Mark Heard released 13 studio albums in his lifetime (as Mark Heard & Ideola) also 1 album with Infinity Plus Three), and produced and performed with many other artists as well, such as Daniel Amos, Sam Phillips, Pierce Pettis, Phil Keaggy, Vigilantes of Love, Peter Buck of R.E.M., John Austin, The Choir, Randy Stonehill and Michael Been of The Call. Heard produced part of Olivia Newton John's The Rumour, which also included a cover of Heard's "Big and Strong".
On July 4, 1992, Heard suffered a heart attack on stage while performing with Pierce Pettis and Kate Miner, at the Cornerstone Festival, near Chicago, Illinois. Heard finished his set and went to the hospital immediately afterwards. Two weeks after being released from the hospital, Heard had a cardiac arrest and died in August of 1992. Sadly, this happened at a time when Heard's musical career never looked brighter. Not only had he just released three albums (Dry Bones Dance in 1990, Second Hand in 1991, and Satellite Sky in 1992) that many hailed as his best work to date, but he had also just been included on a sampler from Windham Hill's High Street label.
Heard's early work was often marked by strong, poetic lyrics; but musically he lingered in a generic folk/folk-rock style. But Heard continued to experiment musically; his most extreme was perhaps the elaborately-produced electronic rock on the album Tribal Opera, which he released under the name iDEoLA. With Dry Bones Dance, however, Heard's music blossomed into an intense folk-rock fusion, marked by driving rhythms, virtuosic instrumentals, passionate vocals, and interwoven elements borrowed from styles such as Appalachian folk, zydeco, bluegrass, and country (though Heard's music is none of those). Second Hand returned to a more acoustic guitar-based folk sound, but retained the energy and creativity discovered through Dry Bones Dance. His final official album, Satellite Sky, was again more like the latter.
Mark Heard's lyrics are deeply grounded in a Christian view of the world, though explicitly so only half the time. He was often critical and had an eye for emotional pain and spiritual desolation, yet he remarkably avoided cynicism. When his lyrics turned to expressing hope or joy, they were powerful. As a poetic lyricist, Heard cultivated verbal sound (e.g. with internal rhyme), strong images and elaborate personae, while avoiding the cheap punch-line metaphors popular in much contemporary folk music. Some of his images, most notably "bones," can be found repeated and richly varied in their meaning across years of songwriting.
In 1994, many artists came together to record a tribute album called Strong Hand of Love. Artists lending their talents to the project included Victoria Williams, Chagall Guevara, Buddy Miller, Julie Miller, Daniel Amos, The Choir, Rich Mullins, Bruce Cockburn, and the Vigilantes of Love. The project was later reissued as a 2 CD set with additional tracks and retitled Orphans of God.
Carry On
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dream their visions of no renown
All tomorrow's unforeseen
And time is a'running down
Cast away the tether lines
And take to the boundaries main
Different horizons all the time
Can the loner stand alone
Can the unsown seed be sown
Carry on, carry on
While the path remains unknown
All the ageless seasons
Roll their course in a single day
All the ageless reasons why
Unfold just to slip away
All the lovers
Love to show the way
They can hide their tears
But all the lovers come and go
And fade with the passing years
Can the loner stand tone
Can the unsown seed be sown
Carry on, carry on
While the path remains unknown
The opening line of Mark Heard's song Carry On speaks of the sleepless dreamers, which refers to those who have big and grand aspirations but can't help but toss and turn as they contemplate their visions. These dreams don't seek fame or recognition, but they are important all the same. The next lines talk about the unpredictability of tomorrow and how time is always running out. But in the face of this uncertainty, it is essential to cast away the tether lines and explore new horizons, even if they appear identical to what has come before.
The second verse of the song speaks of the ageless seasons that roll by within a single day, and the countless ageless reasons that are here one moment and gone the next. The line about lovers indicates that they too have a short lifespan, as they come and go, fade away with the passing years. The song then asks whether a loner can stand alone, whether an unsown seed can be planted. The answer lies in carrying on and not letting the unknown path scare you off.
Overall, the song is a reminder that life is unpredictable and fleeting, and one must remain optimistic and carry on, even in the face of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
All the sleepless dreamers
People who cannot sleep are constantly thinking and dreaming about their future goals and aspirations.
Dream their visions of no renown
These people visualize their futures achieving great things, yet they know their visions won't be recognized by others.
All tomorrow's unforeseen
The future is unpredictable and anything can happen, leading to unforeseen circumstances in our lives.
And time is a'running down
Time is moving fast and we're always on a race against it to achieve our goals and aspirations.
Cast away the tether lines
We have to let go of the things and people that hold us down if we want to achieve our goals.
And take to the boundaries main
We should travel beyond our comfort zone and try new experiences to broaden our horizons.
Different horizons all the time
The world is constantly changing, leading to new opportunities and experiences in life.
Identical, just the same
Despite these new experiences, people tend to have similar dreams and aspirations in life, making us all the same in some way.
Can the loner stand alone
Can someone who is alone and doesn't rely on others to achieve their aspirations stand strong and succeed?
Can the unsown seed be sown
Can we achieve the impossible and make something great out of nothing, like planting a seed and growing a tree?
Carry on, carry on
Keep going and don't give up on your aspirations, even when things get tough.
While the path remains unknown
You might not know where your path in life is leading you, but keep going and you'll eventually find your way.
All the ageless seasons
The changing seasons are a constant reminder that time is fleeting and we need to make the most of it.
Roll their course in a single day
We experience different emotions and events throughout our days, yet time seems to fly by regardless.
All the ageless reasons why
Despite all the changes and chaos in life, there are always underlying reasons why everything happens.
Unfold just to slip away
These reasons are often fleeting, and often go unnoticed or unappreciated until they're gone.
All the lovers
People who are in love can be a guiding light for others, inspiring them to find love and happiness as well.
Love to show the way
Lovers often express their love and affection for each other in front of others, hoping to spread love and happiness to everyone around them.
They can hide their tears
Even though lovers may experience hardships and obstacles in their relationships, they often try to hide their pain and suffering from others.
But all the lovers come and go
Love is unpredictable and relationships can come to an end at any time, despite best efforts to keep them alive.
And fade with the passing years
As time goes by, relationships fade away and people move on, leaving behind memories and lessons learned.
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.