"In the Shape of a Heart" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne included on his 1986 album, Lives in the Balance.

Browne is documented as saying that the song specifically addresses his relationship with his first wife, Phyllis Major, who died in March 1976 of a drug overdose:[6] It was a time I won't forget For the sorrow and regret — And the shape of a heart.

Browne speaks of damage: There was a hole left in the wall From some ancient fight About the size of a fist Or something thrown that had missed.

Addressing the song's relationship between music and message, Allmusic's Mike DeGagne wrote that Browne "maintains a certain empathetic sincereness that is created without utilizing the traditional ballad-like form, and the song is helped along musically by a sound rhythm and a positive tempo, taking away any indications of self-pity.

[5] Cash Box called it an "appealing, heart-felt treatise on modern love" and said that "creative, captivating production effectively builds to an emotional climax" and "typically powerful Browne lyrics make the package rewarding on many levels.