Only in Your Heart

Album: Homecoming (1973)
Charted: 62
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song, written and sung by Gerry Beckley, finds him comforting a girl named Mary, telling her to find another man to replace the one she has lost, and letting her know that she has support.

    In our interview with Beckley, he explained: "We had a friend in England, where we lived when we first got started. His name was Hank, and he was having a problem with his relationship, and his partner - they weren't married - was named Mary. And that's the only real connection that I can remember. It certainly isn't some verbatim story about a scenario that was going on, but I just remember how we'd pick up these little pieces from everything that surrounds you, and that was basically the start."
  • A little over two minutes into this song, it breaks down and the instruments come back in backwards. America had just three members (two after 1977 when Dan Peek left), so they would use session players on their albums. On this track, Joe Osborn played bass and Hal Blaine played drums - these guys were part of the Los Angeles first-call team that played on classic songs by the likes of The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Monkees.

    Gerry Beckley credits Blaine with sparking the idea for this unusual section, since after they had recorded the song as planned, Blaine did a big drum fill and explained that there was more space in the song to explore. "It was just a great moment: Hal doing the big fill, and saying, 'Hey, I feel I can play a bit more on this tune,'" said Beckley. "And then we added to it - we put all the backwards instruments and stuff to make it interesting. But it shows you the kind of magic that can happen given the right circumstances."
  • The backwards instrumentation is reminiscent of certain Beatles songs where they did similar studio tricks - "Rain" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" come to mind. A year after their Homecoming album was released, America started working with Beatles producer George Martin, who worked on their albums Holiday and Hearts.

Comments: 2

  • Gianmaria Framarin from Terracina (lt), ItalyMy take on this one is that it's one of their tracks where their 'Britishness' is more evident.
    The Beatles spring to mind obviously, I'd also add Gilbert O'Sullivan.
    It's a McCartney-esque song and it's also one of my ever favourite tracks.
  • Mary from WaWhen I was a senior in High School my writing teacher has us create anthologies. Mine included this song's lyrics that turned out to be prophetic for me. I left an abusive fiancé for my One True Love of 42 years now! We married in 1980 & just this morning he made me a playlist that had "Only in Your Heart" as the first track. I just love this great song & America as a band. It was fantastic to hear the story of how Hal Blaine & Joe Osborne from "The Wrecking Crew" contributed to creating it!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top Proverb

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.