Hurt so Bad (Rerecorded)

Little Anthony & The Imperials were signed to DCP Records, where Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein wrote their hit songs "I'm on the Outside (Looking In)" and "Goin' out of My Head," both big time heartache songs. After writing "Come A Little Bit Closer" with Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart signed with DCP Records and sang background when Randazzo performed in Las Vegas. When label head Don Costa asked for another hit for Little Anthony, Hart, Randazzo and Weinstein went to a conference room between sets and came up with "Hurt So Bad," a song about a man who feels intense pain when he sees his former love.

Bobby Hart went on to tremendous songwriting success with Tommy Boyce, coming up with many hit songs for The Monkees. Hart considers "Hurt So Bad" his crowning achievement as a songwriter, although he knows that he'll always be remembered for his hits with The Monkees. (Thanks to Kent Kotal of the Forgotten Hits newsletter, who interviewed Bobby Hart.)

In the US, this was a #12 hit for The Lettermen in 1969. In 1980, Linda Ronstadt's version went to #8.