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
Columbus
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better keep your boat from going astray
Find yourself a partner and treat them well
Try to give them shelter night and day
'cause here in this blue light
Far away from the fireside
Things can get twisted and crazy and crowded
You can't even feel right
So you dream of columbus
Ever time the panic starts
You dream of columbus
With your maps and your beautiful charts
You dream of columbus
With an ache in your travelling heart
See how the cormorant swoops and dives
Must be some thrill to go that deep
Down to the basement of this life
Down to where the mermaid gently sleeps
Not like here in this blue light
Far away from the fireside
Where things can get twisted and haunted and crowded
You can't even feel alright
Chorus
And as tide must ebb and flow
I am dragged down under
And I wait the livelong day
For an end to my hunger
So I dream of columbus
Every time that the panic starts
I dream of columbus
With my maps and my beautiful charts
I dream of columbus
And there's peace in a traveling heart
I dream of columbus
The opening stanza of Mary Black's song "Columbus" sets a foreboding tone. The singer warns of a whale and cautions the listener to "keep your boat from going astray." The second line offers guidance to "find yourself a partner and treat them well." The singer implies that this partner offers safety and refuge. The blue light referred to in the following line beckons the listener in the same way a lighthouse brings a ship to shore. But the "twisted and crazy and crowded" nature of that blue light is all-consuming, overwhelming to the outsider, making it difficult to "feel right."
In the chorus, the singer dreams of the mythical figure Christopher Columbus, who represents both adventure and an escape from the terrors of the blue light. The maps and charts that accompany Columbus represent a sense of direction that the singer of the song needs. The chorus brings a sense of hope, that with Columbus, life can be redeemed even with the constant sense of panic that lurks about.
The second stanza, with its vivid imagery of the cormorants diving deep and life in the basement, contrasts with the sense of safety offered by Columbus. The blue light of the first stanza represents the sense of anxiety and the second environment, means to escape it. The imagery of the cormorants and mermaids adds a whimsical touch to the song, bringing in legends and myths that end up connecting with the melancholic rhythm of the piece. Together, these stanzas present both an ominous and hopeful outlook, narrating the journey through the panic and playfulness of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Better keep your distance from this whale
Be cautious and avoid danger
Better keep your boat from going astray
Stay on course and don't lose sight of your goals
Find yourself a partner and treat them well
Form meaningful relationships with others
Try to give them shelter night and day
Provide comfort and support to loved ones
'cause here in this blue light
In this state of mind
Far away from the fireside
Away from comfort and stability
Things can get twisted and crazy and crowded
Life can be difficult and confusing
You can't even feel right
One can feel lost and unsure
So you dream of columbus
Imagining a place of peace
Ever time the panic starts
In moments of anxiety
With your maps and your beautiful charts
Using intuition and knowledge to navigate life's challenges
With an ache in your travelling heart
Carrying a longing for adventure
See how the cormorant swoops and dives
Observing the beauty of the natural world
Must be some thrill to go that deep
Expressing a sense of admiration and awe
Down to the basement of this life
Exploring the depths of existence
Down to where the mermaid gently sleeps
Discovering the secrets of the ocean and its creatures
Not like here in this blue light
Life can feel dull and unsatisfying
Where things can get twisted and haunted and crowded
Challenging and difficult times
You can't even feel alright
Feeling lost and alone
And as tide must ebb and flow
Acknowledging the cyclical nature of life
I am dragged down under
Feeling overwhelmed and weighed down
And I wait the livelong day
Patiently enduring hardships
For an end to my hunger
Searching for fulfillment and satisfaction
And there's peace in a traveling heart
Finding contentment in exploring the world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: WINSTON RODNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@horizontessinfronterascanc2479
Mary Black (n. 22 de mayo de 1955, en Dublín, Irlanda) es una cantante irlandesa. Nació en una familia de músicos. Su padre era violinista y su madre fue una cantante, sus hermanos tienen su propio grupo musical. Ella cantó en su grupo familiar desde su juventud, y su madre Patty tuvo una canción en el álbum de sus hermanos What A Time/Shay, de 1996, escrita por Michael and Martin Black.
