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.
Dancing at the Policeman's Ball
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a partner in your hand
Restless and breathless you dance the night away
Did I hear you say it is your aim
For every night to be just the same
And you hope the city outside's gonna be okay
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
I saw you smile when I heard you say
"A life o' crime just does not pay,
And criminals are heading for a big fall!"
And when I asked to see your badge
You said, "Man, I don't need to flash no badge-
Can't you see I'm dancing at the Policeman's ball?"
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Move your feet while the city sleeps
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
In precinct five, ten people died
In precinct six, it was twenty-five
Nobody taking the law to the streets tonight
Did I hear you say it is your aim
For every night to be just the same
And you hope the city outside's gonna be okay
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
Move your feet while the city sleeps
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
The song "Dancing at the Policeman's Ball" by Mark Heard has a theme of escapism and the desire for normalcy amid a violent, unstable world. The lyrics describe a scene at a policeman's ball where the singer is dancing with a partner despite the chaos and danger outside. She expresses her hope that the troubles of the outside world will not disrupt the normalcy of her life, yet seems aware of the escalating violence in the city. The singer amusedly notes the irony of her dancing at a policeman's ball and acknowledges that she doesn't need to show her badge to prove her identity.
The lyrics suggest a deeper meaning which is the desire for people to ignore the dangers going on around them and maintain a sense of normalcy in their lives. The chorus's repetition of "Dancing at the Policeman's Ball" implies that the singer and her partner are both trying to escape from the world outside, even for just one night. The verse that mentions the death tolls in different precincts highlights the increasing level of violence in the city and the desire for law and order. The song speaks to the human need to find joy and pleasure in one's life despite the difficulties of the world around.
Line by Line Meaning
You hit the floor at the sound of the band
You immediately start dancing when you hear the music.
With a partner in your hand
You have someone to dance with.
Restless and breathless you dance the night away
You dance non-stop and with great enthusiasm all night long.
Did I hear you say it is your aim
You mention that your goal is...
For every night to be just the same
...to have a routine and predictable experience every time you go out to dance.
And you hope the city outside's gonna be okay
You express a desire for safety and security outside of the dance event.
I saw you smile when I heard you say
I noticed that you grinned after making a statement...
"A life o' crime just does not pay,
"Criminal activity does not lead to success,
And criminals are heading for a big fall!"
and wrongdoers will face serious consequences."
And when I asked to see your badge
When I requested to see your identification as a police officer...
You said, "Man, I don't need to flash no badge-
You replied, "I do not need to display my badge because...
Can't you see I'm dancing at the Policeman's ball?"
"...my presence here as a police officer is evident by my attending this event."
In precinct five, ten people died
There were ten deaths in the fifth district...
In precinct six, it was twenty-five
...and twenty-five deaths in the sixth district.
Nobody taking the law to the streets tonight
It seems like no one is breaking the law in the city tonight.
Dancing at the Policeman's ball
You are enjoying dancing at the event for police officers.
Move your feet while the city sleeps
You are dancing while the rest of the city is quiet and at rest.
Contributed by Brayden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.