He Hit Me (and It Felt like a Kiss)
"He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King for girl group the Crystals under the guidance of Phil Spector in 1962. Goffin and King wrote the song after discovering that their babysitter and singer Little Eva was being regularly beaten by her boyfriend. When they inquired why she tolerated such treatment, Eva replied, with complete sincerity, that her boyfriend's actions were motivated by his love for her.
Production
Phil Spector's arrangement was ominous and ambiguous.
Release
Upon its initial release, "He Hit Me" received some airplay, but then there was a widespread protest of the song, with many concluding that the song was an endorsement of spousal abuse. Soon, the song was played only rarely on the radio, as now.
The 1930 Frank Borzage film Liliom contains the line "He hit me and it felt like a kiss" in its final scene. The film was not a success and nothing suggests that Goffin or King had seen it. Liliom, originally a play by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár, was the basis for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical classic, Carousel. While King and Goffin may not have seen Liliom, it is possible that they were familiar with the successful 1956 film version of Carousel, which contains essentially the same line. However, King has stated that their friend who inspired the song had used that exact phrase.
A-Hole
When I came home my stuff was on the lawn
I thought she was happy, but I was wrong
The note she left it took me by surprise
Said I’ve turned into, some other guy
The things she said that she gave up for me
She says it was a waste of time
Guess I don’t really know, what I was thinking
Would’ve thought we would float, but we kept sinking
Things were so good
But you were in love, with some other guy
He looked just like me, but I make you cry,
You know I don’t mean to, I’m just an asshole sometimes
I never saw myself as being alone
And maybe that was my problem, cuz now she’s gone
And I can’t help but think of how things could be (how things could be)
And I hope she’s happy, happy with out me
And all the things she gave up for me,
I took for granted time after time
Guess I don’t really know, what I was thinking
Would’ve thought we would float, but we kept sinking
Things were so good
But you were in love, with some other guy
He looked just like me, but I make you cry,
You know I don’t mean to, I’m just an asshole sometimes
And please don’t think I’m complaining
I was just happy to have her for a time
And if you see her tell her I said
”hello and that I’m doing just fine”
Guess I don’t really know, what I was thinking
Would’ve thought we would float, but we kept sinking
Things were so good
But you were in love, with some other guy
He looked just like me, but I make you cry,
You know I don’t mean to, no
You know I don’t mean to
I’m just an asshole sometimes
Guess I don’t really know
I’m just an asshole sometimes
Guess I don’t really know
I’m just an asshole sometimes
Guess I don’t really know
