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.
Tip of My Tongue
Mark Heard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a fire in the chill of night
And a turnabout in circumstance makes each a hell in its own right
I′ve been boxed in, in the lowlands, in the canyons that think
Been pushed to the brink of the precipice and dared not to blink
I've been confounded in the whirlwind of what-ifs and dreams
I've been burned by the turning of the wind back upon my own flames
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It′s on the tip of my tongue
Oh, I′ve seen through the walls of this
Kingdom of dust, felt the crucial revelation
But the broad streets of the heart and
The day-today meet at a blind intersection
I don't want to be lonely, I don′t want to feel pain
I don't want to draw straws with the sons of Cain
You can take it as a prayer if you′ll remember my name
You can take it as the penance of a profane saint
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It's on the tip of my tongue
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
On the tip of my tongue
There′s an oasis in the heat of the day
There's fire in the chill of night
When I know them both I'll know your
Love, I will feel it in the twilight
Oh, as circumstance comes crashing through my walls like a
Train, or like a chorus from the mountains of the ocean floor
Like the wind burst of bird wings taking flight in a
Hard rain, or like a mad dog on the far side of Dante′s door
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It′s on the tip of my tongue
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It's on the tip of my tongue
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It′s on the tip of my tongue
Knock the scales from my eyes
Knock the words from my lungs
I want to cry out
It's on the tip of my tongue
The lyrics to Mark Heard's song "Tip of My Tongue" are a poetic exploration of the frustration, confusion, and yearning that can come with navigating the complexities of life and relationships. The opening lines, "There's an oasis in the heat of the day / There's a fire in the chill of night," suggest that moments of relief and passion can be found in unexpected places and times. However, the following lines introduce the idea that these same moments can also become sources of pain and difficulty when circumstances shift. The singer mentions being boxed in and pushed to the brink, as well as being confounded by the unknowns of the future.
The chorus, with its repeated plea to "knock the scales from my eyes / knock the words from my lungs / I want to cry out / it's on the tip of my tongue," expresses a desire to break through the barriers that are preventing the singer from communicating honestly, whether with another person or with themselves. They want to be able to express their emotions and intentions clearly, but feel a sense of frustration and urgency that comes with being unable to do so.
The later verses of the song touch on themes of revelation, loneliness, and the desire for connection. The singer admits to having glimpsed "the walls of this Kingdom of dust" and seeking a deeper understanding of love, but also acknowledges their fear of pain and the potential consequences of being vulnerable. The song ends with a series of vivid images that suggest the unpredictable, intense nature of life's challenges and joys, and the sense of being caught up in forces beyond one's control.
Line by Line Meaning
There’s an oasis in the heat of the day
Amidst difficult times, there is a place of peace, serenity, and refreshment.
There's a fire in the chill of night
Even in the most tranquil moments, there is a passion and intensity burning within.
And a turnabout in circumstance makes each a hell in its own right
Situations can quickly change, causing once pleasant experiences to become painful and difficult.
I’ve been boxed in, in the lowlands, in the canyons that think
Feeling trapped and limited by mental and physical constraints that hinder progress and growth.
Been pushed to the brink of the precipice and dared not to blink
Having faced immense pressure and challenges that could result in catastrophic consequences if one fails to remain steadfast and focused.
I've been confounded in the whirlwind of what-ifs and dreams
Overwhelming thoughts and desires lead to confusion and uncertainty about the future.
I've been burned by the turning of the wind back upon my own flames
Misfortune and tragedy resulting from unforeseen consequences of one’s own decisions and actions.
I want to cry out
Expressing an intense desire to release repressed emotions and feelings.
It’s on the tip of my tongue
The urge to communicate something deeply personal and meaningful is almost overwhelming.
But the broad streets of the heart and
Emotions are complex and intertwined, affecting every aspect of one's being.
The day-to-day meet at a blind intersection
The routine of everyday life and the unpredictable nature of fate often collide unexpectedly.
I don't want to be lonely, I don't want to feel pain
A desire for companionship and to avoid the emotional anguish that comes from isolation and heartache.
I don't want to draw straws with the sons of Cain
Refusal to engage in harmful and destructive behavior, avoiding becoming like those who engage in evil acts.
You can take it as a prayer if you'll remember my name
A plea for assistance, a request for someone to remember and intercede on one's behalf.
You can take it as the penance of a profane saint
Acknowledging one's faults and mistakes, seeking forgiveness and redemption despite past shortcomings and failures.
When I know them both I'll know your love, I will feel it in the twilight
By experiencing both the highs and lows of life, one can truly appreciate and understand the depth of love and companionship.
As circumstance comes crashing through my walls like a train, or like a chorus from the mountains of the ocean floor
Unpredictable events can overwhelm and devastate, the force of which is akin to a powerful locomotive or a majestic symphony of nature.
Like the wind burst of bird wings taking flight in a hard rain, or like a mad dog on the far side of Dante's door
The unpredictable, wild, and chaotic nature of life compared to the fluid, unpredictable motions of nature and the savagery of an untamed animal that lurks beyond the known world.
Writer(s): Mark Heard
Contributed by Eli D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.