Song of the Week: Mark Heard's "House of Broken Dreams"

From his 1990 project, Dry Bones Dance, here's Christian and musician Mark Heard singing "House of Broken Dreams." File the song in the blues catalog, but there's more than just sadness here. Notice he sings, "I'll sleep in peace tonight" and "Give me the reason to go on." It is, in part, a prayer to God and not just autobiographical self-pity. Mark died in 1992 at the age of 40. I wrote more about him at this blog post.

(P.S.: Not every song featured on "Song of the Week" mirrors my mood at the time! But I've had times when I've been in the mood Heard describes in this song, and will be again I'm sure. Haven't you? Heard doesn't play "pretend" with his Christian faith, and neither should we.)

Listen:



Hear the whistle blow
It echoes down my soul
It's something I have always known
Nothing sounds so sad
A cry to the unknown
The fundamental sigh of all who've gone this way before

Lay me down to sleep
Come and comfort me
I'll sleep in peace
In a house of broken dreams

I'm old enough to know
That dreams are quickly spent
Like a pouring rain on warm cement
Or fingerprints in dust
Nectar on the wind
Save them for tomorrow and tomorrow lets you down again

Lay me down to sleep
Come and comfort me
I'll sleep in peace
In a house of broken dreams

Give me the reasons to go on
Soften the sorrow that shatters and bends
And mend broken dreams

Sentimental hearts
Hungry for the past
Penniless at the wishing-well
Memories will last
And cover certain scars
Acquired in the daily grind of being what we are

Lay me down to sleep
Come and comfort me
I'll sleep in peace
In a house of broken dreams