Marx was born to Dick and Ruth Marx. Marx grew up in a mixed faith household where father was Jewish and his mother was a Christian. His father was a jingle writer for commercials for popular products such as 'Chicken of the Sea', which is where Marx got his start writing at the tender age of five. His father also was talented jazz musician, well-known in the Chicago area.
At the age of 17, Marx created a demo to showcase his talents, which landed in the hands of soul artist Lionel Richie. Richie invited Marx to Hollywood saying, "I can't promise you anything, but you should come to L.A." Marx would eventually appear as a background singer in Richie's songs "You Are" and "Running With The Night" as well as on Richie's follow-up album, which included the smash hit "All Night Long".
*Richard Marx*
Marx's first album, a self-titled work, went multi-platinum, selling nearly 4 million copies. He also earned his first #1 single, "Hold on to the nights", which he told Songfacts.com was inspired by a friend who had the dilemma of having met the love of his life when both the friend and the girl in question were already in relationships. He also had several other top five hits including "Don’t Mean Nothing" (#3), "Should've Known Better" (#3) and "Endless Summer Nights" (#2). He later revealed in an interview on 'VH-1 Classic' that his favorite song that he performed from his first album was "Have Mercy."
*Repeat Offender*
Repeat Offender eventually moved into the #1 spot and gave Marx two more #1 hit singles.
*Rush Street*
Rush Street's "Hazard" (#1), which depicted a man's rejection in a fictional version of Hazard, Nebraska. He released Paid Vacation in 1994, Flesh & Bone in 1997, Days in Avalon in 2000 and My Own Best Enemy in 2004.
Richard Marx also sang with Donna Lewis, best known for her hit "I Love You Always Forever", on the track "At the Beginning" of the Anastasia soundtrack. He has sung background vocals for Madonna in her True Blue album.
He has served as a writer/producer for an extensive list of other recording artists, including Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand, Keith Urban, 98 Degrees, Kenny Loggins, Emerson Drive, Luther Vandross, Michael Bolton, *NSYNC, Olivia Newton-John, Sarah Brightman, SheDaisy, John Farnham and Vince Gill.
Marx has been married to Cynthia Rhodes, who starred in the 1987 blockbuster Dirty Dancing and is a former lead singer for 80s pop band Animotion, since 1989. The couple has three sons: Brandon, Lucas, and Jesse. Brandon is the eldest followed by Lucas then Jesse.
One of Marx's most recent works is a song titled "Remember When", composed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. Performed by LeAnn Rimes, the song may be heard on the park's official 50th Anniversary album, as well as selected times in the park.
Heaven Only Knows
Richard Marx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my life goes by at the speed of sound
I walk the night
And I wonder just where I belong, oh
My heart is young, but my soul is old
I've never been one to do what I was told
My back to the wall
[Chorus]
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I like to think I'm a faithful man
To resist desire, I do all I can
I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love, oh
Repeat chorus
I've always wondered how to know right from wrong
Looking for a reason to replace what is gone
But somehow the road just seems to lead right back to me
[Chorus]
In Richard Marx's song Heaven Only Knows, the singer reflects on the passage of time and the constant search for purpose and direction. The opening lines capture the sense of vertigo that comes from watching the world go round and round while one's life seems to pass by in a blur. The singer walks through the night, searching for a sense of belonging and meaning.
Despite feeling young at heart, the singer's soul feels old, perhaps due to the weariness that comes from years of searching. The singer has never been one to follow rules blindly, preferring instead to find strength in standing up against the wall with their back to it. The chorus expresses a sense of uncertainty about what the future holds, but the singer remains hopeful that there will be a miracle waiting for them.
The second verse touches on themes of faith and desire. The singer strives to resist temptation and stay true to their beliefs, hoping that they will pass away in the arms of the woman they love. The final lines are perhaps the most poignant, as the singer acknowledges that they have been searching for a long time to find a sense of direction or purpose, but all roads lead back to themselves.
