Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: singer-songwriter
Song Meaning of “Hearts and Bones – Live at Webster Hall, New York City – June 2011” by Paul Simon
The song ‘Hearts and Bones’ by Paul Simon captures a common truth that we all eventually have to face–the realization that human relationships are fragile and uncertain. He portrays the painful journey of understanding that love is a powerful emotion that cannot always be controlled. The song reflects on the fragility of relationships, with a dreamy melody and nostalgic feel.
The lyrics tell a story of two lovers – one restless, the other wary of commitment. Simon’s sweet guitar glides over the melody as he sings, “Hearts and bones break so easily.” He acknowledges that sometimes love breaks apart for reasons outside of our control, no matter how hard we try to keep it together. He also touches on how emotional baggage from the past can affect the present, with lines like “Inside of all these years gone by, each broken promise resurrects a lie.”
The line “I wish that love could stand still, like a frozen stiff inside a photograph” alludes to the idea of wanting to keep the magic and passion of love alive even when it is no longer tangible. The song is then capped off with the ultimate conclusion that all we have in the end is our own resilience as he pleads, “Oh can I be strong enough, to survive?”