In the 151st edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on โHurtโ by the Grammy-winning soul collective, The Manhattans.
The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez ! Throwback Vibez
is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past. The records that grace this column are older, but that doesnโt necessarily mean that theyโre ancient โ no fossils
! All genres of music are welcome. In the 151st edition of Throwback Vibez
(2023), we recollect and reflect on
โHurtโ, performed by
The Manhattans.
โEven though youโve taken your love from me / Baby, I want you backโฆโ WOO! When it comes to
The Manhattans, the eponymous 1976 album by
Grammy-winning R&B collective,
The Manhattans, the song that, rightfully, receives the most attention is
โKiss and Say Goodbyeโ. โKiss and Say Goodbyeโ was the sole no. 1 hit of The Manhattans career, and the first of two top-10 hits. However, their gold-certified album has another fantastic single,
โHurtโ, that received far less fanfare. โHurt,โ sadly, was NOT a pop โhitโ for the group, spending just two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at a modest no. 97. The single did perform better on the R&B songs chart, peaking at no. 10. Despite a lack of commercial success, โHurtโ marks one of many stellar songs from the New Jersey collectiveโs collection.
So, what makes the โHurtโ feel, rather, sound, so good? Itโs the lush, warm sounds of 1970s Philly soul, baby!
Bobby Martin produces this cover. Yes, you read right; โHurtโ is a cover. Written by
Al Jacobs and Jimmie Crane,
Roy Hamilton was the first to release it, back in 1954
. Even so, the HIT version of โHurtโ arrived courtesy of
Timi Yuro in 1961 โ 15 years before The Manhattans version. While
Gerald Alston and company arenโt credited with the definitive take, this soul-driven rendition is gorgeous. Itโs the expressive lead vocals, coupled with rich vocal harmonies that help make it special. Of course, lyrics about a love lost that you desire back, as well as the promise, โIโll never hurt you,โ goes a long way to make a successful song too. Simply put on
โHurtโ, Alston asserts, โLike no-one else could do / I would never, never hurt you.โ PERIOD!
The Manhattans โข
The Manhattans โข
Sony Music Entertainment โข
1976
The Manhattans, Hurt: Throwback Vibez 
No. 151 (2023) [
: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via Pixabay]