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Mary Lyrics

Everybody wants something from you,
Everybody want a piece of Mary
Lush valley all dressed in green
Just ripe for the picking


God I want to get you out of here,
You can ride in a pink Mustang.
When I think of what we've done to you


Oh, Mary, can you hear me?


Growing up isn't always fun,
They tore your dress and stole your ribbons.
They see you cry, they lick their lips,
But butterflies don't belong in nets.


Oh Mary, can you hear me?
Mary, you're bleeding
Mary, don't be afraid
We're just waking up
And I hear help is on the way


Mary, can you hear me ?
Mary, like Jimmy said
Mary, don't be afraid
'Cause even the wind...
Even the wind cries your name


Everybody wants you sweetheart,
Everybody got a dream of glory
Las Vegas got a pin-up girl
They got her armed as they buy and sell her


Rivers of milk are running dry,
Can't you hear the dolphins crying?
What'll we do when our babies scream?
Fill their mouths with some acid rain?


Oh Mary, can you hear me?
Mary, you're bleeding
Mary, don't be afraid
We're just waking up
And i hear help is on the way


Mary, can you hear me?
Mary, like Jimmy said
Mary, don't be afraid
'Cause even the wind...
Even the wind cries your name


Na nay nay nay nay, na na na nay nay
Na nay nay nay nay, na na na nay nay, ooh ooh
Na nay nay nay nay, na na na nay


Oh butterflies don't belong in nets


Oh Mary, can you hear me?
Mary, you're bleeding
Mary, don't be afraid
We're just waking up
And I hear help is on the way


Mary, can you hear me?
Mary, like Jimmy said
Mary, don't be afraid
'Cause even the wind...
Even the wind cries your name
'Cause even the wind cries your name
'Cause even the wind cries your name
Cries your name...
Cries your name...
Cries your name...
13 Meanings

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Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

I think this song is about women and girls in general. "Mary" is a very common name for girls, and some of the most famous women in history were named Mary. It's terribly common for women to be degraded and seen as no more than sexual playthings. The first two stanzas seem like the narrator is expressing a desire for women to be so much more than what they've become; "Butterflies don't belong in nets". "Las Vegas got a pin-up girl They got her armed as they buy and sell her" This seems like another reference to how commercialized women are these days. The eighth stanza appears to be remorse for the days when a woman could say she was a stay-at-home mom without being looked down on.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

To me this song is a kind of open letter to all women. Mary is a very standard female name and I think it's talking about a girl's loss of innocence "waking up" and comparing that to the physical changes of the time.

Also, the Jimi Hendrix thing makes sense... cos like it says in the song "Just like Jimmy said, don't be afraid" and in the Hendrix song it goes

"Somewhere a queen is weeping Somewhere a king has no wife And the wind, it cries mary"

also talking about feminine independance.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

mary this song is EVIDENTLY the metaphor for sex and genitals.................and even possibly a violated sexuality or genitalia..........every1 wants sex and every young guy will tell the person theyare with......."don't worry, it's ok"..............no question 'bout this song!...............sex he_dont_cum_thru | 12-16-2004 @ 12:54 AM UTC Tools: Edit Delete

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

It's actually about Mary Magdalene.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

Yes.. Mary Magdalene is what I beleive this song is about as well. I love it when she says "Butterflies don't belong in nets.." which when I first heard the song I thought of a free-spirited who everyone wants to trap.. which kind of goes along with the Magdalene interpretation but now that I've really disected the song I'm thinking of "..everybody wants a piece of Mary.." because The Feminine is such a powerful thing. Everyone wants to experience her whether they realize it or not. So now the "butterflies don't belong in nets" line makes me think of how Tori is a rare being who's captured the beauty and essence of The Feminine.. and she doesn't want to hog it all to herself. This goes along with many of the other lines in the song including "even the wind cries your name.." I have so much to say about this song! The "Las Vegas got a pin up girl" line emphasizes Mary Magdalene, the prostitute, in a modern way. The verse where it says "Rivers of milk are running dry.." is the metaphor of the nourishment that the feminine gives.. and only she and the forms of her can give it. And then the chorus lines and "When I think of what we've done to you" I'm pretty sure are referring to the hidden conspiracy of the Magdalene. Oh .. I love this song.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

And no worries though about the genitalia reference. I can definitely see that now that I've read the song again. I can see where it can be a metaphor of a young girl discovering her body and hitting puberty, and the urge for sex. Now I've got so many outlooks on this song.. I love how Tori can layer her songs like this.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

'The wind cries Mary' is a song by Jimmy Hendrix...just thought I'd mention it.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

One of the meanings I think you can find in this song is "Mary" as a personification of the earth itself. It's easy to see:

  • "butterflies don't belong in nets" (you can't own earth, no matter how hard you try)
  • the idea of people having destroyed this woman who personifies the earth, having prostituted her (used up her resources), but people are starting to notice. people are starting to want to help - they're "waking up".
  • the very obvious verse that includes the line "What'll we do when our babies scream? / Fill their mouths with some acid rain?"
Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

Dragonflyeyes is correct. In the sense that her interpretation is what's written in "Tales of a Librarian". The booklet also states that this song involves The Bible/Mary Magdalene (which is pretty evident is some parts).

Overall, great song and great message.

Cover art for Mary lyrics by Tori Amos

I'd like to offer what I think of when I hear this song. More my interpretation than what the artist meant to say through this song.

I think it's about the earth. The lines

'Rivers of milk are running dry, /Can't you hear the dolphins crying? What'll we do when our babies scream? / Fill their mouths with some acid rain?'

and

'Oh Mary, can you hear me?/ Mary, you're bleeding Mary, don't be afraid / We're just waking up And I hear help is on the way'

It just makes me think of everything I know of how people have abused the earth. It makes me think of Global Warming, how people are 'waking up'. I'm not a major tree-hugger, but I enjoy nature's beauty, and every time I heard the words, I thought of the earth.

Just noticed the comments of dragonflyeyes and vodkaism. Huh, cool =)

 
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