Austin is the director of ‘Til Dawn, Youth in Arts’ award-winning teen a cappella group and has facilitated over 30 youth retreats. He also donates his time and musical talent to a wide range of educational, social and environmental organizations (including The Freight & Salvage and Bread & Roses). He has co-facilitated three of YES!’s Leveraging Privilege for Social Change Jams and recently retired from the board of Rainforest Action Network where he served for 3 years.
Austin’s music has been featured on TV (NBC’s The Sing Off and MTV’s Road Rules) and on the soundtrack of two indie documentaries, (“Word Wars,” and “A Lawyer Walks into a Bar…”). He was hired to co-write the theme song to THRIVE!,a feature-length film slated for wide release in Spring 2011.
Austin loves many different types of music and has been able to use that love (and his wide-ranging vocal ability) to help recreate dozens of rock and pop classics for Guitar Hero (Queen, Wolfmother, Sum 41 & Incubus) and Karaoke Revolution (Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Boy George, Stevie Wonder, The Bee Gees, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson and many more!).
At present, Austin is hard at work on the 7th House Jacks CD (due Summer 2010) his 3rd solo EP (due Summer 2010) and his 4th solo CD (due Spring 2011).
Mary Jane
Austin Willacy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the lights expand in the rain to help us see a little clearer
i saw you bringing the blame you told me that you hold me dearer
because you think i'm insane for suckin' face with broken mirrors
what the hell are we doin'
what the hell should i say
what the hell were you thinkin'
where the hell are we and why why why why
and now you're feelin' ashamed 'cause mary now is your disciple
she says "go back where you came 'cause you can't stay at this recital"
your eyes are weary and tame the prayer smoke has made them lazy
you taste her kiss just the same 'cause mary's giddy as a daisy
what the hell are we doin'
what the hell should i say
what the hell were you thinkin'
is there some other way
where the hell are we and why why why why
The song “Mary Jane” by Austin Willacy is about the seductive and addictive nature of the drug marijuana. The lyrics describe how people are selling the drug in order to bring people closer and see things clearer, but the singer wonders what they are really doing and if there is another way to achieve clarity. The chorus repeats the questions of “what the hell are we doing” and “why why why why,” suggesting confusion and hopelessness in the face of addiction.
The second half of the song is directed towards a person who is now heavily involved with marijuana, personified as “Mary Jane.” The singer has seen this person become enthralled with the drug and is now ashamed of their involvement. Mary Jane instructs the person to leave the scene because they cannot handle it, but the singer tastes Mary’s kiss just the same, showing how the temptation of the drug is still present.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the risks and consequences of drug addiction and how it can control and change a person’s behavior. The repeated questions in the chorus convey a sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of the drug’s power.
Line by Line Meaning
they're sellin' mary jane to bring us all a little nearer
The sellers of mary jane want to bring people closer to each other through its use.
the lights expand in the rain to help us see a little clearer
The rain causes the lights to expand and be clearer, giving us better visibility.
i saw you bringing the blame you told me that you hold me dearer
I noticed that you were blaming me because you care about me more than others.
because you think i'm insane for suckin' face with broken mirrors
You believe that I am crazy for choosing to kiss someone who is as broken as I am.
what the hell are we doin'
What is our purpose and what are we trying to accomplish?
what the hell should i say
I am unsure of what to say in this situation.
what the hell were you thinkin'
I am curious about your thought process in making this decision.
is there some other way
Can we approach this problem from a different angle or perspective?
where the hell are we and why why why why
I am questioning our location and our purpose in this moment.
and now you're feelin' ashamed 'cause mary now is your disciple
You feel embarrassed because you are now following mary's teachings.
she says "go back where you came 'cause you can't stay at this recital"
Mary instructs you to leave the performance because you are not welcome there.
your eyes are weary and tame the prayer smoke has made them lazy
Your eyes look tired and calm because the smoke from the prayer has made you relaxed.
you taste her kiss just the same 'cause mary's giddy as a daisy
You still enjoy kissing mary because she is happy and carefree.
Contributed by Jayce C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.