“For All Our Days That Tear The Heart” by Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler: Finding Value in Pain

Oscar-nominated actress Jessie Buckley and former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler team up once again for what can only be described as a cinematic experience for the ears. “For All Our Days That Tear The Heart” begs the question: For all our days that tear the heart, what do we have to show for it? Accompanied by a melancholy black-and-white music video, it’s a gracefully told story about the way we look back on our worst days.

It reminds me of the type of song you would hear in a Disney movie; not only is it beautifully composed, the lines tell a story — one that leaves you with a wistful feeling that lasts long after the song is over. 

For all our days that tear the heart / Leave us nowhere / For all the years we left untold / Hurt we couldn’t hold much longer

The song is about looking back at the damage you’ve endured and trying to find the value in it. Many people believe that the value is found in sharing your story — that is, if you make it to the other side and tell everyone what it took to get there, then that makes everything worth it. That being said, the singer is potentially feeling pain due to all the “untold years.” So far, it seems she feels she has gotten nothing from her suffering.

This place we called our home / Has fallen down to stone / Nowhere else to hide

Here we see the defenses the singer has put up start to fall, and she is forced to face her unpleasant experiences and memories. The place she speaks of is probably mental; it’s the place where she retreats when wants to avoid moving forward. It’s an old version of herself that she has shed, much like she mentions in the lines prior..

For all our days that tear the heart / Lead us somewhere / Somewhere else to start

The song ends with a positive twist. We see a new possibility present itself — the idea that all of the damage acted as a transition into the next phase of life. Buckley belts these ending lines with newfound power, a contrast to the overall mellow vibe of the rest of the track. It is as if she has been keeping the emotions bottled inside and she is finally ready to let them out. 

There is a subtle build up of energy throughout the song that is released in the last few lines. It signifies the importance of letting everything out, even if you don’t think anyone will hear you. The pain has value because it makes you who you are, and you don’t need another person to validate that.