If You *Did* Watch Megan Hilty....

If You Did Watch Megan Hilty....

Don Henley's "The Heart of the Matter" is a story song. It moves from A to Z.

(A) is implied. A happy relationship. Then problems intervene. The nature of the problems is kept vague: "the bad luck," "the struggles we went through," "I lost me; you lost you." "The work I put between us." Living in "a graceless age." People "filled with rage."

In this hothouse of ego and insensitivity, the relationship dies. Boy loses Girl. As a final twist, Boy is at least granted the gift of self-awareness. He is shattered and newly capable of self-reflection: Like Joni Mitchell in "Both Sides Now," he now at least partly understands "there's a lot that I don't know." A humbling. Not strictly a bad thing. "The more I know, the less I understand." "My will gets weak." "I think (life) is about forgiveness--even if you don't love me anymore."

I particularly love how this song is like a letter: Boy is addressing Girl and reflecting on what has already happened. The story emerges from the reflections. I also like the sense of humility and the awareness of gray areas--qualities that are unusual in a pop song.

That's all. I was pleasantly surprised to see this song in the spotlight on Friday!

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