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
Looking Forward
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or the room I'd sleep or the bus I'd ride
Just as long as I could get somewhere
And not get hurt I could breathe out there
I knew I could be free out there ... could be me
I never cared about the word prestige
About no inside track or no noblesse oblige
And pull my weight and say my say
As long as I could pay my way ... I could say
Bridge
I never had no plans just dreams and vague directions
I would not make my stand
I the house of corrections
Now I can see at last I see that everything is changing
And if you want to hold on fast the future needs arranging
Chorus
Now I'm looking forward to you
Now I'm looking forward to you
My former view was backward
My backward view as blue
Now I'm looking forward to you
Love had a weight designed to bring me down
My hands would sweat and my heart would pound
Now I've learned it and I've turned around
And I hanker for that anchor sound
I hanker for that anchor sound
Once designed to bring me down
Repeart bridge & chorus
The song "Looking Forward" by Mary Black talks about the singer's journey to self-discovery and self-realization. In the first stanza, she sings about not caring about material possessions and just wanting to be able to breathe freely without fear of getting hurt. She feels she can be herself in this state of being. In the second stanza, she emphasizes not caring about prestige or having connections but rather being able to pay her own way and have her voice heard. She values her freedom and her ability to express herself.
The bridge speaks of the singer not having any specific plans, only dreams and vague directions. She used to fear confinement in the house of corrections but now sees that everything is changing, and the future needs arranging. The chorus then states that she is looking forward to someone, and that her backward view was once blue, but now she is hopeful and optimistic about the future. Love, once a weight designed to bring her down, now gives her a sense of stability and helps her move forward.
Overall, "Looking Forward" is a reflection on the singer's journey towards embracing freedom, valuing self-expression, and finding love as an anchor in her life. It emphasizes the importance of personal agency and the ability to look towards a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I never cared about the car I'd drive
The singer did not put too much emphasis on material possessions.
Or the room I'd sleep or the bus I'd ride
The quality of her temporary shelter/transportation was not her top priority.
Just as long as I could get somewhere
Her main goal was to reach a destination.
And not get hurt I could breathe out there
As long as she was safe, she enjoyed the freedom of being outside.
I knew I could be free out there ... could be me
Being free from the expectations of others allowed her to be herself.
I never cared about the word prestige
She did not value social status.
About no inside track or no noblesse oblige
She was not concerned with having connections or fulfilling societal obligations.
Just as long as I could pay my way
She only cared about being able to support herself financially.
And pull my weight and say my say
She felt a need to contribute and express herself.
As long as I could pay my way ... I could say
Earning her own money gave her the ability to speak her mind.
I never had no plans just dreams and vague directions
She did not have a specific path in mind, but rather had general hopes and aspirations.
I would not make my stand
She was not the type of person to make a bold statement/stance.
I the house of corrections
She did not end up in a correctional facility (as opposed to making a stand for something).
Now I can see at last I see that everything is changing
The singer realizes that everything around her is in flux.
And if you want to hold on fast the future needs arranging
To prepare for an uncertain future, one needs to plan ahead.
Now I'm looking forward to you
She is now focused on the present and the person she is with.
My former view was backward
Her previous outlook was pessimistic/nostalgic.
My backward view as blue
Her former mindset brought her sadness.
Love had a weight designed to bring me down
Her past experience with love was heavy and oppressive.
My hands would sweat and my heart would pound
She was anxious about the love she once had.
Now I've learned it and I've turned around
She has moved on from that burden and learned from it.
And I hanker for that anchor sound
She now longs for the security of true love.
Once designed to bring me down
Love once weighed her down, but now it represents stability and comfort to her.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maureen Smith
on Bruach na Carraige Baine
So beautiful!