While it may be premature to elevate Eric Himan to the Mount Rushmore of pop icons, he's proving that he has the mettle to make the climb.
Himan burst onto the indie music scene at the beginning of this decade, acoustic guitar blazing, soulful baritone wailing. With a voice like Cat Stevens, inked arms that out-sleeve Tommy Lee and a guitar style akin to fellow indie artist Ani DiFranco, he was an young man on a mission.
That mission began in coffee houses around Penn State University, where Himan was a student, and culminated in the 2000 release of his first CD, Eric Himan. The stripped-down, acoustic recording was originally crafted as an audience keepsake, but it became his calling card as the music was shared. And the word was spread.
From the very beginning, Himan broke the mold of the soft-spoken, earnest folk troubadour. His performances were filled with electricity and power, but his lyrics betrayed a vulnerability and sadness that sharply contrasted with his bad boy appearance. The combination proved irresistible to audiences.
Himan slowly began expanding his sphere of influence, touring the region while carrying a full course load at Penn State. As demand for his CD grew, Thumbcrown Records (christened for the crown tattoo on his right thumb) was born.
Extensive touring became a catalyst for extensive writing and experimentation with other musical genres. The folk, rock, blues and even jazz influences of his youth (courtesy of his guitar playing father, who fed him a steady diet of Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Richie Havens and the Beatles) came into play.
The result was I Go On (September 2002), which brought Himan to national attention through magazine coverage and made him a favorite on the NACA circuit. After graduating, Himan hit the road full time, playing colleges, pride events, "anywhere people would listen," he laughs.
Local papers documented his travels, and AAA radio began playing tracks from I Go On. The more Himan toured, the more CDs he sold. The plan was working. So when it came time to record #3, he reassembled his studio team for what would become All For Show.
This indie release sold 1000 copies in its first month and caught the attention of Borders Books, which booked Himan for in-store appearances nationwide. Next came his distinction as a Fender endorsed artist by the legendary guitar maker.
Just recently, Himan was tapped to join industry heavyweights like Christina Aguilera, Melissa Etheridge, Pink and the Dixie Chicks, on "Love Rocks", a 2-CD compilation produced by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. For Himan, it's a harmonic convergence of music, message and audience. And the exposure is sure to generate even greater awareness and interest in his songs.
On all his releases, Himan uses his music to address difficult topics: date rape, the death penalty, family acceptance and, of course, the complexities and pain of relationships: all poignantly told from a first-person perspective. There's no macho swagger here.
Now, with his 2005 release, Dark Horse, Himan has crafted a record that shows his growth as a singer/songwriter, enhanced by studio production that truly reflects the caliber of his music.
The eleven tracks offer the same brand of brutal-yet-poetic honesty that has become his trademark, while Himan continues to explore musical genres, aided by a group of top-notch musicians and engineers. Dark Horse is the most expensive record twentysomething Himan has ever made, but it's a gamble that is sure to pay off.
Because no other artist looks OR sounds like Eric Himan: rough trade on the outside, gentle soul of a poet on the inside ad voice of a new generation all around
White Horse
Eric Himan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To be the one who comes to a rescue,
Life didn't turn out the way his folks planned,
He's waiting to be rescued,
And it's off to the races,
What will it be,
For his love life to run his course?
He says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse.",
Gina's a pretty smart girl,
Hailing from the beaches of Destin,
She works as hard as her man in Navarre,
Just to get ignored by him,
And She is off to the races,
What will it be,
When she realizes that she is worth more?
Where fairy tales end and happy endings begin,
She says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse.",
Kiley's a good friend of mine,
We go out to the bars in PA,
When she's had too much to drive,
Our friend Mark gives her a ride,
And wave from the cha cha's window,
And their off to her place, what will it be,
When he hits on her on her front porch?
She says, "Your a nice guy but my girlfriend is inside,
Don't think, I'm waiting for my man on white horse.
And it's off to the races,
What will it be for love to run to its source?
Where fairy tales end and happy endings begin
He says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
She says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
Don't think, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
The lyrics of Eric Himan's song "White Horse" explore different perspectives on love and the desire to be rescued or saved by someone else. The first verse introduces Bobby, who was taught to be a rescuer but now finds himself waiting to be rescued. This suggests a sense of vulnerability and dependence on others. The chorus of "off to the races" and "what will it be" indicates a feeling of uncertainty about what the future holds for his love life. However, he still holds onto the hope of finding someone who will save him, the "man on white horse."
The second verse focuses on Gina, a smart girl who works hard but is ignored by her man in Navarre. She too is waiting for someone to come and rescue her, as seen with the repetition of the chorus. However, there is a shift in tone as she realizes that she is worth more than waiting for someone else to come to her rescue. The third verse features Kiley and her friend Mark, who gives her a ride home after a night out. While Mark may have other intentions, Kiley makes it clear she is not waiting for anyone to come save her, rejecting his advances and affirming her own agency and independence.
Overall, the lyrics of "White Horse" explore the theme of waiting for someone else to save us, while also suggesting the importance of valuing oneself and not relying solely on others for happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Bobby was taught long ago,
Bobby was taught to be the person who helps others.
To be the one who comes to a rescue,
He was always taught to be the one who saves others.
Life didn't turn out the way his folks planned,
His life didn't turn out as his parents had hoped.
He's waiting to be rescued,
He's waiting for someone to help him.
And it's off to the races,
Things are moving quickly.
What will it be,
What's going to happen?
For his love life to run his course?
When will his love life take its natural course?
Where fairy tales end and happy endings begin,
This is where fairy tales typically end and happy endings begin.
He says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
He's waiting for someone to come and sweep him off his feet.
Gina's a pretty smart girl,
Gina is an intelligent person.
Hailing from the beaches of Destin,
She's from the beaches of Destin.
She works as hard as her man in Navarre,
She works equally hard as her partner in Navarre.
Just to get ignored by him,
But her hard work is ignored by her partner.
And She is off to the races,
Things are moving quickly for her too.
What will it be,
What's going to happen now?
When she realizes that she is worth more?
When will she understand that she deserves better?
Where fairy tales end and happy endings begin,
This is where fairy tales end and happy endings begin.
She says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
She's waiting for someone to come and sweep her off her feet.
Kiley's a good friend of mine,
Kiley is a close friend of mine.
We go out to the bars in PA,
We frequent the bars in Pennsylvania.
When she's had too much to drive,
When Kiley has had too much to drink to drive.
Our friend Mark gives her a ride,
Our friend Mark gives her a ride home.
And wave from the cha cha's window,
They say goodbye from the window of the cha cha bar.
And their off to her place, what will it be,
They head to Kiley's place and wonder what could happen.
When he hits on her on her front porch?
When he starts flirting with her on her front porch?
She says, "Your a nice guy but my girlfriend is inside,
She tells him that she has a girlfriend inside the house.
Don't think, I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
And she clarifies that she's not waiting for anyone else to save her.
And it's off to the races,
Things are still moving quickly.
What will it be for love to run to its source?
What does love truly mean?
Where fairy tales end and happy endings begin
This is where the magic happens.
He says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
This guy is still waiting to be rescued.
She says, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
And this girl is too.
Don't think, "I'm waiting for my man on white horse."
They both want to make it clear that they don't need anyone else to swoop in and save them.
Writer(s): HIMAN ERIC JAY
Contributed by Evelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.