Mary Was An Only Child
Garfunkel Lyrics
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Nobody held her, nobody smiled.
She was born in a trailer, wretched and poor,
And she shone like a gem in a five and dime store.
Mary had no friends at all,
Just famous faces pinned to the wall.
All of them watched her, none of them saw
And if you watch the stars at night,
And find them shining equally bright,
You might have seen Jesus and not have known what you saw.
Who would notice a gem in a five and dime store?
The lyrics of Garfunkel's song "Mary Was An Only Child" tell the story of a girl named Mary who grew up as an only child in a poor and unhappy environment. The first verse describes her lonely and neglected upbringing, emphasizing that nobody held or smiled at her as a child. The image of her being born in a trailer emphasizes the harshness of her circumstances, but despite this, the lyrics note that she had an inner beauty that made her stand out, comparable to a precious gem in a cheap store.
The second verse describes Mary's lack of friends and instead having pictures of famous faces pinned to her wall. These famous people were her idols, and although they may have watched her life from afar, they failed to see the unique radiance she possessed, just like the gem in the five and dime store.
The lyrics conclude with a thought-provoking analogy. The listener is encouraged to observe the stars at night, acknowledging that they all shine equally bright. By drawing this parallel, the song suggests that Jesus himself might have gone unnoticed, just like Mary's brilliance in a humble setting. The final line questions who would notice a gem in a five and dime store, implying that Mary's potential and unique qualities were overlooked by those around her.
Overall, the song explores themes of loneliness, overlooked beauty, and the possibility of unrecognized greatness. It encourages listeners to reflect on the value of individuals who may exist in the periphery of society, reminding them that true worth can be found in unexpected places.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary was an only child,
Mary did not have any siblings
Nobody held her, nobody smiled.
Nobody showed her affection or happiness
She was born in a trailer, wretched and poor,
She was born in a very poor and unfortunate situation, living in a trailer
And she shone like a gem in a five and dime store.
Despite her circumstances, Mary stood out and had a unique radiance, just like a precious gem in a cheap store
Mary had no friends at all,
Mary did not have any friends
Just famous faces pinned to the wall.
Instead, she filled her surroundings with images of famous people
All of them watched her, none of them saw
While these famous faces became the center of her attention, none of them truly understood her
That she shone like a gem in a five and dime store.
Just like earlier, despite her lack of recognition, Mary continued to possess a special radiance
And if you watch the stars at night,
If you observe the stars in the night sky
And find them shining equally bright,
And notice that they all shine with the same brightness
You might have seen Jesus and not have known what you saw.
You might have witnessed something extraordinary or divine without recognizing its true significance, like seeing Jesus
Who would notice a gem in a five and dime store?
In the same way, it is unlikely for someone to pay attention to something precious and special in a commonplace and ordinary place like a simple store
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALBERT HAMMOND, MIKE HAZLEWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Mary Was An Only Child(메리는 하나뿐인 어린애였어요)
Nobody held her, nobody smiled.
She was born in a trailer, wretched and poor,
And she shone like a gem in a five and dime store.
아무도 메리를 안아주지 않았고 미소를 던지는 사람도 없었지요.
그녀는 자동차 이동주택에서 태어나 가엾고 불쌍했어요.
그런데도 그녀는 싸구려 잡화상의 보석처럼 빛났지요.
Mary had no friends at all,
Just famous faces pinned to the wall.
All of them watched her, none of them saw
That she shone like a gem in a five and dime store.
메리는 친구가 전혀 없었어요.
벽에 걸린 유명한 사람들의 얼굴처럼 말이에요.
모두들 그녀를 쳐다보았지만, 그들 중에 아무도
그녀가 싸구려 잡화상의 보석처럼 빛나는 것을 보진 못했지요.
And if you watch the stars at night,
And you find them shining equally bright,
You might have seen Jesus and not have known what you saw.
Who would notice a gem in a five and dime store?
밤에 별들을 쳐다보면
별들이 똑같이 빛나고 있는 것을 발견하지요
예수님을 뵙게 될지도 모르지만 본 것을 알아채지는 못해요
누가 싸구려 잡화상에서 보석을 알아보겠어요?
@EPeltzer
The song, the voice, the harmony, the instrumentation, the arrangement, just stunning. Multi-layered acoustic instruments, horns, guitars, drums . . . just an incredible recording. The whole album is just a gem, timeless. Garfunkel's best, thanks to the songwriters, those who chose the songs, the producer and unerring choice of rich and unusual instruments from different world and folk musical traditions.
@pee-weeherman5785
I can't listen Art Garfunkel more than 10min... because I'm crying too much <3
@erikar.9837
You are not alone with it.....
@mirammckay4827
LOVE this album!
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@nathanieldude7876
username is interesting for that but valid?
@felicepine6308
So am i.
@Spartacus34
One of my all time favorite songs. Literally made me look at the people around me differently. Thank you for posting this
@AlbertoPtMoura
Art has an angelical timbre on his voice, and a fine taste to choose the songs to sing. I really admire his talent. Thanks for bringing back this marvelous song.
@Smaug1
Yes! For the last 40 years, I’ve thought: “He has a voice like angel!”
@RIDETHESUNSHINE
“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” ― Elie Wiesel
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