Su hermana Frances Black es también una aclamada vocalista.
Mary Black went on to play in other groups including the traditional Irish band, De Dannan from 1984–1986. Since 1986 she has had a successful solo career, where she went on to try contemporary styles ranging from jazz to country.
Fue nombrada "Mejor Artista Femenina" en la encuesta realizada por "Irish Recorded Music Association" en 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994 y 1996.1
Contrajo matrimonio con Joe O'Reilly de Dara Records y tienen tres hijos, Conor, Danny y Roisin.
Discografía[editar]
Mary Black (1983)
Collected (1984)
Without the Fanfare (1985)
By the Time it Gets Dark (1987)
No Frontiers (1989)
The Best Of Mary Black (1990)
Babes in the Wood (1991)
The Collection (1992)
The Holy Ground (1993)
Circus (1995)
Looking Back (1995)
Shine (1997)
Speaking with the Angel (1999)
The Best of Mary Black 1991-2001 & Hidden Harvest (2001)
Mary Black Live (2003)
Full Tide (2005)
Stories from the Steeples (2
RoDeLu H97 (Pure Fine Mussic) by horizontescun97.5
@kenb735
Better keep your distance from this whale
Better keep your boat from going astray
Find yourself a partner and treat them well
Try to give them shelter night and day
'Cause here in this blue light
Far away from the fireside
Things can get twisted and haunted and crowded
You can't even feel right
So you dream of Columbus
Every time the panic starts
You dream of Columbus
With your maps and your beautiful charts
You dream of Columbus
With an ache in your traveling heart
See how the cormorant swoops and dives
Must be some thrill to go that deep
Down to the basement of this life
Down to where the mermaid gently sleeps
Not like here in this blue light
Far away from the fireside
Where things get twisted and haunted and crowded
You can't even feel alright
So you dream of Columbus
Every time the panic starts
You dream of Columbus
With your maps and your beautiful charts
You dream of Columbus
With an ache in your traveling heart
And as tide must ebb and flow
I am dragged down under
And I wait the livelong day
For an end to my hunger
So I dream of Columbus
Every time the panic starts
I dream of Columbus
With my maps and my beautiful charts
I dream of Columbus
And there's peace in a traveling heart
I dream of Columbus...
@luisfilipe1603
👍710 only? Where's the music lover's? today is 12/12 /23 Mary is a legend of Irish music, deserve more and more.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏From Lisbon 🇵🇹w/love and respect 🇮🇪
@joechapman2981
It's hard to believe that there's only 100,000 views only a few comments
@wayneprince243
I have seen Mary Black many times. This was the first song she sang the first night I saw her live at the Birchmere. She is the epitome of class. She is kind and warm in person. She NEVER disappoints! Sings with feeling and passion. Love her!
@crunchy2k
Her song leaves the dieing on the streets of dublin outside of 1970s . sinead o'connor but nothing conpares to you.
@philipgrier9376
I keep coming back to this performance. It is genuinely magic
@rudychavez4569
A lot of us living in the Bay Area also miss KKSF and the great music they used to play like this song.
@bobatkins9162
Saw her at Portsmouth Folk Festival about twenty years ago, This song is a great favourite of mine, beautifully sung by Mary,She never received the aclaim her talent deserved , especially in England.
@OrchidIslander
Everytime I hear this song I think of my little bungalow tucked away in the hills of San Francisco listening to KKSF. Was a wonderful time in my life. Cheers to you.
@Frapzoid
I know the feeling. From August 1987 to May 2009 KKSF was my favorite station. I lived in the East Bay at the time. Had a new girlfriend and a new station (KKSF) that gave me some old and new musicians to listen to. That quite possibly was the happiest time in my life. I no longer have that girlfriend. I no longer live in the Bay Area. And sadly, no more KKSF...
@lorriearana5411
I remember this song on that station also! Great memories.