Album: JHUD (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Jennifer Hudson experienced a terrible tragedy in October 2008 when her mother Darnell, brother Jason, and nephew Julian were gunned down by her former brother-in-law, William Balfour. She penned this song in her mom's memory. Hudson told UK newspaper The Daily Mirror the song title "came from something my mother always used to say, 'If you moan, it makes you better if something hurts.'"
  • Hudson admitted to The Observer that performing such an emotional, personal song is tough. "But" she added, "Mom would always tell us if you are hurting, moan and you will feel better."

    "There is not a day that goes by when I don't repeat the things she said," Hudson continued. "She was very quiet. The complete opposite of us kids. Now she has gone, I realise she had a lot to say. My brother, too, I hear him, too. When we were kids any time my brother saw me crying he would be like, 'Jenny, knock it off.' And that's what I hear him say when I cry now."
  • The song was produced by Kortney "Mali Music" Pollard. He told The Boombox: "This was the first time she really went on to speak about it (the tragedy). I didn't take that lightly. It was a very magical thing, I don't know how I knew to do it. I just thought it'd be a really cool idea and would like it if someone handled me like that."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien Songs

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien SongsSong Writing

The trail runs from flying saucer songs in the '50s, through Bowie, blink-182 and Katy Perry.

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.