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

I Misunderstood
Mary Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

He said darling I'm in love with you mind
The way you care for me it's so kind
Love to see you again wish I had more time
He was laughing as he brushed my cheek
Why don't you call me baby maybe next week
Promise now cross your heart and hope to die

Chorus

But I misunderstood
But I misunderstood
But I misunderstood
I thought he was saying good luck
He was saying goodbye

Repeat Chorus

Things I tried to put shine in his eyes
Wire wheels and shimmering things
Wild nights when the whole world seemed to fly
He said the thing that's so unique
When we're together we don't have to speak
We'll always be such good friends you and I

Chorus

But I misunderstood
But I misunderstood
But I misunderstood
I thought he was saying good luck
He was saying goodbye

Repeart Chorus

Overall Meaning

In Mary Black's song "I Misunderstood", the singer reflects on a conversation with a former lover. The man tells her that he is in love with her mind and loves that she cares for him. He expresses a desire to see her again soon but wishes they had more time. As he brushes her cheek, he laughs and asks her to call him next week, promising her to cross his heart and hope to die.

The chorus repeats the phrase "But I misunderstood," and the singer realizes that while she thought he was saying good luck, he was actually saying goodbye. The second verse reveals that the singer had tried many things to impress her lover, but despite the wire wheels and wild nights, he tells her that what's unique about their relationship is that they don't need to speak when they're together, and that they will always be good friends.

The song is a poignant reminder of the fragility of relationships and how easily misunderstandings can occur, leading to the end of a relationship. It also highlights how some things that may seem clear, like saying goodbye, can be taken differently by different people, leading to confusion and heartache.

Line by Line Meaning

He said darling I'm in love with you mind
He expressed his love for my inner self

The way you care for me it's so kind
He appreciates my caring nature

Love to see you again wish I had more time
He desired to meet me again but was short on time

He was laughing as he brushed my cheek
He cherish the moment and was happy

Why don't you call me baby maybe next week
He suggested that I call him and meet next week

Promise now cross your heart and hope to die
He wanted me to make a solemn promise

But I misunderstood
I misconceived

I thought he was saying good luck
I thought he wished me good luck

He was saying goodbye
He was actually bidding farewell

Things I tried to put shine in his eyes
I attempted to make him happy

Wire wheels and shimmering things
I gave him gifts to make him happy