The First Cut Is The Deepest

The speaker is addressing someone who wants to love them, but they are still hurt by a previous relationship. They are willing to try again and want the new person nearby, yet they remain uncertain. The feeling shifts between hope—“I’ll try to love again”—and the belief that earlier heartbreak may make future love difficult.

“The first cut is the deepest” compares emotional pain to a wound: the first heartbreak is imagined as especially painful and lasting. “Torn it apart” describes the speaker’s heart as damaged, while “dry the tears” means offering comfort after sadness. The repeated contrast about the former lover suggests he was poor at loving the speaker, even though he was good at receiving love.

The song can be heard as both an invitation and a warning. The speaker wants companionship and is prepared to give the new relationship a chance, but may not yet be emotionally free from the past. “The first cut” could mean the first heartbreak in general, or simply the particular earlier hurt described here; the lyrics do not settle that question. The speaker’s confidence that the pain will be deepest sits uneasily beside their willingness to try again.