The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
"Kill her. That's all you have to do"
"Kill Mary?"
"She's a risk, and get the priest as well"
Ten P.M., I feel the rain coming down
My face feels the wet, my mind the storm
Flashing lights as people race to find shelter from the pour
Moving silent, through the streets, they're mine, they're mine
Midnight, she sings praises in the Hall
To saintly faces hallowed be their names she can't recall
Sister Mary, virgin Mary, silent with her sin
("What are you doing out in the rain?")
She feels me, I can taste her breath when she speaks
("I've been waiting for you, come in")
Mary, Mary just a whore for the underground
(They made you pay in guilt for your salvation)
Thought you had them fooled? Now they've sent me for you
You know too much for your own good
Don't offer me faith, I've got all I need here
(My faith is growing, growing tight against the seam)
What we need is trust, to keep us both alive
Help us make it through the night
I've no more want of any faith
Binds my arm and feed my mind
The only peace I've ever known
I'll close my eyes and you shoot
No Mary, listen, you've got to pull your strength
(From my lips, I pray I feed you well)
Your precious cross is gone, it made me wait so long
For what you gave to everyone
The priest is cold and dead on his knees he fed
(From my barrel of death, he turned)
The Holy water red, as he died he said "thank you"
I just watched him bleed
I feel the flow, the blessed stain
Sweating hands like fire, and flames
Burn my thighs, spread in sacrificial right
The hallowed altar burns my flesh once more tonight
Mary, my lady of pain
Always alone
Blind you search for the truth
I see myself in you, parallel lives
Winding at light-speed through time
No time to rest yet
We've got to stop his game
(Before madness has the final laugh)
Too much bloodshed
We're being used and fed
Like rats in experiments
There's no final outcome here
Only pain and fear
(It's followed us both all our lives)
There's one thing left to see
Will it be him or me?
There's one more candle left to light
Don't turn your back on my disgrace
The blood of Christ can't heal my wounds, so deep
The sins of man are all I taste
Can't spit the memory from my mind
I can't cry anymore
Mary, my lady of pain, always alone
Blind you search for the truth
I see myself in you, parallel lives
Winding at light-speed through time, you're mine
"Kill Mary?"
"She's a risk, and get the priest as well"
Ten P.M., I feel the rain coming down
My face feels the wet, my mind the storm
Flashing lights as people race to find shelter from the pour
Moving silent, through the streets, they're mine, they're mine
Midnight, she sings praises in the Hall
To saintly faces hallowed be their names she can't recall
Sister Mary, virgin Mary, silent with her sin
("What are you doing out in the rain?")
She feels me, I can taste her breath when she speaks
("I've been waiting for you, come in")
Mary, Mary just a whore for the underground
(They made you pay in guilt for your salvation)
Thought you had them fooled? Now they've sent me for you
You know too much for your own good
Don't offer me faith, I've got all I need here
(My faith is growing, growing tight against the seam)
What we need is trust, to keep us both alive
Help us make it through the night
I've no more want of any faith
Binds my arm and feed my mind
The only peace I've ever known
I'll close my eyes and you shoot
No Mary, listen, you've got to pull your strength
(From my lips, I pray I feed you well)
Your precious cross is gone, it made me wait so long
For what you gave to everyone
The priest is cold and dead on his knees he fed
(From my barrel of death, he turned)
The Holy water red, as he died he said "thank you"
I just watched him bleed
I feel the flow, the blessed stain
Sweating hands like fire, and flames
Burn my thighs, spread in sacrificial right
The hallowed altar burns my flesh once more tonight
Mary, my lady of pain
Always alone
Blind you search for the truth
I see myself in you, parallel lives
Winding at light-speed through time
No time to rest yet
We've got to stop his game
(Before madness has the final laugh)
Too much bloodshed
We're being used and fed
Like rats in experiments
There's no final outcome here
Only pain and fear
(It's followed us both all our lives)
There's one thing left to see
Will it be him or me?
There's one more candle left to light
Don't turn your back on my disgrace
The blood of Christ can't heal my wounds, so deep
The sins of man are all I taste
Can't spit the memory from my mind
I can't cry anymore
Mary, my lady of pain, always alone
Blind you search for the truth
I see myself in you, parallel lives
Winding at light-speed through time, you're mine
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