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.
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.