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.
I Know What It's Like to Be Loved
Mark Heard Lyrics
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Just cosmic pedestrians destined as bones in the ground
While we and our fortunes are gathering dust
We yearn for a hope that would lay those assumptions to rest
I know where that hope lives
And I know what it's like to be loved
Hate is a swindler and often we know we've been had
We do unto others, then run with a leisurely laugh
We yearn for hearts that would soften like wax in the sun
I know about forgiveness
And I know what it's like to be loved
Oh shall we lie dormant with no everlasting exchange?
With no fascination beyond the terrestrial range?
As our inheritance seems swept out to sea
We ache with a knowledge that that's not the way it should be
I know that's not the way it is
And I know what it's like to be loved
I know that's not the way it is
And I know what it's like to be loved
Mark Heard's song I Know What It's Like to Be Loved is a reflection about the desires and anxieties that haunt our lives as human beings. Heard draws a sharp contrast between our mortal and transient bodies, which will eventually turn into dust, and our aspirations for hope and love that go beyond our earthly existence. The lyrics suggest that while we are aware of the impermanence of our lives, we yearn for something that would transcend the physical realm and give us a sense of meaning and purpose.
Heard also highlights the destructive power of hate and how it can deceive us into believing that hurting others will bring us joy and satisfaction. But ultimately, he argues that this kind of pleasure is short-lived and hollow and that true happiness can only be found by showing forgiveness and experiencing the warmth of affection that comes from being loved.
The third verse of the song questions whether life is just a fleeting and meaningless experience or if there is something more significant and awe-inspiring waiting for us beyond the horizon. Heard suggests that it's possible to find hope and reassurance by recognizing that our existence is not limited to this world but extends to a higher and transcendent realm. By acknowledging this truth, we can embrace the uncertainty and challenges of life and find comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone.
Line by Line Meaning
They say that the body is not of a durable kind
It is commonly believed that the human body is not long-lasting and will inevitably decay over time.
Just cosmic pedestrians destined as bones in the ground
We are merely temporary beings on this Earth, destined for death and eventual decay.
While we and our fortunes are gathering dust
As we go about our lives accumulating possessions and wealth, they will eventually become insignificant and forgotten.
We yearn for a hope that would lay those assumptions to rest
Despite the harsh reality of our mortality and the fleeting nature of our worldly possessions, we long for a belief or faith that can provide comfort and rest from these assumptions.
I know where that hope lives
As the singer of this song, I know where that hope can be found.
And I know what it's like to be loved
I have experienced the feeling of being loved, which brings a sense of peace and contentment.
Hate is a swindler and often we know we've been had
Hatred is deceiving and often causes us to feel as though we have been cheated in some way.
We do unto others, then run with a leisurely laugh
We harm others without remorse and often enjoy doing so.
And when we've had all our barbarian fun
After we have indulged in our cruel behaviors and actions, we eventually tire of it.
We yearn for hearts that would soften like wax in the sun
We desire forgiveness and loving-kindness from those we have wronged.
I know about forgiveness
As the singer of this song, I have experienced forgiveness personally.
And I know what it's like to be loved
I have also experienced the feeling of being loved, which includes forgiveness and compassion.
Oh shall we lie dormant with no everlasting exchange?
Shall we simply exist without experiencing any meaningful, eternal connections or relationships?
With no fascination beyond the terrestrial range?
Without any curiosity or interest in things beyond Earthly matters?
As our inheritance seems swept out to sea
As it seems our legacy or what we pass on to future generations is being lost or forgotten.
We ache with a knowledge that that's not the way it should be
We feel a deep sense of sadness and discomfort with the idea that our existence on this Earth should be meaningless and without purpose.
I know that's not the way it is
As the singer of this song, I know that there is more to our existence than simply living and dying on this Earth.
And I know what it's like to be loved
Through my experiences with love and forgiveness, I have come to know that there is more to life beyond our physical realm.
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.