Every Little Bit Hurts

"Every Little Bit Hurts" was originally a 1964 hit single for Motown soul singer Brenda Holloway, written by Ed Cobb and featured on Holloway's album of the same name.

Background

Though Brenda Holloway was against recording the song again, she reluctantly recorded the song and the label released it in the summer of 1964 on Tamla. "Every Little Bit Hurts" was a big hit peaking at No. 13 on the [Billboard Hot 100|Billboard Hot 100], and became one of Holloway's trademark singles.

Covers

Aretha Franklin recorded the song on her 1964 album Runnin' Out of Fools
The Spencer Davis Group version from their 1965 album Their First LP reached No. 41 on the UK singles chart in early 1965. and No. 9 in Canada in 1967.
In 1968, Small Faces recorded the song and included on The [BBC Sessions (Small Faces album)|The BBC Sessions] LP.
Released in October 1976, it was covered by Graeme "Shirley" Strachan as his debut solo release and peaked at No. 3 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Charts.
British band The Clash recorded a cover of the song in 1980 for Sandinista!, but the track didn't make it onto the album. It was instead released in 1991 on the box set Clash on Broadway
Etta James released the song on her collection How Strong is a Woman --- The Island Sessions in 1993.
Petula Clark
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Cilla Black
The Tremeloes
Bobby Rydell
Chart history

;Brenda Holloway

Chart	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	13
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	18

;Spencer Davis Group

Chart

Peak
position

;Graeme "Shirley" Strachan

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Alicia Keys version

"Every Little Bit Hurts" was included by American recording artist Alicia Keys on her live album, Unplugged. It was released as the album's second and last single in 2006. It failed to enter the US and international charts.

Critical reception

Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine felt that Keys treated the song "like vocal audition and not the blank canvas of an interpretive artist".

Music video

Directed by Justin Francis, the video premiered on January 17, 2006 on BET's 106 & Park.

Track listing

US promotional CD single

"Every Little Bit Hurts" – 3:58
"Every Little Bit Hurts" – 0:10
"Every Little Bit Hurts" – 3:58