Born on 9th March 1942 in Garnant, Wales, Cale spoke only Welsh until the age of seven, when he began to learn English at school. He went on to study viola at Goldsmiths College, University of London, where he became involved in avant garde music. He traveled to the U.S. to continue his studies, thanks to the help and influence of Aaron Copland, and met and worked with various avant-garde composers, including John Cage, while becoming fascinated with the new Anglo-American art movements.
In 1965, he co-founded the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. Though best known for his work with the band, Cale has produced a massive body of work that ranges from tastefully arranged strings and piano over Dylan Thomas poetry to barely-suppressed, nigh-psychotic aggression set to high-energy avant-garde rock. Cale's style is almost impossible to pin down, as almost every album contains new experiments and influences. He is also well known as the producer of such works as the debuts of The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, and Patti Smith (the critically acclaimed 'Horses'). He also played a major role in Nico's 'The Marble Index'.
He's released some compilation works such as 'Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970-1990' that attempt to show the range and depth of his music. Cale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as member of the Velvet Underground in 1996, and he was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. As the years have gone by, he's had a wide variety of tours, additionally dealing with his own personal demons.
Mary
John Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You want to call me Freddy
If you call me anything - it's fine, it's fine
You want to call me Manuel
You don't know why
You don't know why
I'll be fine with that
I wanted to say
We don't go into that
There's a window in my mind
You can see in
Just look and you'll want to sigh
It inspires you to look away
You don't have to call me Mary
You don't have to wonder why
You don't even know what you're after
The same as me, I bet
Don't you worry
Don't you worry
The future will come back soon
Shouting at the teacher
From the back of the classroom
You can call me Sam
You can call me things
You can call me anything
But you don't have to call me Mary
You can call me Sam
But you don't have to call me Mary
I'm fine with that
But you'd be better safe than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
Safer than sorry
The lyrics of "Mary" by John Cale carry a sense of confusion and frustration about identity and labels. The singer seems to be accustomed to people calling them different names, as if none of them truly matter. They are fine with any name, but Mary shouldn't be the one. It's unclear why Mary is a name that the singer wants to avoid, but it's clear that they don't want to be bound by it.
The verse "There's a window in my mind, you can see in / Just look and you'll want to sigh / It inspires you to look away" suggests that the singer is vulnerable and open, but also that others cannot handle the truth and the depth of the singer's mind. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer can be called anything but Mary, and there is a melancholic tone to it, almost as if the singer wishes to be understood but cannot find the right words to explain their emotions.
The song's ambiguity can be interpreted in various ways, but it's clear that it deals with the theme of identity and the tension between individuality and belonging. It's a reminder that names and labels carry weight, and that sometimes people need to be seen and heard beyond what they are called. The song ends with a repeated chorus that emphasizes the need to be safe rather than sorry, and it's up to the listener to decide what that means.
Line by Line Meaning
You want to call me Sam
The singer is open to different names, indicating a lack of concern for his/her identity
You want to call me Freddy
Different names do not affect the singer's sense of identity
If you call me anything - it's fine, it's fine
The singer is indifferent to what he/she is called as none of the names have any significant meaning
You want to call me Manuel
The artist presents himself with an open mind and welcomes any name that is given
You don't know why
The artist neither attaches significance to his/her name nor does he/she understand why it matters
You don't have to call me Mary
The singer emphasizes that he/she doesn't care what he/she is called and there are more important things to discuss
I'll be fine with that
No matter how the singer is addressed, he/she will be okay with it
I wanted to say
The artist has a thought to convey
We don't go into that
The artist implies that discussing a person's name is insignificant and there are more meaningful things to ponder
There's a window in my mind
The artist has a vivid imagination and deep thoughts
You can see in
The singer sees no problem with being transparent and authentic
Just look and you'll want to sigh
The artist's thoughts and emotions can be overwhelming for others
It inspires you to look away
The singer's mind can make people feel uneasy and they would rather avoid it
You don't have to wonder why
The singer continues to reassure that names hold no importance and are irrelevant
You don't even know what you're after
The singer believes that people do not understand themselves or their desires
The same as me, I bet
The artist feels they are not alone in their uncertainty about life
Don't you worry
The artist tells the listener not to fret
The future will come back soon
The singer implies that the future is cyclical and is bound to repeat itself
Shouting at the teacher
The singer suggests something disruptive happening in their past
From the back of the classroom
The artist was simply an observer, removed from that situation
You can call me things
The artist reiterates his/her flexibility
But you'd be better safe than sorry
The artist suggests that it is best to avoid using specific names to prevent any misunderstandings
Safer than sorry
The singer repeats that it is better to be cautious
Contributed by Brody A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sergiozuniga4230
Beautiful song..lovely guitar..great John Cale
@spurtfather
Guitar