Should Not Be This Hard

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship struggling against an unseen force, a persistent friction that makes simple connection feel like an uphill battle. The repeated refrain, "It should not be this hard," acts as a desperate plea, highlighting the disconnect between the desired ease of love and the actual difficulty being experienced. The narrator acknowledges the cyclical nature of their struggles, noting how they can "fall down" or "go round" and still end up in the same place, yearning for a moment of vulnerability, to "open up a little." The central tension lies in the contrast between the narrator's internal belief and the external reality of the relationship. While the narrator expresses faith that "love is stronger than us two" and that "we'll make it through," this conviction is immediately undercut by the acknowledgment of potential failure and the weary observation that their partner's reassurances are a constant, perhaps hollow, refrain. The phrase "again and again" suggests a weariness with repeating the same hopeful sentiments without tangible progress. The most striking craft element is the persistent repetition of the core phrases, creating a sense of being trapped in a loop. The imagery of a "ride we're on" that the narrator "can't stop" emphasizes a lack of control, while the grinding "days keep grinding on and on" speaks to a slow, relentless weariness. The brief, almost prayer-like interlude, "Rest your head / In my hands / All is well," offers a fleeting moment of peace, a stark contrast to the surrounding struggle, but it feels like a temporary balm rather than a solution. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their raw honesty about the exhausting effort love can sometimes demand. The narrator isn't just describing a bad day; they're articulating the profound frustration of wanting something to be simple and beautiful, only to find it fraught with unexpected difficulty. The repeated, almost pleading, assertion that it "should not be this hard" resonates because it taps into a universal desire for connection that feels natural and unforced, a desire constantly at odds with the messy reality of human relationships.