Overall, Richard Marx's Heaven Only Knows is a poignant reflection on the search for meaning and purpose in life. The singer conveys a sense of weariness and uncertainty, but also a deep hope that there is something greater waiting for them.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch the world go round and round
I observe the world constantly moving around me
And my life goes by at the speed of sound
My life is moving quickly, like a sound wave passing by
I walk the night
I roam around during the night
And I wonder just where I belong, oh
I question where I truly fit in
My heart is young, but my soul is old
Although I may be young, my soul feels aged
I've never been one to do what I was told
I have never followed authority easily
My back to the wall
I feel most secure when I am facing difficulty
Is the only place I can feel strong, oh
That is where I find my strength
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Only fate knows what the future holds for me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
I am uncertain of what my search for meaning is intended to lead me to
All my life I've waited for a miracle
I have spent my entire life hoping for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I am content with all that I have been given, and I do not want to request more
I like to think I'm a faithful man
I believe that I am a faithful individual
To resist desire, I do all I can
I try my best to avoid temptation
I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love, oh
I hope to spend my last moments with the woman who means the most to me
I've always wondered how to know right from wrong
I have always been uncertain of how to distinguish between right and wrong
Looking for a reason to replace what is gone
I am searching for a reason to fill the void left by what is no longer there
But somehow the road just seems to lead right back to me
But it seems as though the path always ends up circling back to myself
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Only fate knows what the future holds for me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
I am uncertain of what my search for meaning is intended to lead me to
All my life I've waited for a miracle
I have spent my entire life hoping for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I am content with all that I have been given, and I do not want to request more
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICHARD MARX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Raman khanna
I watch the world go round and round
And my life goes by at the speed of sound
I walk the night
And I wonder just where I belong, oh
My heart is young, but my soul is old
I've never been one to do what I was told
My back to the wall
Is the only place I can feel strong, oh
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I like to think I'm a faithful man
To resist desire, I do all I can
I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love, oh
I've always wondered how to know right from wrong
Looking for a reason to replace what is gone
But somehow the road just seems to lead right back to me
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
Thank You So Very Much
I watch the world go round and round
And my life goes by at the speed of sound
I walk the night
And I wonder just where I belong, oh
My heart is young, but my soul is old
I've never been one to do what I was told
My back to the wall
Is the only place I can feel strong, oh
[Chorus:]
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I like to think I'm a faithful man
To resist desire, I do all I can
I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love, oh
[Chorus]
I've always wondered how to know right from wrong
Looking for a reason to replace what is gone
But somehow the road just seems to lead right back to me
[Chorus]
Raman khanna
I watch the world go round and round
And my life goes by at the speed of sound
I walk the night
And I wonder just where I belong, oh
My heart is young, but my soul is old
I've never been one to do what I was told
My back to the wall
Is the only place I can feel strong, oh
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
I like to think I'm a faithful man
To resist desire, I do all I can
I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love, oh
I've always wondered how to know right from wrong
Looking for a reason to replace what is gone
But somehow the road just seems to lead right back to me
Heaven only knows what lies before me
Heaven only knows what all my searching is for
All my life I've waited for a miracle
But I can't ask for anything more
Mary Nongbri
He has the most romantic voice which I have heard since my college days and even now that I have a family.His lyrics be it any song is always soulful and could be felt deep within our hearts.
Olaoluwa Afolayan
“I hope to die in the arms of the woman I love!” That’s a great lyric right there!
Euphoria2224
Very underrated song. And it's strange that this song is not was included on Richard Marx's "Greatest Hits" album, in 1997.
Aseem Aneja
Very True 👍
Simeon Williams
Hard day at work? Stressed out? This man voice just melts all the pain away!!!:-)
Dana Carter
You said it, my friend. His voice is THE anti-stress remedy!!!💞💞💞💞💞💞💞
Faith Morrell
I actually listen at work, helps me get through the day..
Sven Labots
So true, Simeon...!✌👍
Javier Irizarry Moyet
Indeed!