Love Hurts

1960 song by Boudleaux Bryant
the song written by Boudleaux Bryant

"Love Hurts" is a song written and composed by the American songwriter Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by the Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is most well known in two hit versions by UK artists; by Scottish hard rock band Nazareth in 1974 and by English singer songwriter Jim Capaldi in 1975.

The song was introduced in October 1960 as an album track on A Date with the Everly Brothers but was never released as a single (A side or B side) by the Everlys. Due to a falling out with their manager and publisher Wesley Rose, they were prevented from issuing it as a single, though it had been meant for them. It was after the quarrel was settled in 1964 that they rerecorded it for the 1965 album Rock 'n' Soul.

Nazareth's version was used in an advertisement for Esurance, and also in a series of advertisements by Zurich. The Nazareth's version appeared in the remake film Halloween. A cover was sung by Nan Vernon for the sequel. The song has been featured in several films and television shows, including Modern Romance, Dazed and Confused, Can't Hardly Wait, That '70s Show, King of the Hill, Detroit Rock City, Scrubs, Click, Supernatural, and Gotham.

Jim Capaldi reached number 4 in the UK charts with his interpretation of "Love Hurts" in November 1975, which was to prove his highest charting UK single. Described by Rolling Stone as having "a sense of pain very different from Roy Orbison's." the single also charted in the US, Germany, and Sweden.

American singer Cher recorded her first version in 1975 for the album Stars but did not release this version as a single. She later recorded a second version in 1991 for her album of the same name. This version was a cover of Nazareth's version. The single became a minor hit in the UK in December 1991.