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.
In the Gaze of the Spotlight's Eye
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A long way from home
Still nauseous from a turbulent sky
Up on the stage alone
The live end of a microphone
Point-blank to my soul
I'm trying hard
I want to go home
I wish that this night would end
I've got to go on
And shoot from the heart again
Somebody came for the rock n' roll
Somebody carne for a smile
Somebody came for a sermon in song
Or something to call worthwhile
The expectations of who-knows-who
Examining my soul
Unknown faces expecting me to play some role
And oh, I want to go home
I wish that this night would end
But I've got to go on
And shoot from the heart again
I don't have no magical words
No pockets full of spiritual jewels
I only know about the way things are
In light of the simple truth
I don't know which hearts are breaking
Or whose flags are truly unfurled
Between here and heaven and the outside world
And oh, I want to go home
I wish that this night would end
But I've got to go on
And shoot from the heart again
The song "In the Gaze of the Spotlight's Eye" by Mark Heard is a narrative of a performer's experience onstage. The opening line "In the gaze of the spotlight's eye, a long way from home" evokes the loneliness and vulnerability of being on stage. The singer also acknowledges the physical effects of performance anxiety as he feels nauseous from a turbulent flight to get there. Despite being up there alone, he is aware of the audience's expectations, with each person having their own reason for being there, be it for the music or for the performer's persona. These expectations can be overwhelming as the unknown faces expect him to play a role, a character perhaps that they have built up in their minds.
The second verse reflects the singer's self-doubt and frustration at the situation. He acknowledges that he has no magical words or spiritual jewels to share with the audience, only the truth as he sees it. This simple truth he describes as "the way things are." The bridge of the song repeats the singer's desire to go home and end the night. However, the final verse reiterates the performative responsibility and self-pressure to "shoot from the heart again." This final line could be interpreted as a reminder to trust oneself and share one's truth, despite not knowing what the audience wants or whether it will be well received.
Line by Line Meaning
In the gaze of the spotlight's eye
Feeling watched by all, the singer is under pressure to perform well.
A long way from home
Being far from a comfortable and familiar environment.
Still nauseous from a turbulent sky
The subject is still feeling disoriented from a previous flight.
Up on the stage alone
Being the sole performer of a live show.
The live end of a microphone
The microphone at the venue is recording the live performance.
Point-blank to my soul
The microphone is picking up every detail of the singer's voice.
I'm trying hard
Putting in great effort.
To keep my self-control
The artist is striving to remain composed despite the pressure and fear.
I want to go home
The performer feels overwhelmed and homesick.
I wish that this night would end
The artist is struggling to keep up and is overwhelmed.
I've got to go on
Despite the exhaustion, the singer must continue to perform as expected.
And shoot from the heart again
The artist must give the audience an authentic and genuine performance.
Somebody came for the rock n' roll
Different audience members have different goals for attending the show.
Somebody carne for a smile
Some audience members attend to have a good time and be entertained.
Somebody came for a sermon in song
Some attendees are seeking a meaningful and powerful experience through music.
The expectations of who-knows-who
The performer faces unknown and high expectations from a diverse group of people.
Examining my soul
The artist feels like his or her very essence and spirit are being scrutinized.
Unknown faces expecting me to play some role
The audience has their own expectations regarding who the performer should be.
I don't have no magical words
The singer acknowledges that he or she isn't a miracle worker but can only be honest.
No pockets full of spiritual jewels
The artist doesn't have extraordinary ideas or concepts which will solve world problems magically.
I only know about the way things are
The artist only knows about his own perceptions and experiences.
In light of the simple truth
The performer speaks about what he or she sees as fundamental and truthful.
I don't know which hearts are breaking
The singer doesn't know who is going through tough times emotionally.
Or whose flags are truly unfurled
The artist is unaware of what different people are fighting for.
Between here and heaven and the outside world
The singer is not sure what exists beyond our planet and believes the world can be changed for the better.
Contributed by Elizabeth N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.