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
Nobody Lives Without
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Couldn't be sure I was even alive
Fallen from the icy heights
Landed with a broken cry
In this valley of shadows and sorrow and sighs
Can you save me baby
[Chorus]
Nobody gets to give up
You can try to lock your heart away
But love will come back for you some day
Nobody lives without love
Thought I could live out my life as a stranger
Hide from the heartbreak that love always brings
Make it to the higher ground
Try to turn the volume down
Couldn't stop the sirens from singing
Sing for me baby
[Chorus]
You came along like a flash of pure lightning
Crashed into my life like a runaway star
Feel myself falling like gravity's angel
Now I'm standing here offering a stranger my heart
[Chorus]
Seemed like I'd gone off the side of a mountain
Couldn't be sure I was even alive
Thought I could live my life as a stranger
Hide from the heart break that love always brings
Seemed like I'd gone off the side of a mountain
Couldn't be sure I was even alive
The lyrics of the song "Nobody Lives Without Love" by Mary Black are a powerful reminder of the universal nature of love. The singer paints a vivid picture of someone who has hit rock bottom and lost all hope, yet even in this bleak landscape, the beauty and power of love shine through. The opening lines describe a fall from grace "off the side of a mountain," landing in a valley of "shadows and sorrow and sighs." In this desperate moment, the singer cries out for help, asking "Can you save me baby?" It's a poignant plea that captures the vulnerability and need for connection that we all experience at some point in our lives.
The chorus reinforces the message that love is an essential part of the human experience. "Nobody lives without love," the singer declares, adding that we should never give up on the hope of finding it. Even if we try to "lock our hearts away," love will always find a way to come back to us. The second verse describes the futility of trying to avoid love's inevitable heartbreak. You can try to "turn the volume down" and ignore the sirens of love, but they will always find a way to break through. The final verse brings redemption as the singer recognizes the transformative power of love. A chance encounter with someone special has sparked a profound change in the singer, who is now willing to offer their heart to a stranger.
Overall, the song "Nobody Lives Without Love" is a moving testament to the power and importance of love in our lives. Even when we feel lost and alone, love has the ability to uplift us and restore our faith in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Seemed like I'd gone off the side of a mountain
I felt like I had hit rock bottom and lost everything
Couldn't be sure I was even alive
I was so lost and broken that I didn't know if I was truly alive
Fallen from the icy heights
I fell hard from a high point in my life
Landed with a broken cry
I hit rock bottom and cried out in pain
In this valley of shadows and sorrow and sighs
I was stuck in a dark place filled with sadness and despair
Can you save me baby
I'm asking for someone to help me and show me love
Nobody lives without love
Love is essential for life and happiness
Nobody gets to give up
No one should ever give up on love or hope
You can try to lock your heart away
One can try to avoid love and protect themselves from getting hurt
But love will come back for you some day
Love will always find a way back into one's life
Thought I could live out my life as a stranger
I thought I could avoid love and live a lonely life
Hide from the heartbreak that love always brings
I wanted to avoid the pain and suffering that comes with love
Make it to the higher ground
I tried to find a way to escape the pain of love
Try to turn the volume down
I tried to suppress my feelings and emotions towards love
Couldn't stop the sirens from singing
I couldn't resist the call of love despite my efforts to avoid it
Sing for me baby
I want to hear the passion and love in your voice
You came along like a flash of pure lightning
You appeared suddenly and transformed my life
Crashed into my life like a runaway star
You came into my life with great force and intensity
Feel myself falling like gravity's angel
I am helpless and falling hopelessly in love with you
Now I'm standing here offering a stranger my heart
I am opening up and giving my heart to someone new
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: LAWRENCE A KLEIN, STEVE KRIKORIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maureen Smith
on Bruach na Carraige Baine
So beautiful!