Ave Mary A

Well first of all, Ave Maria is hail Mary, as in praying, so that's the first obvious connection. It's just, she's worried because the whole world is going crazy, and she doesn't know how to deal with it. And she thinks the world is already at its worst and is wondering if and when things will get better. She wants to be above the false treasures that the rest of the world holds dear. She needs her fears to be put at rest.

On a random note, I love "If we don't kill each other, then the side effects will." It's perfect. =)

i love this song. i never heard it until i actually bought the funhouse cd, but its my fav song by her now. its so true..... in this day & age, there is real chaos, and sometimes you get really confused. i love the chorus.... the chaos around me, the devil that hounds me, i need u to tell me... child be still. its so sweet simple and true. im catholic, so of course the 1st thing i thought of was ave maria, and in a way, it IS a sort of prayer, like, help me out, im gonna get lost in this madness, plz help. i get that feeling a lot. thats what i love about her songs, they're so true and... HUMAN. like a real person actually wrote them, whereas other songs don't feel as authentic. it makes me feel better that others actually have felt the same feelings that i have. it feels real and personalized, just for you.

This song is very catchy, I can listen to it over and over again. To me it seems she compares the fears she had for Carey when he raced his motorcycle, with the fear she has now because she is alone again. I'm not sure though.

After listening to it a lot more, I realized the song has a bigger meaning, like xLadYofSorrowZx said. I think I thought every song was going to about their breakup and read what I wanted to read :) Great song.

I agree with xLadYofSorrowZx. I think it's about a crisis of faith. The ending of her marriage, all these other examples of problems in the world (school shootings, war, terrorism), cause her to consider the possibility that God has abandoned us. She's praying to Mary to return her faith ("I need you to tell me/Child be still"). That's my take on it. And how I feel a lot of the time. My fave song on "Funhouse".

I think this song definitely deals with feeling abandoned by god,and faith in a crazy time like JayC614 said, "Where did you go? where did you go? How did you know to get out of a world gone mad?" seem to point that she feels like Maira has abandoned her. Also the "I need you to tell me Child be still child be still" part is like her saying basically "Yo god i need some proof you didn't leave us in this bull-shit world".

This song gives me chills.

I'm reading everybody's responses and interpretations, but I have a ques? Isn't there some type significance to the way its spelled? [Ave Mary A] The original way is "Ave Maria" Why did she specifically spell it like that?

I mostly agree with everything that's been said. It's about this mad world we're living in that doesn't seem to get any less mad as the years go on.. As for the spelling "Ave Mary A", I think it's kind of a way to make it a "modern" Maria. Maybe someone she feels she can relate more to than the religious, traditional Maria. Or it might also be an expression of this chaotic world where religion and faith, sadly, is getting less room in people's lives. And therefore she doesn't even remember Virgin Maria's "real" name... Nah, I think I'm going with my first theory! :)

child be still. such a simple line.