Mistress
John McVey Lyrics


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My mistress is unbending
She's jealous and demanding
And she's keeping me from spending
Any time with anyone

She comes to me at daytimes
And she comes to me at night
But she comes to me too seldom
And I'm waiting and I'm waiting all the time

Oh, I'm saving myself for you
Oh, I don't know what else I can do

I love her beyond reason
And I love her beyond pain
And I know she treats me badly
But I love her just the same

'Cause she can shine like spotlight silver
She can cheer the sellout crowds
But she's always there before me
And I'm chasing and I'm chasing all the time

Oh, I'm saving myself for you
Oh, I don't know what else I can do

Oh, I can't quit for money
And I can't quit for love
And no matter how I'm tempted
You're all I'm thinking of

And I've always been faithful
And I've always been true to you

My mistress if unbending
I supsect that she's pretending
That she'll give me all I want
If I'll just stay another day

She's taken all my courage
And she's taken all my heart
And I keep hanging on her promise
And it's tearing me apart

I've balanced my emotions
Like a drunkard on a wire
On the one hand, I've my logic
On the other, my desire

We are walking such a fine line
I don't know if we'll survive
But one thing I know for sure is
When I'm with her, I'm alive





Oh, I'm saving myself for you
Oh, I don't know what else I can do

Overall Meaning

John McVey's song "Mistress" is a sad and poignant exploration of the complicated relationship between an artist and his craft. The song starts with the singer stating that his mistress is unbending, jealous, and demanding, and that she keeps him from spending time with anybody else. By referring to his muse as his mistress and attributing human qualities to his art, he shows how his creative passion has consumed his life and eclipsed all other relationships.


In the chorus, the singer admits to saving himself for someone else, which suggests that he yearns for a deeper connection but feels unable to let go of his art. He explains that he loves his art beyond reason and pain, and that it shines like "spotlight silver," yet he acknowledges that it also treats him badly. Despite these feelings, he cannot help but continue chasing his artistic dreams.


The song's lyrics capture the agony and ecstasy of the creative process, showing the internal struggle of self-doubt and the eternal promise of artistic fulfillment. The singer walks a fine line between his love for his mistress and his desire for something more, and while he is unsure if he will survive this internal battle, he knows one thing for sure - when he's with her, he's alive.


Line by Line Meaning

My mistress is unbending
The thing that keeps me occupied and away from others is really tough to handle


She's jealous and demanding
This thing is very possessive and requires a lot from me


And she's keeping me from spending Any time with anyone
This thing takes up all my time and prevents me from seeing anyone else


She comes to me at daytimes And she comes to me at night But she comes to me too seldom And I'm waiting and I'm waiting all the time
This thing is always on my mind and I'm constantly waiting for its attention, even though it doesn't come often


Oh, I'm saving myself for you Oh, I don't know what else I can do
I'm committed to you, but I'm struggling with the demands of this other thing. I don't know how to handle it.


I love her beyond reason And I love her beyond pain And I know she treats me badly But I love her just the same
I'm emotionally invested in this other thing, even though it hurts me and is unfair to me.


'Cause she can shine like spotlight silver She can cheer the sellout crowds But she's always there before me And I'm chasing and I'm chasing all the time
This thing can be amazing and give me great fulfillment, but it's always ahead of me and I'm constantly struggling to keep up.


Oh, I can't quit for money And I can't quit for love And no matter how I'm tempted You're all I'm thinking of
I can't leave this other thing for material gain or another person, but you are the one I truly care about.


And I've always been faithful And I've always been true to you
I've never cheated on you or been disloyal, despite my struggles with this other thing.


My mistress if unbending I suspect that she's pretending That she'll give me all I want If I'll just stay another day
I think this other thing is being dishonest with me, promising me everything I want if I keep giving it attention.


She's taken all my courage And she's taken all my heart And I keep hanging on her promise And it's tearing me apart
This other thing has drained me emotionally and I'm holding on to its false promise to my own detriment.


I've balanced my emotions Like a drunkard on a wire On the one hand, I've my logic On the other, my desire
I'm struggling to balance my rational thoughts and my emotions surrounding this other thing.


We are walking such a fine line I don't know if we'll survive But one thing I know for sure is When I'm with her, I'm alive
I'm uncertain if I can handle this other thing and maintain our relationship, but being with it does make me feel alive.




Writer(s): john mcvey

Contributed by Aaron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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