'Hard to Take' is a song that puts into words feelings many of us have but don’t always talk about. For Frankie, this song is her way of expressing how she feels. She sings about her frustration, loneliness, and the struggle of being left out and not getting what she wants.
The music that backs Frankie's voice has this pure indie sound, with an unfiltered, clean guitar, drum and bass tone. Nothing too fancy, the production, arrangement and just the overall composition have a simple, straightforward approach. Guitars are hard-panned, strumming on the left and adding fillers on the right. In addition, a tambourine is attached to the drums to give more character to the rhythm.
Frankie's voice is always under the spotlight because of how smooth and uncomplicated the instrumental is. But most importantly, it's the quality of her voice with a sharp and effortless tone that keeps it above everything in this song. There's this unpretending weariness and sorrow in her tone. When you listen to the lyrics, you start to relate to the theme.
She’s questioning whether what she’s going through is part of some bigger plan. It’s like she’s surrounded by negativity, and to top it off, she’s even lost her coat in the rain, which just makes everything worse. She feels exposed and vulnerable, both inside and out.
As the song continues, she starts noticing others who seem to have everything she dreams of but can’t seem to get herself. She’s longing for what they have, almost crying out for it. With the chorus repeating over and over, she’s trying to work through the pain, but it doesn’t seem to help.
She gets really honest, admitting that she just wants someone to want her—she needs to feel loved and desired. She hopes that someone out there understands and feels the same way.