Blake Mills (born September 21, 1986) is an American songwriter, guitarist,… Read Full Bio ↴Blake Mills (born September 21, 1986) is an American songwriter, guitarist, producer, and composer based in California.

Break Mirrors is Mills’ debut solo album and the latest step in a remarkable musical career that has seen everyone from Kid Rock to Cass McCombs solicit his services as a guitarist. Mills’ trip began with Simon Dawes, the young L.A. rock outfit he formed with his childhood pal Taylor Goldsmith. They made an album, Carnivore, and eventually shared stages with some of the biggest bands in America, cranking out a fresh yet classic sound the Los Angeles Times called “exhilarating.”

After his collaboration with Goldsmith ran its course, Mills moved into the next phase of his career, as sideman to the stars. He moved quickly, too: In only a few short years Mills has become one of the most in-demand session guitarists in all of Los Angeles, touring with Cass McCombs, Jenny Lewis, Band of Horses and Julian Casablancas and recording with Weezer, Kid Rock, Jakob Dylan , Andrew Bird, and Jesca Hoop, among others.

“When it comes to playing guitar for other people,” he says, “...a lot of my dreams have already come true.”

Now Mills is taking center stage with a set of tunes that reflect that extraordinary wealth of experience. Recorded in casual bursts between other gigs over the course of much of 2009, Break Mirrors strikes a perfect balance between talent and tastefulness: You won’t miss Mills’ impressive playing—check out the fuzzy slide guitar solo on “Hiroshima,” for starters—but what sticks with you is his songwriting, which hits a bittersweet coming-of-age note.

In “It’ll All Work Out” he analyzes his parents’ marriage and comes to some surprising conclusions, and “History of My Life” ponders the best way to celebrate one’s privileges. (“It’s about a humility that comes with the transition into adulthood,” Mills says with typical thoughtfulness.) Elsewhere, “Cheers” documents a painful breakup, while “Hey Lover” celebrates the healthy relationship Mills is in right now.

“I wrote that song while I was on a tour and showed it to her when I got back home,” he says. “And then we actually ended up singing it together on this record.” With a laugh Mills describes the track as “my first song of having someone after one too many songs of longing.”

“Hey Lover” may only be rivaled by the album's artwork, for which Mills sought the help of acclaimed artist Sage Vaughn; together, the two collaborated in creating a collage that represents each song.

The music on Break Mirrors comes out of a long tradition of mellow Southern California rock. Yet, perhaps thanks to Mills’ work for other artists, the songs also reveal traces of something entirely different.

There’s also a sly sense of humor in much of the material that Mills credits to his time with Ben Bridwell and Ryan Monroe (Band of Horses). “There's a humor in some people's music that is not kitschy,” he explains. “And in some of those cases it ends up uncovering a certain kind of despair.”

The result is a record that feels as expansive as it does intimate, as forward-looking as it is nostalgic. Blake Mills is much more than the session guy, the band member, or the solo artist. Break Mirrors is the proof.

Heart Of Mine
Blake Mills Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Heart of mine be still,
You can play with fire but you'll get the bill.
Don't let her know
Don't let her know that you love her.
Don't be a fool, don't be blind
Heart of mine.

Heart of mine go back home,

You got no reason to wander, you got no reason to roam.
Don't let her see
Don't let her see that you need her.
Don't put yourself over the line
Heart of mine.

Heart of mine go back where you been,
It'll only be trouble for you if you let her in.
Don't let her hear
Don't let her hear you want her.
Don't let her know she's so fine
Heart of mine.

Heart of mine you know that she'll never be true,
She'll only give to others the love that she's gotten from you.
Don't let her know
Don't let her know where you're going.
Don't untie the ties that bind
Heart of mine.

Heart of mine so malicious and so full of guile,
Give you an inch and you'll take a mile.
Don't let yourself fall Don't let yourself stumble.

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime
Heart of mine.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Heart of Mine" by Blake Mills convey a powerful message of self-control and self-protection in love. The song's protagonist is cautioning his own heart against falling in love with someone who he knows will never be true to him. The opening line, "Heart of mine be still," sets the tone for the rest of the song, urging the singer's heart to remain calm and not be swayed by passion. He warns himself that he will "get the bill" if he plays with fire, meaning that he will suffer the consequences of his actions.

Throughout the song, the singer repeats several times that he should not let the object of his affection know how he feels. He advises his heart not to let her see that he needs her and not to let her hear that he wants her. He knows that if he lets her in, it will only be trouble for him. He warns his heart that if he can't handle the "time" of loving her, he shouldn't do the "crime" of letting her in.

The chorus of "Heart of Mine" is a plea to the singer's own heart to stay in line and not to let itself fall for someone who will never be true to him. The final line, "Heart of mine so malicious and so full of guile, give you an inch and you'll take a mile," reinforces the idea that the singer's heart is not to be trusted, and he must exercise caution to protect himself from harm in love.

Line by Line Meaning

Heart of mine be still,
Stay calm, don't let your emotions take control.

You can play with fire but you'll get the bill.
If you take risks, there will be consequences.

Don't let her know
Hide your feelings from her.

Don't let her know that you love her.
Don't reveal your true feelings to her.

Don't be a fool, don't be blind
Don't act foolishly and ignore the truth.