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.
Shaking
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She lives out East a way beyond the city haze
They say she's long and fair
With Summer flowers in her hair
She bears the lovely name
Of some Ancient Spanish saint
You don't wanna know her
You don't want her to come looking for you
If you value your life
SHE'LL HAVE YOU SHAKING
YOU DON'T WANNA GO FEEL HER TOUCH, SHAKING
ROCKING AND REELING AND ALL SHOOK UP, SHAKING
A KIND OF PASSION THAT'S JUST TOO MUCH, SHAKING
YOU DON'T WANNA GO SHAKING
The girl has got her faults
She sleeps a lot and that's not all
Every now and then
She comes looking for a wild time
Though she's the quiet sort
When she cuts loose she can't be stopped
She's a match for any chap
Who's dumb enough to try
If she comes to see you
You'd best be out of town
She'll jolt you with her sweet caress
And spin your world around
She'll shake the teeth from your skeleton
Shake your house from its foundation
When she walks on your shattered peace
She leave her footprints size 8.3
When she comes to town
The place she walks is holy ground
At about the speed of sound
She'll have you on your knees
Well, she don't mean no harm
When she takes you in her loving arms
But when she's spent her charm
You'll never be the same
If you want a permanent memory
Of a moment in your life
Just meet her in a high-rise
And hang on for your life
The song Shaking by Mark Heard tells the story of a mysterious woman who comes from the East with a legendary reputation. She is characterized as being "long and fair" with "Summer flowers in her hair," which gives off the impression of beauty and grace. But, it is also established that people fear her and fear being on her bad side. Her touch is said to be so intense that it makes people shake and rock in a passionate way that is too much to handle. The song paints a vivid picture of her dangerous allure.
The song reveals that the woman has flaws like sleeping a lot, but at times she craves a wild time. Her quiet nature should not be underestimated since, when she cuts loose, no one can stop her. She possesses a type of power that can shake the teeth from your skeleton or even your house from its foundation. Her impact is so significant that when she walks, she leaves footprints size 8.3. Mark Heard advises people to stay out of her way and never let her come looking for them, or they will be in trouble.
In conclusion, the song Shaking is a story about a beautiful and mysterious woman who is both alluring and dangerous. Mark Heard paints a clear picture of this woman’s powerful persona, and those who encounter her cannot forget her impact. People should never underestimate her abilities or underestimate the impact of her powerful touch.
Line by Line Meaning
She was a little girl from far away who came to stay
She is a woman who has come from a distant place to stay.
She lives out East a way beyond the city haze
The woman lives in the eastern part of the country, outside the city.
They say she's long and fair
People describe her as tall and beautiful.
With Summer flowers in her hair
She wears flowers in her hair, especially during summer.
She bears the lovely name
She has a beautiful name.
Of some Ancient Spanish saint
Her name has Spanish origins and may be linked to a saint.
You don't wanna know her
It's best if you avoid meeting her or getting to know her.
Or wanna get on her bad side
You don't want to anger her or upset her in any way.
You don't want her to come looking for you
If she comes looking for you, it's best to avoid her at all costs.
If you value your life
If you want to live, stay away from her.
SHE'LL HAVE YOU SHAKING
She can create a strong emotional reaction in you that may cause you to shake or tremble.
YOU DON'T WANNA GO FEEL HER TOUCH, SHAKING
You don't want to experience physical contact with her as it may be too intense for you.
ROCKING AND REELING AND ALL SHOOK UP, SHAKING
She can put you in a state of excitement or shock that may cause you to feel dizzy or disoriented.
A KIND OF PASSION THAT'S JUST TOO MUCH, SHAKING
She has a level of passion that may be too excessive or overwhelming for some.
YOU DON'T WANNA GO SHAKING
It's best to stay away from her and avoid any potential shaking or emotional reaction.
The girl has got her faults
She is not perfect and has her share of flaws.
She sleeps a lot and that's not all
She tends to sleep quite a bit, and there may be other things she does that are not desirable.
Every now and then
Occasionally, she will do something unexpected or surprising.
She comes looking for a wild time
She is seeking excitement and adventure.
Though she's the quiet sort
Despite her need for adventure, she is generally quiet and reserved.
When she cuts loose she can't be stopped
Once she starts having fun, she won't want to stop.
She's a match for any chap
She can handle any man who tries to keep up with her.
Who's dumb enough to try
Only a foolish man would try to compete with her.
If she comes to see you
If she visits you or comes around to see you.
You'd best be out of town
It's best if you are not around when she comes.
She'll jolt you with her sweet caress
She can surprise you with her affectionate touch.
And spin your world around
She can completely change your perspective on things.
She'll shake the teeth from your skeleton
She can create a reaction in you so strong that it feels like your teeth are falling out.
Shake your house from its foundation
She can create tremors so strong that they shake your entire home.
When she walks on your shattered peace
She can disturb your peace and break the tranquility of your life.
She leaves her footprints size 8.3
She leaves a lasting impression wherever she goes.
When she comes to town
When she arrives in your town or city.
The place she walks is holy ground
When she walks, it seems like everything around her becomes more meaningful or special.
At about the speed of sound
She moves quickly and with great energy.
She'll have you on your knees
She can leave you breathless, with no other choice but to kneel down in awe.
Well, she don't mean no harm
Despite her ability to shake things up, she doesn't do it intentionally or with the desire to harm anyone.
When she takes you in her loving arms
When she embraces you with affection and love.
But when she's spent her charm
After she has used up her energy or excitement, she may become less interesting or attractive.
You'll never be the same
After being with her, you will change and see things differently.
If you want a permanent memory
If you want to remember an experience forever.
Of a moment in your life
Of a special or important moment in your life.
Just meet her in a high-rise
Just meet her in a tall building with a great view.
And hang on for your life
And be prepared for an exciting and possibly dangerous experience.
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.