one of my songs. I was a big fan.'”
In summary, “It Hurts Me” stands as a testament to Elvis Presley’s ability to convey deep emotion through his music. While it may not have reached the commercial heights of some of his other hits, its enduring presence in compilations and covers by various artists underscores its significance in Presley’s extensive catalog.