In 1984 Hornsby formed Bruce Hornsby & the Range, who were signed to RCA Records in 1985. Besides Hornsby, Range members were David Mansfield (guitar, mandolin, violin), George Marinelli (guitars and backing vocals), Joe Puerta (bass guitar and backing vocals), and John Molo (drums).
During the 1990s he toured with the Grateful Dead, and released four albums, including A Night on the Town (1990) after which he split from The Range. Harbor Lights (1993) was his first solo album and signaled Hornsby was moving in a new jazz-influenced direction, whilst retaining elements of rock and pop. Later releases include Hot House (1995) and Spirit Trail (1998).
His experimental album Big Swing Face (2002) attracted much criticism as it veered away from his piano-based style. Despite these criticisms, he returned with his next studio album, shrugging off RCA and signing to Sony Music Entertainment. Halcyon Days, released in 2004, saw a return to the piano as the key instrument; this album also became the premise for his world tour the same year.
Hornsby continues to tour with his live band "The Noisemakers", in addition to solo shows and his progressive bluegrass performances with Ricky Skaggs.
In 2007 he released Camp Meeting, his first total jazz album as The Bruce Hornsby Trio, which involved jazz giants, Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride with whom he made live appearances with throughout 2007.
In March 2007 Hornsby teamed with bluegrass player Ricky Skaggs to produce a bluegrass album, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, and played several tour dates together. The seeds for the album had been sown in 2000 when the pair collaborated on "Darlin' Cory", a track on the Big Mon Bill Monroe bluegrass tribute album and then proposed recording an album together. Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, featuring the duo backed by Skaggs's band Kentucky Thunder, combined bluegrass, traditional country, "a tinge of Hornsby's jazzy piano and a splash of humor" on a spectrum of songs from the traditional to new compositions such as the opening track "The Dreaded Spoon," "a humorous tale of a youthful ice cream heist. The pair also reinvented Hornsby's hit "Mandolin Rain" as a minor key acoustic ballad and "give his cautionary tale of backwoods violence", "A Night On the Town," a treatment highlighting the "Appalachian storytelling tradition that was always at the song's heart. The album ended with a surprise cover of Rick James's funk hit "Super Freak" in a bluegrass arrangement. Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby topped Billboard's bluegrass charts for several weeks. The album showed Hornsby carving out a place for piano within traditional bluegrass, disproving the notion that the piano is not compatible with "string-oriented" bluegrass.
Concurrently with the bluegrass project, Hornsby recorded a jazz album, Camp Meeting. with Christian McBride (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Alongside original compositions by Hornsby, the trio delivered "newly reharmonized versions" of tunes by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, a previously unrecorded Ornette Coleman work ("Questions and Answers") and an early Keith Jarrett composition ("Death and the Flower.") The trio made a series of appearances in the summer of 2007, including the Playboy Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Hollywood Bowl.
On January 4, 2007, former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart reunited along with Hornsby, Mike Gordon (of Phish and the Rhythm Devils) and Warren Haynes to play two sets. including Dead classics, at a post-inauguration fundraising party for Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House in the United States Congress.
Hornsby wrote songs for a Broadway Musical, titled "SCKBSTD"; one song from this project, a playful biographical tune about real-estate tycoon Donald Trump titled "The Don of Dons," made several appearances in setlists during his early-2007 solo piano performances. He also composed the score for Spike Lee's ESPN documentary, Kobe Doin' Work, about NBA star Kobe Bryant and his MVP season.
Outside of music composition and performance, Hornsby has taken an ownership interest in Williamsburg area radio station "The Tide," WTYD 92.3 FM, and he has endowed the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program at University of Miami's Frost School of Music, encouraging the study of songwriting broadly across traditional genres. Hornsby played himself in a cameo role in the Robin Williams movie World's Greatest Dad, in which Williams' character is a Bruce Hornsby fan.
He has also been honored by piano makers Steinway & Sons with their Limited Edition Signature Piano Series. Hornsby selected ten Model B Steinway Grands to be featured in this collection, each one personalized with his signature. Hornsby owns three 9-foot Model D Steinway Grands himself.
