Song of the Week March 17th 2014

Song of the Week- Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paloma Faith, from the album A Perfect Contradiction

Out of all of the songs that appeared on Paloma Faith’s latest studio album, Only Love Can Hurt Like This is definitely the track that grabbed my attention from the moment I heard it, and is something that I have repeatedly gone back to numerous times. The song is a lush ballad that finds the singer channelling the essence of divas of the past, notably Dusty Springfield. Lyrically the track finds the singer addressing the idea of love being powerful and beautiful but also painful, whilst detailing this relationship where she wants to be separated from this man but also wants him to remain by her side always. What is great about this track is that it is lyrically quite sparse with heavy use of repetition, but the song still has that power and emotive essence that keeps you invested. Furthermore, the song is lyrically strong in that it was not actually written by Paloma herself, but is rather an original composition by acclaimed songwriter Diane Warren. Yet whilst she may not have co-written the song, Paloma still emotionally connects in a grand way that shows that she is invested in what she is singing, with the song therefore being a prime example of how an artist doesn’t have to write their music for it to be good or feel like it belongs to the artist. Paloma’s vocals ooze a sense of class, and when she hits the high notes she really makes an impact and shows this passion that is just brilliant. To top it all off, the track is made stronger by the 60’s style production with the snappy drum beat and magnificent us of horns, creating an old school glamour that suits Paloma brilliantly. For me, this is song craftsmanship at its best, and this is probably the singer’s best work to date. If Only Love Can Hurt Like This isn’t the albums next single or a future single, then it will be a true travesty.