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
Nightime
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
City walls where the neon spits as it falls
Two dark shadows fade in the night
This is no place for love
And in the park where the streetlight kisses the dark
Silent waves and times they're own
They'll have their own way now
In the nighttime neon sunset leaps
Out of the heart of the city streets
To the pavement where the dancing girls go down
To another world
Where the bright lights always sine
From the pale love and the painted face
Cheap disguises of another race
Where the sweet life and the flowing wine makes me
Light in my head dan takes the trouble off my mind
But I know that goes so far
Chorus
We could be like lovers too dancing in this frozen room
Hold me, hold me, stand so close
Take the time don't leave, don't leave me here there's danger
Iii
I heard the voices in the night, flashing in the hills
The smell of burning on the wind
We could be in danger from the strangers here inside
From the glory in their lives
And the passion in their eyes
Chorus & repeat ii
Mary Black's song "Nighttime" describes the perilous atmosphere of the city at night. The first verse paints a picture of two lovers who are cautious and hidden as they move about the "city walls where the neon spits as it falls." The imagery used here creates an ominous tone as the bright street lights and shadows add to the suspense of the song. The second verse introduces the nightlife scene where dancers perform in a world where “bright lights always shine”. The world of the city is dangerous, yet alluring with its neon lights and paint-faced dancers. The chorus resonates with the feeling that this night-life world could be dangerous, but the two lovers could make it their own as they dance and hold each other close.
The final verse suggests that there is an imminent threat from strangers within this dangerous world. The voices heard in the night are flashing in the hills and the smell of burning on the wind makes the lovers feel dwarfed and uncertain. The passion in the eyes of the strangers suggests that they are here not to make friends but to create chaos. The lovers in the song struggle with the consequences of taking a risk, and question if it's worth it for the moment of bliss and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
City walls where the neon spits as it falls
Describing the scene of a city with buildings that have bright, neon lights pouring down their sides.
Two dark shadows fade in the night
Two indistinct forms become harder and harder to see as it gets darker.
This is no place for love
The environment is not conducive to romantic love.
And in the park where the streetlight kisses the dark
In a park where a single streetlight illuminates the darkness.
Silent waves and times they're own
Time passes silently and inexorably without regard to human experience.
They'll have their own way now
Time and the universe will continue on its way without stopping for anyone else.
In the nighttime neon sunset leaps
At night, the neon lights give the illusion of a sunset, adding color to the surrounding darkness.
Out of the heart of the city streets
From the core of the city where all the hustle and bustle occurs.
To the pavement where the dancing girls go down
The neon lights and colors from the city spill out onto the pavement where girls are dancing.
To another world
The city at night feels like a whole different world.
Where the bright lights always shine
Where the lighting is always bright, adding to the magical feeling of the night.
From the pale love and the painted face
Referencing the fact that many people put on a facade or disguise when in the city.
Cheap disguises of another race
Refers to the concept of people putting on different fronts to fit in with what is deemed to be the norm in the city.
Where the sweet life and the flowing wine makes me
The sweet scent of happiness and the sweet taste of wine are on full display in the city at night.
Light in my head dan takes the trouble off my mind
It's a place where one can let loose and forget about life worries temporarily.
But I know that goes so far
But this temporary relief cannot last forever.
I heard the voices in the night, flashing in the hills
Perhaps hearing or feeling like something sinister or dangerous is looming.
The smell of burning on the wind
Reference to a smoking substance creates an ominous atmosphere and feeling.
We could be in danger from the strangers here inside
Feels as though being within the city could be more dangerous than initially thought.
From the glory in their lives
Seemingly, the inhabitants of the city lead glorious lives and might look down on outsiders.
And the passion in their eyes
Many people within the city are chasing after something and are passionate about achieving their goals.
We could be like lovers too dancing in this frozen room
The idea of experiencing love in this cold, dangerous environment seems farfetched.
Hold me, hold me, stand so close
Longing for someone to hold and connect with in this bleak environment.
Take the time don't leave, don't leave me here there's danger
Asks to not be abandoned in the city, which is perceived to be a dangerous place.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DONAGH LONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maureen Smith
on Bruach na Carraige Baine
So beautiful!