Molly
Man The Lifeboats Lyrics


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Molly my little shipwreck
I was sinking and just like a rat
You abandoned me with a wave to a watery grave
And that was the end of that

Molly my old broken compass
Now I′m lost and I don't know the stars
No more to navigate that old ocean of fate
I′ll be in all of the usual bars

And through London's fair city I wander alone
The girls are so pretty but nobody's home
Cause I′m only looking for Mrs Malone
Oh Molly where did you go?
Cause nobody round here seems to know

Molly my foregone conclusion
Maybe we were never written to win
I remember you say way back in the day
That you′d never let anyone in

Molly my greatest adventure
We never made it to old Mexico
In fact we only got as far as that old Cuban bar
That's just off the Waterloo Road

And through London′s fair city I wander alone
The girls are so pretty but nobody's home
Cause I′m only looking for Mrs Malone
Oh Molly where did you go?
Cause nobody round here seems to know

Molly
Where did you go?
I've asked the whole congregation and none of them know
Molly
Where do I start?
I still love you with every string of my heart

Oh Molly my little empire
Now I shall return to the sea
But I won′t be sailing like Sir Michael of Palin
Cause no one can save me from me

And through London's fair city I wander alone
The girls are so pretty but nobody's home
Cause I′m only looking for Mrs Malone
Oh Molly where did you go?
Cause nobody round here seems to know




I said nobody round here seems to know
Nobody round here seems to know

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Molly" by Man The Lifeboats tell the story of a failed relationship and the aftermath of heartbreak. The singer refers to Molly as a "shipwreck" and himself as a sinking ship, implying that their relationship was doomed from the start. Molly abandoned him and left him to perish, symbolically represented as a watery grave. This abandonment shattered the singer's trust and left him feeling lost, comparing himself to a broken compass with no direction or purpose.


Navigating through life without Molly, he portrays his wandering through London, a city filled with beautiful women but devoid of emotional connection. He longs for Mrs. Malone, a reference to finding a new love, but is disheartened by the fact that nobody seems to know where Molly went. This suggests that he is still haunted by her absence and struggling to let go.


The song continues to reflect on their past, acknowledging that perhaps they were never destined to succeed. Molly expressed her resistance to let someone in emotionally, so their union may always have been doomed to fail. The lyric about not making it to old Mexico and only reaching a Cuban bar off the Waterloo Road implies that their dreams and adventures together were cut short, emphasizing their unfulfilled potential.


In the final verse, the singer declares that he will return to the sea, but not with the optimism and enthusiasm of Sir Michael Palin's travels. He is resigned to the fact that no one can save him from himself and his lingering feelings for Molly. The song ends with the repeated line, highlighting the singer's frustration and the sense that Molly's disappearance remains a mystery.


Line by Line Meaning

Molly my little shipwreck
You were my downfall, my utter disaster


I was sinking and just like a rat
I was drowning, feeling helpless and insignificant


You abandoned me with a wave to a watery grave
You left me stranded and doomed to a metaphorical death


And that was the end of that
Our relationship was over, without any hope of revival


Molly my old broken compass
You used to guide me, but now I'm lost and directionless


Now I′m lost and I don't know the stars
I have no sense of guidance or purpose anymore


No more to navigate that old ocean of fate
I can no longer navigate the uncertain path of destiny


I′ll be in all of the usual bars
I'll drown my sorrows and seek solace in familiar places


And through London's fair city I wander alone
I roam the city streets aimlessly, without companionship


The girls are so pretty but nobody's home
Despite the attractive women around, there's no emotional connection


Cause I′m only looking for Mrs Malone
I yearn for the love and presence of Molly, Mrs Malone


Oh Molly where did you go?
I desperately seek your whereabouts, Molly


Cause nobody round here seems to know
No one around me has any information about your location


Molly my foregone conclusion
Our fate was sealed, predetermined to fail


Maybe we were never written to win
Perhaps our story was never meant to have a victorious outcome


I remember you say way back in the day
I recall you saying long ago


That you′d never let anyone in
You vowed to never allow someone to become close to you


Molly my greatest adventure
You were the most thrilling and exciting experience of my life


We never made it to old Mexico
We didn't achieve our dream of traveling to Mexico together


In fact we only got as far as that old Cuban bar
Our journey halted at a nearby Cuban bar, never progressing further


That's just off the Waterloo Road
The specific location of the Cuban bar, close to Waterloo Road


Molly
Addressing Molly directly


Where did you go?
Where have you disappeared to?


I've asked the whole congregation and none of them know
I've inquired everywhere, but no one has any information


Molly
Addressing Molly again


Where do I start?
How do I begin to search for you?


I still love you with every string of my heart
My affection for you remains strong and unwavering


Oh Molly my little empire
You were my small yet significant world


Now I shall return to the sea
I will metaphorically retreat back into uncertainty and chaos


But I won′t be sailing like Sir Michael of Palin
I won't embark on a grand adventure like Sir Michael of Palin


Cause no one can save me from me
I am incapable of saving myself from my own internal struggles


I said nobody round here seems to know
Just reiterating that nobody has any information about your whereabouts




Contributed by Jayden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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