When browsing my music library, looking for something to write about, I noticed I hadn’t included my favorite duo, The Civil Wars. I couldn’t believe this because I adore them so much, but I guess maybe I have spent so much time talking about them that it feels like I already wrote an analysis for my blog. The reason I titled this one “Savoring The Civil Wars” is because I feel like I am lucky to be able to listen to the music that they have released. Sadly, the two members Joy Williams and John Paul White decided to split up in 2014 and I don’t think I will ever get over it. In my opinion, their two voices are a heavenly blend and no other duo could replace them. Even now, as they both launch their solo careers, I am disappointed when listening because their voices aren’t the same alone. However, they did manage to release two full albums in their time together, which are very special to me. I will be discussing the self-titled one, The Civil Wars. 

“The One That Got Away”- From the title, you would expect this to be a regretful, sad song about wishing to be with someone. Actually it is something more intense: they sing about basically wishing that they had never fallen in love with the person because of the mess it brought to their lives. It’s almost angry at some times. This song tends to be one of the more harder rocking tracks on the album, and it’s a great start.

“Same Old Same Old”- The reason I love this song is that it’s such an interesting dialogue between the two people in the song. It’s sad because they are clearly experiencing a tough time in their relationship, and it sounds so painful. But there’s a hopeful note because they realize they have to fight in order to fix their problems. Joy is featured more heavily, but she nails the delicate tone of the song.

“From This Valley”- I have to mention this one because they do a beautiful job of conveying simple joy in their voices. It’s all about praying to be taken from bad times into good ones, and it definitely sounds like hope. Also, they won a Grammy for this song in 2014 which was incredibly awkward because John Paul accepted the award alone and did not mention/thank Joy.

Every other track on the album is sung beautifully by both members, although Joy tends to be featured more heavily with John Paul supporting. I’m sure if you take the time to listen to a few more you can understand why their split is so heartbreaking; no other group can compare to the level of compatibility found with their voices. I’m still hoping they’ll get back together and bless the world with more content.