sort form Submissions:
submissions
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Wind Cries Mary Lyrics 12 years ago
I agree with Warini. I think this is a song basically about Lost love and regrets about what could have been. Some remorse about a philandering lifestyle and wishing you could do something about it yet acknowledging one's own weakness.

After all the Jacks are in their boxes and the clowns have gone to bed

I think here is a thinly veiled reference to the partying, drug infused lifestyle of the swinging 60's. Deep down he recognizes these are all playthings there is no real substance in the parties the people and the drugs. Its all a masquerade.

You can hear happiness staggering on down the street
footprints dress in red

The real happiness is somewhere out there struggling for attention. You can't perceive it for all the "noise". Yet it screams for your attention tugging at your soul hence the footprints in red. Red is the color of blood, Love and hurt. You must dare. To find happiness you must be willing to get hurt.

And the wind whispers Mary

Mary could well be the name of a specific woman; a love that could have been or allusion to a woman 'pure" . One that could have fulfilled the desire for happiness. Her name echoes in the mind.

A broom is drearily sweeping up
the broken pieces of yesterday's life

You try to put it behind you, but its not an easy task to deny the heart

Somewhere a Queen is weeping
somewhere a King has no wife

The loss is mutual but the hurt is not. The lady has been hurt but the philanderer is not quite there. For him its not so deep, just physical, he has no one to call his own no more. Yet he cant quite wave it off.

And the wind cries Mary

The traffic lights they turn Blue tommorrow
And shine their emptiness on my bed

Blue is the color of sadness and Hendrix is essentially a blues guitarist. The imagery of traffic lights being blue says tommorow wont be the same. No new liaisons will be forged soon, because the sadness over what might have been still lingers. It will take some time to heal. Its not a complete stop (Red) but it definitely is not a green (Go) its like the lights are now 'Tragic' lights

The tiny Island sags downstream
Cos the life they lived is dead

Cant figure out what the Islands mean here but is uspect it has to do with 'Mary' and the feelings associated with her . So now all that is dead.

And the wind screams Mary

Note the escalation, from a whisper to a cry and now a scream! Something deep down wont let go. It haunts you and you know you could have done better

Will the wind ever remember
The names it has blown in the past
and with this crutch its old age and its wisdom
it whispers "No this will be the last"

Its not the first time. There have been others in the past. Your heart and conscience know better you are no good with love. And now they too are about to give up on you for this will be the last time but yet stiill

And the wind cries Mary!


I tried to keep this simple because for me its always been a ballad, somewhat sad but a deep love song all the same- Heck what do i know?

* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.