Cruel To Be Kind (Live) Lyrics
Nick Lowe
Lyrics
Oh, I can't take another heartache
Though you say you're my friend
I'm at my wits' end
You say your love is bonafide
But that don't coincide
With the things that you do
And when I ask you to be nice, you say
You've gotta be cruel to be kind in the right measure
Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign
Cruel to be kind means that I love you, baby
(You've gotta be cruel)
You've gotta be cruel to be kind
Well, I do my best to understand, dear
But you still mystify
And I want to know why
I pick myself up off the ground
To have you knock me back down
Again and again
And when I ask you to explain, you say
You've gotta be cruel to be kind in the right measure
Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign
Cruel to be kind means that I love you, baby
(You've gotta be cruel)
You've gotta be cruel to be kind
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Well, I do my best to understand, dear
But you still mystify
And I want to know why
I pick myself up off the ground
To have you knock me back down
Again and again
And when I ask you to explain, you say
You've gotta be cruel to be kind in the right measure
Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign
Cruel to be kind means that I love you, baby
(You've gotta be cruel)
You've gotta be cruel to be kind
(Cruel to be kind) Oh, in the right measure
(Cruel to be kind) Yeah, it's a very, very, very good sign
(Cruel to be kind) It means that I love you, baby
(You've gotta be cruel)
You've gotta be cruel to be kind
(Cruel to be kind) Oh, in the right measure
(Cruel to be kind) Yes, it's a very, very, very good sign
(Cruel to be kind) It means that I love you, baby
(You've gotta be cruel)
You've gotta be cruel to be kind
(Cruel to be kind) Oh, in the right measure
(Cruel to be kind) Yes, it's a very, very, very good sign
Song & Lyrics Facts
Nick Lowe's live version of "Cruel to Be Kind" was released in 1979. It is a song written by Nick Lowe and Ian Gomm and performed with the band Rockpile, which included Dave Edmunds on guitar.
The song appears on the album Labour of Lust, released in May 1979. The lyrics of the song are an ode to tough love, telling a story of someone who has been hurt but needs to be told the truth to move forward. The chorus states, “I’ve got to be cruel to be kind/In the right measure/And the right speed/Cruel to be kind, it’s a very good sign/Cruel to be kind means that I love you”. This live version of the song captures the energy of Rockpile’s performance as they bring this powerful message to life.