I got the call today, I didn't want to hear
but I knew that it would come.
An old, true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone,
she said you found someone.
And I thought of all the bad luck
and the struggles we went through
and how I lost me and you lost you.
What are those voices outside love's open door,
make us throw off our contentment
and beg for something more?

I'm learning to live without you now,
but I miss you sometimes.
The more I know, the less I understand,
all the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again.
I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter
but my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
but I think it's about forgiveness,
forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore.

These times are so uncertain
There's a yearning undefined
.....people filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive in such a graceless age?
The trust and self-assurance that lead to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Pride and competition
cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us doesn't keep me warm

I'm learning to live with out you now
But I miss you, baby
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I'd figured out
I have to learn again
I've been trying to get down
to the heart of the matter
But everything changes
and my friends seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore.

There are people in your life
who've come and gone,
They let you down,
you know they've hurt your pride.
You better put it behind you;
'cause life goes on.
You keep carryin' that anger,
it'll eat you up inside baby,

I've been trying to get down
to the heart of the matter
But everything changes
and my friends seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me,

I've been tryin' to get down
to the heart of the matter
because the flesh will get weak
and the ashes will scatter.
So, I'm thinkin' about forgiveness,
forgiveness
even if , even if you don't love me.

Forgiveness, forgiveness,
forgiveness, forgiveness,
forgiveness, forgiveness,
even if, even if you don't love me.



Lyrics submitted by Nicky

Track duration: 05:22

"The Heart of the Matter" as written by John David Souther, Donald Hugh Henley, Mike Campbell

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Heart Of The Matter song meanings
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43 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:I heard this song on the radio about 23 years ago. After it finished, the radio announcer said, "That's Don Henley with a song about letting go of anger after suffering a broken heart."
    Flag jerambamon November 21, 2012   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:Ultimate reconciliation. We hurt each other, we love each other, life goes on. Hate dies, Loves lives forever. Please forgive me for your sake, not mine; as I have forgiven you for my sake not yours. (^_^) Even if, even if you don't love me aaannyyymmoorree.
    Flag PhoenixSouvenir75on October 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:here is what i hear when i listen to this song - i especially love the india.arie recording.

    i think this is about a man and a woman, married to each other. they are content with each other, the way they are living their lives, together. then there is a voice outside love's open door, that throws off the contentment, and makes them beg for something more. it could be as simple as a book one of them read that sparked them inside, made them feel restless, made them question the life they are living, left them wanting more from their life. or it could be as complicated as an affair. all the struggles they went thru. when he says, the more i learn the less i understand - is exactly that. everything he thought he knew about her, was maybe a lie. maybe it was an unintentional lie - meaning, she thought she was living the life she wanted, the life she thought others wanted her to live. maybe it's because she didn't take the time to know herself - what she wants, needs, desires.

    all the things he thought he knew, he is learning again - how to have faith, trust, love.

    he needs to forgive her - even if she doesn't love him anymore. he won't be free until he forgives her. when he heard she found someone, and it seems he hasn't, it all about forgiveness. being filled with anger and rage, losing friends. trust and self-assurance are the things we kill - his self esteem, pride, confidence were destroyed. all of a sudden he learns he isn't good enough, something came along and knocked the air out of him. something he can't compete against because there is no winning - until there is forgiveness. we tenderness in a graceful way.

    forgiveness, even if you don't love me anymore.
    Flag karenna69on October 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is the story of the last few years of my life. Loss, acceptance of loss, the refusal to accept loss. "I think it's about forgiveness, even if you don't love me anyway" - the only way to find your own peace.
    Flag northernomegaon August 12, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of my top favorites and never gets old to me. Because I always listened to it during lots of stages in my life, before him. I think it's about letting go but learning from and appreciating what you went through to get to where you are and where your going.
    Flag ALWAYSYOURS4EVERon July 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Like all good art, this song has meaning to the person listening. Regardless of what the songwriters used as a basis for the lyrics, to me it has meaning related to my divorce. I still love my ex, I couldn't live with him any more, we both made mistakes, he hates me for my mistakes, I've been really angry about his. There is only one thing that will enable me to go on with life, and that is to forgive him for his part, even if he doesn't love me any more, even if he'll always hate me. Forgiving him helps me let it go.
    Flag Icebearon April 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:This song is narrated by a workaholic who had many problems with his significant other partly because he worked a lot, and these issues eventually led to their breakup. They also were not happy with what they had and were tempted/seduced by forces outside of their relationship, as suggested by the line "What are those voices outside love's open door / Make us throw off our contentment and beg for something more?" Emotions were heated, and in the end the "rage", "anger", and subsequently the "pride and competition" drove them apart.

    After much reflection, he came to realize that the energy he put into his work is poor consolation for the love he lost -- it "doesn't keep [him] warm" at night. He implores his ex-lover to go past the anger that broke up their relationship so that they can both forgive each other and move forward with their lives.
    Flag hueon August 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I can see how you guys say its meant for the Eagles however I think they wrote it so the fans can relate it to their personal feelings.(the fans)
    Flag plcj80on July 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The person who said this is about divorce is right on. He's singing about life being too short to hold grudges after a messy and bitter divorce. He can't seem to pinpoint exactly what happened to where the relationship went wrong, all he knows is that it's about getting over the pain and forgiving and moving on, no matter how bad.
    Flag Pizasteron June 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:great song, but that molliefromtexas person is a fucking nutcase.

    henley wrote this with 2 other people, stop trying to spread misinformation
    Flag _nate_on June 03, 2009   Link

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