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.
One More Time
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Till God gets wind of what has
happened to me
I've got some doubts and questions
Don't you see
They say, "What does the poor boy
Think he's doing hanging around our door
We discussed this before
One more time, one more time
Won't you take the time to help me
One more time
One more time, one more time
Please take the time to help me this time
It's a scary thing
To hang between Heaven and Hell
And comfort is not in
No trite clichés
But try as I might that's all I got
From some personnel
If my fate was their will
I'd be hanging there still
Well a friend of mine and I
We talked for hours and days
Stayed up nights to help me
Think about it
We did not leave a single stone unturned
In all of my mind
Now my doubts are unwinding
And I'm feeling fine
The lyrics to Mark Heard's song "One More Time," take a deep look at the struggles of a person who is going through life's challenging times. The song conveys the struggles of the singer who finds no solace in religion, despite the pressure from the society who says that the person should turn to God during the difficult times. The singer is full of doubts and questions and has been abandoned by the people who had promised to support him during his difficult times. The song is a desperate cry for help from someone who is struggling, hoping someone would take pity and lend a helping hand, at least, one more time.
The singer seems to be torn between heaven and hell and doesn't find comfort in the trite clichés that people are so quick to offer as advice. The singer's quest for emotional support and guidance is a terrifying one, and the lyrics illustrate how hard it is to find someone trustworthy during one's lowest moments. The desperation in the tone of the song is palpable, as the singer begs for someone to take the time to help him "one more time."
In conclusion, the "One More Time" lyrics offer a painful and stark portrait of a person struggling with doubt, despair, and abandonment. The song offers a haunting depiction of the human condition that inspires empathy and understanding in its listeners. It is a reminder that there are times in life when we all need a little help and support, and reaching out to others in their time of need could make all the difference.
Line by Line Meaning
Some folks can't wait
There are people who can't wait to see what will happen to me when God finds out about my situation.
Till God gets wind of what has
They are waiting for God to find out about what happened to me.
happened to me
Something happened to me and people are anticipating the repercussions of this event.
I've got some doubts and questions
I am uncertain about my situation and have questions about it.
Don't you see
I need help in understanding my predicament.
They say, "What does the poor boy
People are wondering why I am still hanging around when they believe there is no room for me.
Think he's doing hanging around our door
They are questioning why I am staying close to them even when they don't want me there.
We discussed this before
This is not the first time my situation has come up for discussion.
There ain't room for him no more"
They believe there is no space for me in their lives.
One more time, one more time
I am asking for help once again.
Won't you take the time to help me
I am requesting anyone who can help me to spare some time and help me.
Please take the time to help me this time
I am asking for assistance in a polite and humble way.
It's a scary thing
My situation is frightening.
To hang between Heaven and Hell
I am in a situation where I don't know whether I am in a good or bad position.
And comfort is not in
I am unable to find solace in.
No trite clichés
Avoiding overused phrases that offer little help to my situation.
But try as I might that's all I got
Despite my efforts, I can't seem to find anything more helpful than cliché advice.
From some personnel
I have received such advice from some people.
If my fate was their will
If these people had their way, I would still be in a difficult situation.
I'd be hanging there still
I would still be dealing with this challenging situation.
Well a friend of mine and I
One of my friends and I
We talked for hours and days
We have been discussing this situation for quite some time now.
Stayed up nights to help me
We stayed up late to try and find a solution to my problems.
Think about it
We put a lot of thought into the problem at hand.
We did not leave a single stone unturned
We explored every possible avenue to try and find a solution.
In all of my mind
We considered every aspect of my situation.
Now my doubts are unwinding
I am starting to feel better and more at ease about my situation.
And I'm feeling fine
I am feeling good about my situation now that I have a better understanding.
Contributed by Madison Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.