Mary Black (born 23 May 1955 in Dublin) is an Irish singer. She is well kno… Read Full Bio ↴Mary Black (born 23 May 1955 in Dublin) is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland and in many other parts of the world. She was named "Best Female Artist" in the IRMA poll in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996.

Black was born into a musical family. Her father had been a fiddler, her mother a singer, and her brothers have their own group. She sang in her family's group in her youth.

In 1975 Black joined a small folk band called General Humbert, with whom she toured Europe and released two albums, in 1975 and 1978. In 1982 she developed a professional relationship with musician/producer Declan Sinnott and recorded her first solo album, Mary Black.

She went on to play in other groups including the traditional Irish band De Dannan from 1984-1986. After 1986 she had a successful solo career where she went on to try contemporary styles ranging from jazz to country. She was named "Best Female Artist" in the IRMA poll in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 and 1996.

She is married to Joe O'Reilly of Dara Records and they have three children. Her son Danny is a member of the Irish rock band The Coronas, while her daughter Róisín is performing under the name Róisín O.

For a number of years, "What Hi-Fi?" magazine considered Black's voice to be so pure that it was used as an audiophile benchmark for comparing the sound quality of different high fidelity systems.

Discography

* 1983 Mary Black
* 1984 Collected
* 1985 Without the Fanfare
* 1987 By the Time it Gets Dark
* 1989 No Frontiers
* 1991 Babes in the Wood
* 1992 The Collection
* 1993 The Holy Ground
* 1995 Circus
* 1997 Shine
* 1999 Speaking with the Angel
* 2001 The Best of Mary Black 1991-2001 & Hidden Harvest
* 2003 Mary Black Live
* 2005 Full Tide
* 2008 Twenty-Five Years Twenty-Five Songs
* 2011 Stories from the Steeples

Adam at the Window
Mary Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Adam's at the window staring at the apple trees on fire
Waiting for the windfall that brings the smile of kings and their desire
Door blows in behind him, a floral pattern, summer dress so gay
Burning in the sunlight, too late to wait, for darkness won't delay
To steal her cherry lips away
For while the careless tongues of sunlight slowly trickle down
The curve of hips, her fingertips, in kissing sips we drown
In kissing sips we drown

And Adam will have his way
Adam will have his way

Adam's on the island, living in the land of love
Shadows lurk around him, drunk on the royal jelly of pure love
Full and ripe, the fruit hang, for when the prince arrives he will want more
And more and more he will drink from the canvas cup
The son of a swan will then loose his plumera
And he will wear a new age suit and haunt the joints in town
And play a silver magic flute and call his lovers down
And call his lovers down

And Adam will have his way
Adam will have his way
Will have his way

Adam's at the easel painting in the wrinkles and the gray
Waiting for November, easy with the darkness of the day
Smiles a tear of gladness, and Adam's at the window once again
He's burning in the sunlight, too late to wait, for darkness won't delay
To steal her cherry lips away
For while the careless tongues of sunlight slowly trickle down
The curve of hips, her fingertips, in kissing sips we drown
In kissing sips we drown

And Adam will have his way

Adam's at the window

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mary Black's song, Adam at the Window, depict a story of a man named Adam who fixates on the fruit trees outside his window. The trees catch fire, and he waits for the wind to blow the fruits off the trees, satisfying the desire and smile of kings. As he waits, a woman in a summer dress enters, and the door blows in behind her. She embodies the fleetingness of summer, and Adam knows he has to act quickly before darkness falls. He desires to "steal her cherry lips away," as the sunlight trickles down her body, and they drown in the passion of their kisses.

The second verse depicts Adam's life on an island, living in the land of love. He indulges in the royal jelly of pure love, taking from the canvas cup until he grows insatiable. He transforms into the son of a swan, donning a new age suit, and plays a silver magic flute, calling his lovers down. In doing so, he has his way, satisfying his whimsical desires yet again. The final verse depicts Adam at his easel, in the winter of his life, painting in the wrinkles and the gray. He waits for November, easy with the darkness of the day, and smiles a tear of gladness. Adam returns to the window, where he sees the woman from his past, and again they drown in the passion of their kisses.

Overall, the lyrics of Adam at the Window appear to be about human desire and the fleetingness of time. The apple trees on fire and the floral summer dress create a sense of urgency in Adam, forcing him to take action as they embody the fleetingness of time. Adam indulges in his desires throughout his life, transforming and growing with time until he reaches the winter of his life, where he is content to return to his window and reminisce on past memories.

Line by Line Meaning

Adam's at the window staring at the apple trees on fire
Adam is gazing through the window, lost in thought as he looks at the trees. They are basked in orange light and seem to be ablaze.

Waiting for the windfall that brings the smile of kings and their desire
Adam is waiting for success to fall into his lap. He wants to achieve great things and win the admiration of those in power.

Door blows in behind him, a floral pattern, summer dress so gay
The door behind Adam suddenly opens and a woman in a bright, flowery dress walks in on him. It's a warm summer day and she appears happy.

Burning in the sunlight, too late to wait, for darkness won't delay
The sunlight is hot and intense, and Adam feels like he's running out of time. He knows he needs to act fast while he still has the chance.

To steal her cherry lips away
Adam wants to kiss the woman in the dress. He is fixated on her and can't think of anything else.

For while the careless tongues of sunlight slowly trickle down
The sunlight is soft and lazy, slowly sliding across their skin. It feels like time is slowing down.

The curve of hips, her fingertips, in kissing sips we drown
Adam notices the woman's curves and is drawn to her touch. They get lost in the moment, feeling like they are drowning in passion.

Adam will have his way
Adam is determined to get what he wants, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Adam's on the island, living in the land of love
Adam has found himself in a secluded paradise, filled with love and warmth.

Shadows lurk around him, drunk on the royal jelly of pure love
Despite the idyllic setting, there are dark shadows lurking in the corners. They are fueled by the intense passion that surrounds them.

Full and ripe, the fruit hang, for when the prince arrives he will want more
The island is filled with succulent fruit. Adam knows that a powerful figure will eventually come and want to take more than his fair share.

And more and more he will drink from the canvas cup
The powerful figure will be consumed by greed, taking more than he needs until there's nothing left.

The son of a swan will then loose his plumera
The powerful figure will eventually reveal his true nature, losing his grace and charm.

And he will wear a new age suit and haunt the joints in town
The powerful figure will embrace a new identity and haunt the local establishments, seeking out his next conquest.

And play a silver magic flute and call his lovers down
The powerful figure will use his charm and charisma to lure in new partners, like a musician playing a captivating tune.

Adam's at the easel painting in the wrinkles and the gray
Adam is now alone, perhaps older and reflecting on his past. He is painting a portrait of an older person, with wrinkles and gray hair.

Waiting for November, easy with the darkness of the day
He is waiting for a change, a new beginning. November represents the start of something different and he welcomes the darkness of the day, perhaps signifying a new chapter.

Smiles a tear of gladness, and Adam's at the window once again
Adam is feeling emotional and yet happy. He is back at the window, perhaps reflecting on all that has happened and all that is still to come.

Adam will have his way
Despite everything, Adam will always be driven by his desires and his need for success.

For while the careless tongues of sunlight slowly trickle down
Just like before, everything feels slow and relaxed. Time seems to be standing still.

The curve of hips, her fingertips, in kissing sips we drown
Adam is once again lost in the moment, unable to resist the allure of temptation.

And Adam will have his way
As always, Adam will eventually get what he wants, no matter the cost.

Will have his way
Adam's determination is unwavering, his willpower unbreakable. He will always succeed in the end.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIMMY MCCARTHY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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