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Magdalena Lyrics

Overcome by your
Moving temple
Overcome by this
Holiest of altars

So pure, so rare, to witness such an earthly goddess
That I've lost my self-control, beyond compelled to throw this dollar

Down before your
Holiest of altars

I'd sell my soul, my self-esteem a dollar at a time
For one chance, one kiss, one taste of you, my Magdalena

I bear witness to this place, this prayer, so long forgotten
So pure, so rare, to witness such an earthly goddess
That I'd sell my soul, my self-esteem a dollar at a time
For one chance, one kiss, one taste of you, my black Madonna
I'd sell my soul, my self-esteem a dollar at a time
For one taste, one taste, one taste of you, my Magdalena
Song Info
Submitted by
jack On May 03, 2001
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Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

okay, i understand that Maynard's lyrics often can mean multiple things. but this is a song that seems very clear to me. he is talking about a man who is obsessed with strippers, or a particular stripper. and every time he goes to see her dance in the strip club he loses control of himself, looses any self esteem he may have had, and feels the compulsive urge to throw his "dollars" at her fantasizing in his head that he would ever have the chance to have one kiss, or one taste of her. the name of the song being "magdalena" is obviously being used because mary magdalene was considered a prostitute. and in some ways strippers are prostitutes. they take off their clothes and dance in a sexual way to turn men on in order to make money. so basically they are selling their sexuality which basically is a form of prostitution. when he is saying that he is willing to 'sell his soul' or his 'self esteem' 'one dollar at a time' is obviously referring to the way men in those places use their dollars to show their appreciation of the stripper. as i said he is either obsessed with strippers in general, or one in particular. it does tend to suggest that it is one in particular because he is saying that it is rare to see such an 'earthly goddess' that he feels compelled to 'throw this dollar' he is also looking at her body as if it were a 'moving temple' or 'holy altar' again referring to his exaggeration of feelings for her to the point where he has placed her in the realm of the divine. to me it is obviously just a mockery of the kind of men that go to these strip clubs regularly and end up cheapening themselves, over this stripper whom he just so desperately wants one kiss or one taste of to the point that he loses control and throws down his money at her feet almost as an offering one would bestow upon a goddess. of all of their songs, i think this one is pretty much an easy one to understand.

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

Violent Retard--- first off, to tell us to "just stop writing mindless theories" beats the purpose of us commenting on this site in the first place. And the fact that you say that its' "Magdalena" and not "Magdalene" is completely redundant. Like NewAgegnostic said, Magdalena was "just one of many names for her."

You want us to open our minds? While you're at it, open yours... and as for what you said about all of the names, I don't think Maynard would disappoint us by crypting up with names restricted to people in his life. The point of all of this is that he left it up for interpretation, and that INCLUDES prostitutes, strippers, Jesus and the Bible.

You'd be surprised how relevant some of this stuff is. This song's incredible, yes, but in many different ways.

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

By the way, I'm just wondering about where you guys heard about Jesus coming on to Mary Magdalene and stuff. I'm a Christian and as far as the Bible says, He never came unto her and I don't think He would. I don't want to be one of those annoying Christians who gave us a bad name by going and pointing accusing fingers at anyone who says any little thing. I'm just geniuinly curious. Where did you hear about stuff like that?

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

obviously this song is about not wanting to do all of this to the stripper but he lost his self-control because its force was just too hard to draw away from...

something else to think of: mary magdalene in the bible... a friend of jesus, a prostitute, but due to her devotion she was pardoned by jesus... OBVIOUSLY maynard does not believe in christianity, it has been seen with tool and APC songs, but the fact that Magdalena is spelled similarly to Magdalene, is something to ponder upon...

umm its the same thing with judith, judith-judus...mary magdalene-Magdalena obviously maynard knows a bit abt Christianity he just doesn't believe in it...there is a bigger meaning to this song....

Not Valid

Also, interestingly, 'magdalena' means 'muffin' or 'cupcake' in Spanish. So Maynard could totally be on a diet and there's like this cupcake he wants and it's holy and teasing and shit.

...or not.

My point? There's no one meaning to this song. Or any APC song. Personally, I think this is about a girl he loves and respects so much that she's almost holy to him. Hence the biblical references.

Also, Jonathan, Judith is NOT an allusion to Judas. Maynard's mother's name was Judith Marie. The song is essentially to do with his struggle to understand how her religious faith...

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searched the terms Black Madonna and Magdelena in google, this what turned up

The Black Madonna Mystery School

An Invitation from the Magdalena to the Black Madonna Mystery School Blessings of the One Love unto you beloved heart,

Lovingly embracing you now within the rich velvet black mystery of the Mother’s womb, we offer the invitation unto this sacred place, this meeting ground — where you may be anointed with the opportunity to journey with us — deeply into communion with the essence of your own Divinity, the spark of radiant flame, which illuminates the darkness and makes manifest the...

Not Valid
Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

you can't say "obviously" when referring to apc or tool. that could possibly be one meaning, but there could be so many more. the beauty of these songs is that you can interpret them for yourself and give them a more personal meaning.

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

i always got from this song that he is wanting this girl, and that he is undenialby obsessed with her, dont shoot me if you think otherwise, its just thats what its meant to me, and its gotten me thru some really rough times with all of that shit

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

Wow. That is really excellent, Beowulf. I never would have thought that up. I need to go see that interview.....

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

The song is about a stripper, not a prostitute. With a prostitute, he would get what he wants by throwing his money down. With a stripper he does not.

Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

It should be "lovely goddess" and not "earthly"

I see a lot of people saying it's about a stripper, maybe. But when I first heard the song, I think it's more about some one who is in love with a person and is willing to do anything for a kiss, a touch by the other person.

it's about a stripper - maybe x1000. the first poster was right about that. i think to read anything more into it, one would have to not actually read the lyrics, or perhaps not know what a stripper is, or be in painful denial - like a woman/fan who couldn't accept that such an emotionally powerful song was inspired by a woman hocking her flesh.

e.g., i thought "hooker with a penis" actually had something to do with sex before i read the lyrics. that one is equally clear.

Not Valid
Cover art for Magdalena lyrics by A Perfect Circle

Rjina - Yup ure right, after all this is the purpose of this site and all. I wouldn't be writing some made up shit, MJK just said it. And let me just remind you that the lyrics to "Judith" are refering to his mother and the song "Brena" is about his ex-wife.

I think this was the original idea of "MER DE NOMS". I'm not saying we shouldn't be interprating it in different ways, after all MJK is a great writer.

and yeah - I still don't believe it's about a stripper or "Mary Magdalene".

good night