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

Might As Well Be a Slave
Mary Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lying here, watching the time pass
I could think of a million things I'd rather do
Travel at my own pace
Put myself asleep if I wanted to

Might as well be behind bars
Than be lashed to a wave that I can't haul
I might as well be a slave

Lying low in the shade of a prison wall

Lying here, watching the time pass
I could cry for the helping hands that I refused
We were good friends
But I did refuse

Might as well be behind bars
Getting used to the sound of my keeper's call
I might as well be a slave
Drinking sun through a chink in a prison wall

Down here, down where the end is
You absolve me from every crime I ever planned
I was so surprised
I did not think that you would understand

Might as well be behind bars
Growing old in a carpeted hall
I might as well be a slave
Always safe out of the rain in prison walls

Oh I might as well be behind bars
Getting used to the sound of my keeper's call

I might as well be a slave
Drinking sun through a chink in a prison wall

Overall Meaning

In "Might As Well Be a Slave," Mary Black sings about feeling trapped and enslaved by societal expectations and norms that suppress her individuality and dreams. The lyrics depict the singer lying still and watching time pass, feeling restless and disempowered. She longs to be free to travel at her own pace, to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, or cry out for help, but feels unable to do so due to her perceived constraints. She compares her situation to that of a prisoner behind bars, forced to follow the orders of her keepers.

Throughout the song, the singer struggles with the idea of having to submit to others' rules and expectations. She feels like a slave, unable to take control of her life and make her own decisions. In the third verse, she addresses somebody who "absolves her from every crime" and acknowledges the power of forgiveness and understanding. Nevertheless, the theme of being trapped and confined continues, as she imagines herself growing old in a "carpeted hall," always "safe out of the rain in prison walls."

The song's lyrics are a reflection of Mary Black's unique storytelling style, which examines the human condition and life's complexities through a lens of vulnerability and honesty, spoken from the heart. The universally relatable themes of feeling trapped in the present, the pressures of conformity, and the search for individual freedom have struck a chord with many of its listeners. "Might as Well Be a Slave" has become a staple of Black's repertoire and has been celebrated as one of the highlights of her body of work.

Line by Line Meaning

Lying here, watching the time pass
I am idle and regretful for not using my precious time.

I could think of a million things I'd rather do
I have so many other enjoyable activities that I would prefer to be doing.

Travel at my own pace
I desire to explore the world and live life on my own terms and at my own speed.

Put myself asleep if I wanted to
I have the freedom to control my own sleep schedule and preferences.

Might as well be behind bars
I feel trapped and confined, without the freedom and autonomy to live my life as I see fit.

Than be lashed to a wave that I can't haul
I would rather be imprisoned than be enslaved to the whims of someone or something that is too powerful for me to control.

Lying low in the shade of a prison wall
Even if I am imprisoned, at least I can rest in some comfort and safety within the walls of my cell or enclosure.

I could cry for the helping hands that I refused
I regret not accepting assistance from others who had offered to help me in the past.

We were good friends
I had a positive and supportive relationship with the people I turned down for help.

But I did refuse
Unfortunately, I rejected their offers of assistance, and now I am left feeling lonely and regretful.

Getting used to the sound of my keeper's call
I feel like a prisoner or slave who has become accustomed to the commands and demands of those who control me.

Drinking sun through a chink in a prison wall
Even though my freedom is restricted, I can still find small moments of joy and beauty in the limited exposure I have to the outside world.

Down here, down where the end is
At this point in my life, I am feeling down and hopeless, with little sense of direction or purpose.

You absolve me from every crime I ever planned
I feel a sense of forgiveness or relief from responsibility for the negative outcomes of my past actions.

I was so surprised
I was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events and change in my circumstances.

I did not think that you would understand
I underestimated the capacity of others to empathize with my situation and offer me support and compassion.

Growing old in a carpeted hall
I am growing old and feeling stagnant, with a sense of comfort and security that now feels confining and restrictive.

Always safe out of the rain in prison walls
Even though I am in a difficult and challenging situation, at least I am protected from the harsher elements of the outside world.

Might as well be behind bars
I feel trapped and deprived of the freedom to live my life according to my own values and desires.

Drinking sun through a chink in a prison wall
Despite my limitations, I can still find moments of beauty and joy in the outside world, even if they are fleeting and infrequent.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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