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.
Heart On the Line
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He had an aptitude for acting cool
And never unmasking his mind
Never putting his heart on the line
Penny ante in the peer-group game
Taking chances for a fling with fame
And never confessing the crime
PUTTING HIS HEART ON THE LINE
PUTTING HIS HEART ON THE LINE
He remembers when his senses came
And he recognized his foolishness
And started to speak his true mind
Started putting his heart on the line
He saw the world through unused eyes
Started ignoring what was cool
And all the lies in society's shrines
Started putting his heart on the line
CHORUS
He rocked the boat and the culture-at-large said,
"We don't want to talk truth or God
Or no other themes of that kind
Or of putting your heart on the line"
So now he blends in with the bourgeoisie
He learned the lesson that society
Rewards only those who decline
To go putting their hearts on the line
CHORUS
The song "Heart On the Line" by Mark Heard tells the story of a person's journey from their youth, where they were more concerned about projecting a cool image and achieving fame, to a time where they realized the importance of expressing their true thoughts and feelings. The lyrics in the first verse describe the character's memories of his youth, where he was unwilling to reveal his true self and always played it safe. The lines "And never unmasking his mind/Never putting his heart on the line" emphasize the character's reluctance to show vulnerability and expose himself emotionally.
In the second verse, the character matures and begins to understand the emptiness of the life he had been living. He realizes that he had been ignoring his true desires and feelings in order to fit in with society and be accepted as "cool." The lines "Started ignoring what was cool/And all the lies in society's shrines" show the character's evolution towards authenticity and honesty.
However, despite this change, the character faces opposition and criticism from society, who prefers to avoid difficult topics and deep reflection. The final verse talks about the character eventually blending in with the bourgeoisie, who refuse to talk about truth, God or any other themes that require putting their hearts on the line. The lyrics in the chorus "Putting his heart on the line/Putting his heart on the line" serve as a reminder that expressing one's emotions and true self is an act of courage, and ultimately leads to personal growth and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
He remembers in the days of his youth
Reflects on youth
He had an aptitude for acting cool
Was skilled at putting on a cool facade
And never unmasking his mind
Never revealing his true thoughts or feelings
Never putting his heart on the line
Never taking emotional risks
Penny ante in the peer-group game
Engaging in minor social games
Taking chances for a fling with fame
Risking to gain attention or popularity
And never confessing the crime
Never admitting to not being true to oneself
PUTTING HIS HEART ON THE LINE
Being open and vulnerable
He remembers when his senses came
Realizes his foolishness later in life
And he recognized his foolishness
Acknowledges his past mistake
And started to speak his true mind
Becomes honest and authentic
Started putting his heart on the line
Becomes vulnerable and open
He saw the world through unused eyes
Becomes more observant
Started ignoring what was cool
Stops caring about social norms
And all the lies in society's shrines
Rejects societal falsehoods
He rocked the boat and the culture-at-large said,
Challenged the status quo
"We don't want to talk truth or God
Society rejects sincerity and spirituality
Or no other themes of that kind
Or anything that makes people uncomfortable
Or of putting your heart on the line"
Or being vulnerable and honest
So now he blends in with the bourgeoisie
Adapts to societal expectations
He learned the lesson that society
Understands that society can be oppressive
Rewards only those who decline
Rewards those who conform
To go putting their hearts on the line
To be honest and vulnerable
Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FishFish the one and only
Now he blends in with the bourgeoisie
He learned his lesson that society
Rewards only those who decline
To go putting their hearts on the line
Brilliant because it is so true. And so poetic.