Mirror On The Wall
Bruce Hornsby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd like to try someone analyzing my writing
I'd like to see what's written on the crystal stones
And see what happens if I put on my turban
And start throwing bones, hey
Maybe I'll be a gopher
And getting bagels for the U.N.
In futile search of perfect 10's
And maybe I'll be the legendary
Scandal-ridden pol
Keeping up my solid citizen front
When I'm really just bought and sold
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Palm readings and crystal balls
It's obvious for all to see
How uncertain it will be
And handwriting and dice rolls
I Ching and crystal stones
And tea leaves and astrology
Get someone to interpret your dreams
Still I don't know where we'll be
Will you take this ride with me?
Maybe I'll be a doctor
Ophthalmologist, checking out eyes
Maybe I'll get a job
Making little skinny curly fries
I might feel important
As a security guard
And I'd love to lean on you
When times get too hard, hey
Maybe I'll be the overweight
Ex-jock chasing skirts
Telling my old stories, you know
The older you get the better you were
You could be my right hand
Tell me when I'm a joke
And maybe there'll be some times
When we feel like we're not just blowing smoke
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Palm readings and crystal balls
It's obvious for all to see
How uncertain it will be
Handwriting and dice rolls
I Ching and crystal stones
And tea leaves and astrology
Get someone to interpret your dreams
Still I don't know where we'll be
Will you take this ride with me, with me?
Maybe I'll invent the nuclear
Magnetic resonance stomp
Or create a synthetic hue for you
Or maybe chemical breakthroughs
Take a map of genome
And give directions to a friend
And develop a crumb-crisp coating
For a new cake and ice cream blend, hey
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Palm readings and crystal balls
It's obvious for all to see
How uncertain it will be
Fortune tellers and mirrored walls
Tarot cards and ouija boards
And tea leaves and astrology
Why don't you come and lay with me?
Still I wonder where we'll be
Will you take this ride
Will you take this ride with me, with me?
The lyrics to Bruce Hornsby's song "Mirror On The Wall" touch on the theme of uncertainty about the future and the desire to seek guidance or insight in different forms of divination. The first verse describes different methods the singer is willing to try, such as consulting the I Ching (an ancient Chinese method of divination), having someone analyze their handwriting, or reading crystal stones. They even mention putting on a turban and throwing bones, suggesting a willingness to try unconventional methods in their quest for understanding. The second verse talks about different career paths the singer might take, from working for the United Nations to being an ophthalmologist to making curly fries. The refrain of "Mirror, mirror on the wall" emphasizes the idea of seeking guidance from external sources, while the closing lines suggest an openness to the unknown future and a desire for companionship.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of curiosity and openness to different possibilities, while acknowledging the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. The diverse range of methods and careers mentioned reflect a broader theme of exploring different paths and not being afraid to try new things in the pursuit of personal growth and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd like to try throwing the I Ching
I want to experiment with divination and see if I can gain insights about the future.
I'd like to try someone analyzing my writing
I'm curious about whether my writing carries any hidden meanings or messages that I'm not aware of.
I'd like to see what's written on the crystal stones
I'm interested in using crystals for divination, and I'm curious about what messages they might contain.
And see what happens if I put on my turban
I'm open to experimenting with different cultural practices and belief systems to see what insights they might offer.
And start throwing bones, hey
I'm willing to try new divination methods, such as bone throwing, to see if they can provide insights into the future.
Maybe I'll be a gopher
I might end up in a low-status job like fetching things for others, despite my ambitions.
And getting bagels for the U.N.
My low-status job could take me to unexpected places, such as serving diplomats at the United Nations.
Maybe I'll cruise bars
I might waste my time hanging out in bars, searching for a love interest who meets my unrealistic standards.
In futile search of perfect 10's
I might waste my time pursuing perfect partners who don't exist, and end up alone and unfulfilled.
And maybe I'll be the legendary
I could end up achieving great things and becoming famous, despite the scandals and controversies that follow me.
Scandal-ridden pol
I might become a politician who gets embroiled in various scandals and controversies.
Keeping up my solid citizen front
Despite my flaws and controversies, I'll try to maintain a public image of competence and integrity.
When I'm really just bought and sold
I might be beholden to powerful interests who control me behind the scenes, despite my public image of independence.
Mirror, mirror on the wall
I'm looking for insights and answers, and I'm willing to use divination methods such as mirrors to gain them.
Palm readings and crystal balls
I'm interested in various forms of divination, such as palm readings and crystal balls, to help me understand the future.
It's obvious for all to see
It's clear that the future is uncertain and unpredictable, and that divination methods can't offer definitive answers.
How uncertain it will be
The future is full of unknowns and surprises, and it's impossible to predict with absolute certainty what will happen.
And handwriting and dice rolls
Other divination methods I'm willing to try include handwriting analysis and throwing dice to see what patterns emerge.
I Ching and crystal stones
I'm drawn to divination methods that use ancient Chinese tools like the I Ching and crystal stones to predict the future.
And tea leaves and astrology
I'm interested in interpreting tea leaves and reading astrological charts to reveal insights into what the future might hold.
Get someone to interpret your dreams
I'm open to exploring the meanings behind my dreams and what they might reveal about my subconscious mind.
Still I don't know where we'll be
Despite my interest in divination, I'm aware that the future is uncertain and can't be predicted with absolute accuracy.
Will you take this ride with me?
I'm looking for companionship and support on my journey through life, and I hope to find it with someone who shares my sense of curiosity and openness.
Maybe I'll be a doctor
I might end up pursuing a career in medicine, perhaps specializing in eye care as an ophthalmologist.
Checking out eyes
As an ophthalmologist, I'd be responsible for examining people's eyes and helping them maintain their vision and eye health.
Maybe I'll get a job
Another possibility is that I might end up in a low-paying job with few prospects for advancement.
Making little skinny curly fries
In this job, I might be responsible for making fast food fries, which might not be very fulfilling or rewarding.
I might feel important
Despite my low-status job, I might derive a sense of importance and self-esteem from it, knowing that I'm contributing to society in some way.
As a security guard
I might take a job as a security guard, responsible for maintaining order and security in public spaces.
And I'd love to lean on you
In the face of life's challenges and uncertainties, I'd like to have a supportive partner who I can rely on for comfort and reassurance.
When times get too hard, hey
I know that there will be difficult times ahead, and I'll need someone to lean on when I'm feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.
Maybe I'll be the overweight
In the future, I might struggle with my weight and find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Ex-jock chasing skirts
I might reminisce about my athletic youth and long for the romantic attention that I used to receive as a jock.
Telling my old stories, you know
I might find myself telling the same old stories about my glory days, as a way of reliving the past and holding onto my former identity.
The older you get the better you were
As I age, I might start to embellish my stories and exaggerate my accomplishments, as a way of coping with my fading youth and vitality.
You could be my right hand
In an ideal world, I'd have a supportive partner who I could trust and rely on as my right-hand person.
Tell me when I'm a joke
I'd rather have someone be honest with me when I'm being ridiculous or making mistakes, rather than just telling me what I want to hear.
And maybe there'll be some times
Inevitably, there will be some moments of doubt and uncertainty in our journey together as partners.
When we feel like we're not just blowing smoke
Despite our best intentions and efforts, there will be moments when we question whether we're making any real progress or just spinning our wheels.
Fortune tellers and mirrored walls
In addition to divination methods like fortune-telling and mirror-gazing, I'm also drawn to exploring the mysteries of the self and the universe.
Tarot cards and ouija boards
Other divination tools that fascinate me include tarot cards and ouija boards, both of which can reveal hidden insights and messages from the subconscious mind.
Why don't you come and lay with me?
I'm inviting my partner to share with me the journey of exploring the mysteries of the self and the universe, to help us both grow as individuals and as a couple.
Still I wonder where we'll be
Despite all our exploration and experimentation, we can never know for sure where our journey will take us.
Will you take this ride
I'm inviting my partner to join me on a journey of exploration and discovery, to help us both grow and evolve as individuals and as a couple.
Will you take this ride with me, with me?
Ultimately, I'm asking my partner for the gift of her companionship and support, as we go on this journey of self-discovery and change together.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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