It brought me to tears too. Beautiful melody. The strength in simplicity! I didn't realise the meaning of the lyrics before reading the posts here. I googled "black tie" and thought it could be Mark trying to say some comforting words to the people he meets who has strong and sad personal stories. Imagine visiting the hospital for the TCT charity or similar things, and you are supposed to be the person who brings light and joy to people in difficult situations.
How wrong I was, once again I learn something new 
Yes, that's what it's about, except that those people were the family members of someone that he would have to write about.
It's an awkward situation, and the journalist has to fake or invest empathy and sympathy, in order to get information.
So in that sense, I'm not sure the song is meant to be cynical or sarcastic. If anything, it criticises a system that forces the journalists to act like that. I was actually quite surprised when I found out the back story of "Vic and Ray" and learned that MK even managed to feel a bit sorry for those two guys!
Maybe, back in 1969 or whenever, he just realised that it wasn't right somehow, or that he wasn't hardened enough to do it.
Today it's a very different situation of course, when he goes to meet patients, because he wants to do it, and his empathy is genuine and heartfelt.
