About The Song
“This Ol’ Heart” is one of those songs that taps into the raw, often painful experience of love lost and the emotional scars it leaves behind. Released in the mid-1960s, the song feels like a quiet, reflective moment in Buck Owens’ career, where he’s not just singing about heartache, but about the lasting effects it has on the soul. Known for his Bakersfield Sound—hard-edged, honky-tonk anthems—Owens still found room in his catalog for these introspective ballads, like *”This Ol’ Heart.” The song is about someone who’s been broken, bruised, and left trying to pick up the pieces, and in many ways, it’s a song that mirrors the quieter struggles of Owens himself.
At the time of the song’s release, Owens was riding the wave of his success, but like many country stars, his personal life was anything but perfect. His marriage to his first wife, Bonnie, had been turbulent, and the strain between his public persona and private life often found its way into his music. Owens had dealt with the frustrations and disappointments of relationships, and songs like *”This Ol’ Heart”* were his way of processing that deep emotional weight. Though it wasn’t necessarily a direct reflection of a specific breakup, the song embodies the general fatigue that comes with putting yourself into something that doesn’t work out—how it leaves a mark that takes time to heal, if it ever does.
Interestingly, the song isn’t just about a broken heart; it’s about resilience. The “Ol’ Heart” in the title is weary, but it’s still beating. The track speaks to a kind of emotional exhaustion that so many of Owens’ fans could relate to. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect, and love can often feel like a series of disappointments. But in “This Ol’ Heart,” there’s an acceptance of this fact. The heart might be scarred, but it’s still standing, still capable of feeling. That quiet defiance is what makes the song resonate with anyone who’s experienced that kind of heartache and emotional resilience. Owens never plays the victim in the song. Instead, it’s a reflection on how these experiences shape who we are, making us stronger, even in our most vulnerable moments.
Owens was always able to express this kind of personal reflection with sincerity. While his up-tempo hits like *”Act Naturally”* and *”I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail”* brought him mainstream success, it was songs like *”This Ol’ Heart”* that showcased a different, more vulnerable side of his artistry. Country music fans were drawn to his honesty. They knew that behind the stage lights and the glitzy performances was a man who understood pain, resilience, and the complexities of relationships. Owens’ willingness to explore those themes made his music feel both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Even though “This Ol’ Heart” didn’t quite reach the heights of some of Owens’ bigger hits, it holds a special place for those who know the depth of his catalog. The track may not have been a chart-topper, but it encapsulates the very essence of Owens’ musical genius—his ability to balance pain with hope, and to express the raw emotions of everyday life in a way that makes them feel both intimate and universal. *”This Ol’ Heart”* is a song that reminds us all that we’re not alone in our struggles, and that even in the midst of heartache, we continue on, with our hearts still beating, maybe a little slower, but still full of life.
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Lyric
This old heart has been around it’s been up and it’s been down
It’s been walked on all over town but it still looks for love to come aroundIt’s got memories of the past of love affairs that didn’t last
It’s been stood up by every girl in town but it still looks for love to come around
[ steel ]
Are you the next one to come along to give it hope and then do it wrong
Or will it be true love that last and wipe out all the tears from the past
Well this old heart…
Oh yes it still looks for love to come around