His breakthrough in music came with the album "Mit Pfefferminz bin ich dein Prinz" ("With peppermint, I'm your prince") in 1978.
Müller-Westernhagen's music is shaped through his concise voice and shouting passages. His texts are very direct and provoking, e.g. "Dicke" ("Fat people"), but also social critical texts like "Freiheit" (freedom) are included in his emotional repertoire.
Mary
Marius Müller-Westernhagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du hast mich fast erschlagen
als ich dich damals traf
Ich bin zwar nicht gestorben
doch ich lebe auch nicht mehr
Mary, Mary
Mary, schwarzer Engel, die Haut brauner Samt
nur'n alter Meister kann
Deine Wildheit leise
Jede Katze stirbt vor Neid
Mary
Oh, Mary, Fallenstellerin
Jetzt sitz ich in der Grube drin
Mary, glaub bloß nicht, es tut mir leid
Mein Herz dass hast du eh gestohlen
Bei mir ist da jetzt ein Stein
Doch irgendwann kommt ein andrer Engel
Und räumt ihn aus dem Weg
Mary, oh Mary, bleib oder geh!
The song "Mary" by Marius Müller-Westernhagen is a haunting and intense tribute to a woman who has left a lasting impression on the singer. The first stanza describes his inability to forget her, even though she nearly destroyed him when they first met. He acknowledges that he hasn't died, but he also hasn't fully lived since then.
The second stanza describes Mary as a "black angel," with skin as soft as velvet and a face that only an old master could paint. Her wildness is subtle, but it's enough to make all others jealous. The singer is clearly mesmerized with Mary and can't help but be under her spell.
The chorus is a plea to Mary, calling her a "fallenstellerin," or a trapper. The singer is now trapped in a pit and asks Mary not to believe that he's sorry for what he's done. He admits that she's stolen his heart, but it's now turned into a stone. He ends the chorus by saying that eventually, another angel will come and clear the path for him.
The final line of the song is an invitation for Mary to stay or go, emphasizing the ambivalence of their relationship. Overall, the song is a powerful expression of love, desire, and danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary, Mary, ich kann dich nicht vergessen
Addressing a woman named Mary, the singer confesses that he hasn't been able to forget her presence
Du hast mich fast erschlagen als ich dich damals traf
The singer figuratively refers to Mary's strong impact on him when they first met
Ich bin zwar nicht gestorben doch ich lebe auch nicht mehr
Although he didn't literally die, the singer feels like he's lost his spark and vitality since encountering Mary
Mary, schwarzer Engel, die Haut brauner Samt
Comparing Mary to a black angel with smooth brown skin, the singer highlights her striking appearance
Dein Gesicht gemalt wie das nur'n alter Meister kann
Mary's facial features are so beautifully sculpted, it seems like only a skilled and experienced artist could have painted them
Deine Wildheit leise Jede Katze stirbt vor Neid
Mary's quiet sense of untamed nature is so alluring that even felines would envy her
Oh, Mary, Fallenstellerin Jetzt sitz ich in der Grube drin
The singer appears to have fallen for Mary's trap, and thus he finds himself in a difficult and unpleasant situation
Mary, glaub bloß nicht, es tut mir leid
The singer cautions Mary not to think he's apologizing for his actions or feelings
Mein Herz dass hast du eh gestohlen
Mary has managed to steal the singer's heart, whether she intended to or not
Bei mir ist da jetzt ein Stein Doch irgendwann kommt ein andrer Engel Und räumt ihn aus dem Weg
The singer's heart has turned into a hard and unyielding stone, but he believes that someone else will eventually come and break it
Mary, oh Mary, bleib oder geh!
The singer concludes the song with a plea for Mary to either stay with him or leave him be
Contributed by Ryan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Da OLEX
Sehr schönes Lied, wie fast jedes bis 2000 von ihm. Das Lied erinnert mich auch an jemanden.
grmblfzzzt
Mein absolutes Lieblingslied von MMW. <3
Juju_zett-21
Mit den Regen Schirm er schlagen 😂
E.P.-Brohltal-Eifel-Rheinland-Pfalz-DE
(11.2.2020)