Don Williams – That’s The Thing About Love: A Gentle Reminder of Heartache’s Quiet Grace
For those of us who have lived through enough seasons to see the leaves turn many times over, the voice of Don Williams feels less like a performance and more like a steady hand on a shoulder. Known affectionately as “The Gentle Giant,” Williams possessed a rare, baritone warmth that could settle a restless soul. In 1984, he released “That’s The Thing About Love,” a song that didn’t just climb the charts—it climbed into the quiet corners of our living rooms and stayed there.
Upon its debut, the song resonated deeply with the country music audience, quickly ascending to the Number One spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was a cornerstone of his successful album, Cafe Carolina. In an era where music was becoming increasingly polished and loud, Don Williams remained an anchor of simplicity, proving that a whisper often carries more weight than a shout.
The story behind the song is one of masterful craftsmanship, written by Gary Nicholson and Richard Feldman. It arrived at a time when Williams was refining his “Tulsa Sound”—a blend of country, folk, and a touch of soft rock that felt as natural as a morning breeze. There is an effortless quality to the production; the acoustic guitar strums with a rhythmic honesty that mirrors the steady heartbeat of a long-term commitment.
Thematically, “That’s The Thing About Love” is a meditation on the paradoxical nature of the human heart. It speaks to the older soul who understands that love is rarely a straight line. It is a “trouble-maker,” a force that “comes and goes” without permission, leaving us both enriched and exhausted. The lyrics don’t paint a fairytale; instead, they acknowledge the “tears and the laughter” and the way love can “make a fool of a wise man.” To a listener who has navigated the complexities of a decades-long marriage or the bittersweet sting of a lost companion, these words ring with a profound, lived-in truth.
Reflecting on this track today brings a wave of nostalgia for a time when music gave us permission to sit still and think. Don Williams didn’t need pyrotechnics; he only needed that signature Stetson hat, his guitar, and a story about the messy, beautiful reality of caring for someone. As we listen to the soft decay of the final notes, we are reminded that while love may be unpredictable and occasionally painful, it remains the only thing truly worth the journey. It is a song for the twilight hours, for reflection, and for honoring the many shapes love has taken in our lives.