Arlo Parks Is Here to Remind You It Won't "Hurt" Forever

Photo: Alexandra Waespi

Sometimes the intensity of pain can make it feel never-ending. With her honest new single, "Hurt," Arlo Parks lifts our spirits and reminds us that though hurt can feel eternal, it "won't hurt so much forever."

The candid tune begins with a gritty drum groove as Parks hums along, hinting at the verse melody. She then begins to narrate the story of someone named Charlie who is in so much pain that it was "built into his body" with a "heart so soft it hurt to beat."

As panned vocal layers enter the sonic room, along with a guitar theme, Parks responds as if speaking to Charlie, "Wouldn’t it be lovely to feel worth something." The chorus then sneaks in like the catch of a trust fall as Park sings words of saving grace, "I know you can’t let go of anything at the moment / Just know it won't hurt so / Won’t hurt so much forever."

The song's second verse is read instead of sung, accompanied by only a baseline and the lyrics, "Started dreaming of a house with red carnations by the windows / Where he didn’t feel so small so overwhelmed by all his flaws." Park's warm, comforting vocals lead us through the chorus, which repeats "Won't hurt so much forever / Won't hurt so much."

Like love, other enveloping emotions, such as pain, can be blinding. These obstructions can be so powerful, they prompt a momentary feeling of permanence, making us overlook a potential future in which that pain is not as aggressively immersive, and perhaps not even present at all. "Hurt" is a reminder that it is possible to find peace with that pain. And through that healing, Parks gently reminds us that maybe, it "won't hurt so much forever."

Listen to "Hurt" below: