The track received an early release in Australia, being made available as the album's second single on 5 September 2011.[1] The song debuted and peaked at #80 on the ARIA Singles Chart in October 2011.[2] The single was later made available internationally on 26 February 2012, as the album's third overall single. This time, the single was backed with two exclusive B-sides: "Ending Before I Begin", which was partially revealed in one of Hayes' videos on the making of Secret Codes and Battleships,[3] and "I Need You", a track written exclusively for the 7" vinyl single.
Composition
The song was one of four songs on the album written with Swedish producer Carl Falk. Explaining the meaning of the song during an interview Hayes said: "The song means so much to me because I wrote it about a time in my life when someone close to me was going through a horrible time, and I wished more than anything that I could step in and take the bullet for them. We've all experienced that helpless feeling of standing by idly while someone you love is suffering—and wished that you could absorb the impact for them. It's about those situations in life where, maybe you feel you are losing the battle, but you'll never lose your dignity."
Music video
The music video for "Bloodstained Heart" premiered on Hayes' official YouTube account on 17 September 2011, at a total length of four minutes and six seconds.[4] The music video depicts Hayes with a woman at a beachside resort, performing with her whilst in bed or on the beach, by the sealine. The music video was directed by Chris Cottam, and was filmed during August 2011. It was released for airplay to the Australian music channels on 12 September 2011.
