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.
Lonely Road
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Being a pawn of time and chance
Not making vows when the flood waters rise
Is simpler than nails through your hands
Being a slave to the sultans of grief
Keeping the hand to the plow
Being held captive to public belief
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
That the Son of Man walks down
Being immune to the war of the heart
And never wondering why
To bury the conflict deep in the dark
Is safer than spears through your side
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
That the Son of Man walks down
For him who burns with a creed and a flame
Words are as smoke on the wind
Some kind of volatile helplessness reigns
And can’t fill the hearts of his kin
To go and enlighten the doomed and unwashed
Seized with the art of sacrifice
To carry the weight of a martyr-at-large
Is easier than giving your life
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
And it’s a lonely road
That the Son of Man walks down
In the song "Lonely Road," Mark Heard describes the difficult path of the Son of Man, or Jesus, and contrasts it with the easier road of avoiding conflict and sacrifice. The opening verses suggest that it is simpler to ignore the wisdom of others, to submit to fate and circumstance, and to avoid making promises during difficult times. These options may seem like the easier choices, but the hook of the chorus reminds us that this path is still a "lonely road" to walk down.
The next verse suggests that it is safer to remain emotionally detached from conflict and to bury one's feelings rather than risking the pain of being hurt. The chorus reminds the listener that the Son of Man also walked down this lonely road. The final verse explores the idea of someone who is passionate about a cause but finds their words falling short and feeling helpless when it comes to affecting true change. The last lyric suggests that it is easier to be a martyr, or even to simply give one's life, than it is to truly live and make a difference in the world. The ultimate meaning of the song is left somewhat open-ended, but it seems to suggest that true fulfillment and purpose in life require risk, sacrifice, and the courage to walk a lonely path.
Line by Line Meaning
Not taking note of the fools or the wise
Ignoring the advice of both wise and foolish people
Being a pawn of time and chance
Being controlled by the unpredictable nature of life
Not making vows when the flood waters rise
Choosing not to make commitments in difficult times
Is simpler than nails through your hands
It's easier than enduring physical pain and suffering
Being a slave to the sultans of grief
Being controlled by sadness and sorrow
Keeping the hand to the plow
Continuing to work through hardships
Being held captive to public belief
Being trapped by societal expectations and norms
Is easier than thorns through your brow
It's easier than enduring literal suffering and pain
And it’s a lonely road
The path of struggle and sacrifice is isolating
That the Son of Man walks down
This path is similar to the one that Jesus walked
Being immune to the war of the heart
Avoiding emotional conflict or intimacy
And never wondering why
Not seeking answers or understanding
To bury the conflict deep in the dark
To repress difficult emotions or conflicts
Is safer than spears through your side
It's safer than facing real harm or danger
For him who burns with a creed and a flame
For those who have a strong sense of purpose and passion
Words are as smoke on the wind
Words alone are not enough to convey deep feelings or beliefs
Some kind of volatile helplessness reigns
A sense of powerlessness and uncertainty takes over
And can’t fill the hearts of his kin
This does not bring comfort or understanding to loved ones
To go and enlighten the doomed and unwashed
To spread a message of hope and enlightenment to those in need
Seized with the art of sacrifice
Motivated by the willingness to give up something of value for a greater cause
To carry the weight of a martyr-at-large
To endure the suffering that may come with this sacrifice
Is easier than giving your life
It's easier than making the ultimate sacrifice for a cause
Contributed by Caroline T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.