Saint Joe on the School Bus
Marcy Playground Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dressed up like a woman
Saint Joe they said your dad is gay
They said your mom
She's a whore they said it 'till you
Were raw they said your mom
She's a bore they made her beg
Them for more my Aunt Mary
Aunt Mary says
They have the darkness there in their eyes
Saint Joe he said he's never been made
Up like a woman
Saint Joe the time is coming when
When Mary never will return
When Mary never will come back here
Yeah Mary never will return
Oh Mary please
Come home
Oh my aunt Mary
Aunt Mary
Aunt Mary says they have
The darkness there in their eyes
Oh my aunt Mary
Aunt Mary
Aunt Mary says they have the darkness there
They have the family disease
They have the darkness there in their minds
The song "Saint Joe on the School Bus" by Marcy Playground is a haunting and emotional tale that touches upon the topic of bullying and its effects. The song starts with the singer, Saint Joe, being mocked by his peers for not conforming to gender roles. The bullies have gone to the extent of mocking his parents and degrading them as well. The second stanza talks about how the singer confides in his Aunt Mary, who reassures him that the bullies have "the darkness in their eyes," and that Saint Joe is not the one with the problem.
The third and final stanza highlights the tragedy that unfolds when Aunt Mary's time to leave comes, and she never returns. The song ends on a melancholic note with a plea for Aunt Mary to come back home. The lyrics depict a painful story of a child struggling with bullying and finding solace in the support of a loved one. However, the loss of that support and comfort only exacerbates the pain and isolation of the victim. The song is a call to action against bullying and the destructive nature it can have on an individual.
Line by Line Meaning
Saint Joe he said he's never been
Saint Joe claims that he has never cross-dressed before
Dressed up like a woman
To wear clothing of the opposite sex
Saint Joe they said your dad is gay
People accused Saint Joe's father of being homosexual
They said your mom
People also made accusations about Saint Joe's mother
She's a whore they said it 'till you
People claimed that Saint Joe's mother was promiscuous and said it relentlessly until it became painful for Saint Joe
Were raw they said your mom
The constant derogatory comments about Saint Joe's mother were so severe that they caused him emotional anguish
She's a bore they made her beg
People made Saint Joe's mother plead with them for more approval or respect
Them for more my Aunt Mary
Aunt Mary observed the situation and noted how it caused Saint Joe's mother to beg for more respect
Aunt Mary Aunt Mary Aunt Mary says
Aunt Mary has repeatedly expressed her opinion or perspective on the situation at hand
They have the darkness there in their eyes
People who are derogatory towards Saint Joe and his family have a cruel or malicious look in their eyes
Saint Joe he said he's never been made
Saint Joe claimed that he had never worn makeup before
Up like a woman
To have cosmetics applied, and appear more feminine
Saint Joe the time is coming when
Saint Joe realizes that things will eventually change
When Mary never will return
When Aunt Mary will no longer be present in his life
When Mary never will come back here
Aunt Mary will not return to Saint Joe's current location or situation
Yeah Mary never will return
Aunt Mary will never again be a part of Saint Joe's life
Oh Mary please Come home
Saint Joe is pleading for his Aunt Mary to return to his life
Oh my aunt Mary Aunt Mary Aunt Mary says they have
Aunt Mary has repeatedly shared her observation of the cruelty and darkness in people's eyes
The darkness there in their eyes
The cruel and malicious feelings and actions of those around Saint Joe are evident in their eyes
Oh my aunt Mary Aunt Mary Aunt Mary says they have the darkness there
Aunt Mary consistently notes that those around Saint Joe have a darkness within them
They have the family disease
The negative behavior exhibited towards Saint Joe and his family is contagious, and can be seen as a disease that is being passed down from generation to generation
They have the darkness there in their minds
The cruelty and negative feelings towards Saint Joe and his family are not limited to people's physical behavior or appearance, but are ingrained in their thought patterns as well
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN K. WOZNIAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ian
Marcy Playground, Harvey Danger, Blind Melon, The Toadies, etc. So many bands from the 90’s with only one hit that in actuality churned out tons of great songs and albums. What a decade for music.
Alisson Barreto
Go Pats
HENRY FORD
The best music is from the 90s!
Tony Landolfi
The Toadies are of the most underrated bands ever. Such great music from them.
loafabread14
@Robyn V One More and Song I Hate are amazing too
Ian
@The Phantom Stinker Agree completely. Even in this age of playlists and more singles, I still prefer buying and listening to an album as a whole, the way the artist intends. Blind Melon and Harvey Danger in particular had nothing but great albums start to finish in my opinion.
L M Hell
one of the most underrated bands of all time!!!!!!!!!
Ahhw E-Any
Lol you know how you're in the car w/ someone and that someone annoys you like crazy, like your ex, but everything playing is somehow relative...... & u don't even mean for it to be. You'll just be flipping through sh, like 😖, k next, 😖 k next, 😖 k next,,,, wever, I'll just leave it here 🤭. Bout tired of his "daddy rock" crap. He's prob wth he'll else is on her playlists 🤔😒... I'd say this has Midwest northern Ohio vibes but I just remembered how I saw this band live before up there. 🤔🤷🏻♀️ I just always thought this song was off, & funny. Kind of reminds me of my freshmen, sophomore English teacher too. She used to be some catholic school girl & she said she got her *ss beat by the nuns on the daily. Most likely not phrased like that but whateves
M celag bluestaeマルセラ
Totally thıs band ıs Amazıng
Gulf Coast Clock Co
@minners71 lol