Sister Fatima
Don McLean Lyrics
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She knows your future, she knows what it's worth
Sister Fatima has God-given powers
And on 42nd Street a shop that sells flowers
Is her palace, come and be healed
She knows all your business, your health and your ills
She'll counsel your weddings, divorces and wills
For full restoration five dollars an hour
And with each consultation a free holy flower
And if she likes you, well you can have two
And I came from nowhere like you and your friend
My searching and wandering went on without end
My future was dim, my spirit was crushed
In one sacred moment my questions were hushed
I'm a servant of fate in this garden of truth
A humble recruit of the taffeta booth
Where all things are known but few are revealed
Sins are forgotten and sickness is healed
For five dollars the flower is free
In Sister Fatima, Don McLean sings about a woman on 42nd Street who can see into the future and has God-given powers. She can help people with their problems, from health and illness to weddings and divorces. She runs a shop that sells flowers, which she uses to heal people. She charges five dollars an hour for consultations, and with each consultation, she gives a free holy flower. If she likes someone, she even gives out two flowers for free.
The lyrics seem to portray a sense of desperation and the search for answers. McLean mentions that he himself came from nowhere and his spirit was crushed until he met Sister Fatima. The line "My future was dim, my spirit was crushed" highlights the feeling of being lost and having no sense of direction. However, in meeting Sister Fatima, he found answers to his questions and felt a sense of peace.
The lyrics also seem to touch on the theme of faith and spirituality, with Sister Fatima being seen as a holy figure. The line "I'm a servant of fate in this garden of truth" suggests that there is a higher power at work and that all things are known, but few are revealed. McLean seems to be suggesting that in times of uncertainty, having faith and seeking guidance from someone like Sister Fatima can be helpful.
Line by Line Meaning
The spirit of Fatima still rules the Earth
The legacy of Sister Fatima continues to shape the world and its people
She knows your future, she knows what it's worth
Through divine powers, Sister Fatima has knowledge of what is to come and the value of each individual's path
Sister Fatima has God-given powers
Sister Fatima's abilities come directly from a divine source
And on 42nd Street a shop that sells flowers Is her palace, come and be healed
Sister Fatima's presence can be found in a humble flower shop and those seeking spiritual guidance and healing can find it there
She knows all your business, your health and your ills
Sister Fatima has knowledge of all aspects of one's life and well-being
She'll counsel your weddings, divorces and wills
Sister Fatima can offer guidance on major life events such as marriage, divorce, and wills
For full restoration five dollars an hour
Sister Fatima's services come at a small fee of five dollars per hour for complete healing
And with each consultation a free holy flower And if she likes you, well you can have two
For each session with her, Sister Fatima offers a complimentary holy flower and she may give an additional one if she feels inclined towards the individual
And I came from nowhere like you and your friend My searching and wandering went on without end My future was dim, my spirit was crushed In one sacred moment my questions were hushed
Like many others, the speaker once felt lost and struggled with finding purpose until he had a life-changing experience with Sister Fatima that silenced his doubts
I'm a servant of fate in this garden of truth A humble recruit of the taffeta booth
The speaker identifies himself as a dutiful follower of Sister Fatima's teachings and works within the humble confines of her flower shop
Where all things are known but few are revealed Sins are forgotten and sickness is healed For five dollars the flower is free
In Sister Fatima's flower shop, secrets are known but kept, sins are forgiven, and illnesses can be healed for a low cost of five dollars with a free holy flower provided
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON MCLEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
McLean's grandfather and father, both also named Donald McLean, had roots originating in Scotland. The Buccis, the family of McLean's mother, Elizabeth, came from Abruzzo in central Italy. Read Full BioDonald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1971 hit song "American Pie", an 8.5-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation (US #1 for four weeks in 1972 and UK #2).
McLean's grandfather and father, both also named Donald McLean, had roots originating in Scotland. The Buccis, the family of McLean's mother, Elizabeth, came from Abruzzo in central Italy. They left Italy and settled in Port Chester, New York at the end of the 19th century. He has other extended family in Los Angeles and Boston. Though some of his early musical influences included Frank Sinatra and Buddy Holly, as a teenager, McLean became interested in folk music, particularly the Weavers' 1955 recording At Carnegie Hall. He often missed long periods of school because of childhood asthma, particularly music lessons, and although McLean slipped back in his studies, his love of music was allowed to flourish. By age 16, he had bought his first guitar and began making contacts in the music business, becoming friends with the folk singers Erik Darling and Fred Hellerman of the Weavers.
McLean recorded Tapestry in 1969 in Berkeley, California during the student riots. After being rejected 72 times by labels, the album was released by Mediarts, a label that had not existed when he first started to look for a label. He worked on the album for a couple of years before putting it out. It attracted good reviews but little notice outside the folk community, though on the Easy Listening chart "Castles in the Air" was a success, and in 1973 "And I Love You So" became a number 1 Adult Contemporary hit for Perry Como.
McLean's major break came when Mediarts was taken over by United Artists Records, thus securing the promotion of a major label for his second album, American Pie. The album launched two number one hits in the title song and "Vincent". American Pie's success made McLean an international star and piqued interest in his first album, which charted more than two years after its initial release.
In 2004, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" and "Vincent" had reached five million and three million airplays respectively.
His composition "And I Love You So" has been sung by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and others, and in 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie". His other hit singles include "Vincent" (US #12, UK #1 in 1972), "Dreidel" (US #21 in 1972), a rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying" (US #5, UK #1 in 1980), a rendition of the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You" (US #23 in 1980), and "Wonderful Baby" (US AC #1 in 1975).
Joe Boxer
on Vincent
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dcWFYtG8RFM