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One of my favourite bands was the folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars. What I loved most about their music was that their lyrics were almost poetic and they said everything that we all wish we had the courage to say.

Their songs had the power to make me feel a number of powerful emotions. Love. Joy. Sadness. Longing. Motivation. Creativity. They were the band that broke my heart with their songs, only to repair it a few songs later.

So I’m sure you can imagine my devastation when they had announced that they had broken up, citing “internal discord” within the band.

Jean Paul White and Joy Williams went on to do their own solo work, while both avoided addressing the breakup of their band. Until now.

Joy debuted a song called, “What a Good Woman Does”, which she confirmed in an interview with Marie Claire that it was about the breakup of The Civil Wars. Joy was quoted as saying:

“I don’t know when I started believing this, but I used to think if you’re a good woman you can’t be messy, and you can’t be mad,” she explains of her emotional evolution and how it’s reflected in the song. “I’ve been learning that neither of those two things is true. This is that moment when you want to call someone up and give them a piece of your mind, but you don’t because you know that no good will come of it…I’ve learned sometimes it is enough to let yourself feel the anger. It doesn’t mean that you have to always act on it. Anger can actually bring a searing clarity, and moving through that anger can eventually bring peace. And if you’re wondering: Yes, this song is about the ending of The Civil Wars.”

– Joy Williams, Marie Claire 2015

If you click on the photo below, it will take you to the song. And your heart will break a thousand times, just like mine did.
10982749_10155601343425319_1702123827851014225_n“So hear me, I haven’t lost my voice Without you near me, I can tell the truth about you leaving But that’s not what a good woman does”