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"The Heart of the Matter" is a song recorded by American rock singer Don Henley from his third solo studio album, The End of the Innocence (1989). Written by Henley, Mike Campbell, and J. D. Souther and produced by Henley, Campbell, and Danny Kortchmar, the song was released as the album's third single, reaching No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks in early 1990.
| "The Heart of the Matter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cassette single artwork
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| SinglebyDon Henley | ||||
| from the album The End of the Innocence | ||||
| Released | February 1990[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1988 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 5:21 (Album Version) 3:53 (Edited Version) | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Campbell, Don Henley, J. D. Souther | |||
| Producer(s) | Mike Campbell, Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar | |||
| Don Henley singles chronology | ||||
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| "The Heart of the Matter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyIndia.Arie | ||||
| from the album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship | ||||
| Released | September 4, 2006 (U.S. smooth jazz radio)[2] | |||
| Recorded | 2006 | |||
| Genre |
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| Length | 5:15 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| India.Arie singles chronology | ||||
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The shorter radio edit version omits the "I'm learning to live without you now, but I miss you baby," and skips directly to "I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter."
In 1994 Henley, along with the Eagles, played an acoustic version of the song at their reunion concert; the performance was omitted from the Hell Freezes Over live CD, but was included in the concert DVD.
The song was covered by American soul singer India.Arie in 2006 on her third studio album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship. Her version of the song is used in the second episode of Brothers & Sisters, entitled "An Act of Will", and in the theatrical trailer for the 2008 film adaptation of Sex and the City. It is also played briefly in a scene of the film.
Stage and television actress Megan Hilty recorded a cover on her 2013 debut solo album It Happens All the Time.
Canadian singer Nikki Yanofsky recorded a live acoustic cover for her 2010 DVD Live in Montreal.
In a November 2003 interview with Songfacts, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist and songwriter Mike Campbell explained the song's origins:
I cut the track at home and played it for him (Don Henley). He wrote some words, I think he got some help from J.D. Souther on some of the lyrics. He changed the key to fit his voice, then we went in and basically recreated the demo. I know he was especially proud of that one. He told me that lyric was something he had been trying to write for a long time and it finally came out the way he liked it, something he really wanted to sing. A lot of people like that song. A lot of girls like it.[3]
| Chart (1990)[4] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 3 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 7 |
| Chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] | 51 |
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs[7] | 7 |
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
| Canadian Hot 100[8] | 33 |
| Swedish Singles Chart[8] | 46 |
| UK Singles Chart[9] | 79 |
