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
One and Only
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I do not really know how
Like a shot in the dark
Went your hallowed ground
Had you taken too much
Kept me well out of touch
And refused to let me go
I do not hear you complain
You are now but a dot in the pouring rain
You created this mess now I'm bent to your stress
And it seems to suit you well
One and only two can be lonely
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I your eyes the storm surely rising up
Do do do do
I do not see the way out
You cannot turn this around
Like a walk in the dark
You have weighed me down
I can't stand in your place
Can't take this away
It was all good to be true
One and only two can be lonely
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I your eyes a storm surely rising up
Do do do do
Oh you never talk about it
No you never scream about it
You took a spirit young and whole
You turned this child into an old soul
Old soul
One and only two can be lonely
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I your eyes a storm surely rising up
Do do do do
Oh you never talk about it
No you never scream about it
You covet things that you don't own
You turn this child into and old soul
Old sould
One and only two can be lonely
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I your eyes a storm surely rising up
One and only two can be lonely
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I your eyes a storm surely rising up
The lyrics of "One and Only" by Mary Black reflect an inner struggle of the singer. She speaks of feeling lost and unsure of how to find her way out of a difficult situation. She is referring to a person who she believed in and trusted, but who has let her down, leaving her feeling isolated and alone. The words "One and only two can be lonely" suggest that in a relationship or partnership, the idea of being a pair can bring comfort or loneliness depending on the dynamic. There's an air of desperation in the lyrics, with the singer expressing her inability to alleviate her partner's pain or solve the problems they've created together. She feels trapped and powerless to change her situation, and her partner seems to be content with the status quo. The line "You took a spirit young and whole, You turned this child into an old soul" hints at how the relationship has changed and drained her.
The repeated refrain "Do do do do" gives the song a dreamy quality, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. The lyrics themselves are open to interpretation, and the song could be about various types of relationships, including romantic ones, family, or even a friendship. There's a sense of disappointment and regret in the lyrics, but also a glimmer of hope as the singer asserts her independence and self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
I do not see the way out
I feel hopeless and unable to see a solution to this problem.
I do not really know how
I am unsure of what to do or how to proceed in this situation.
Like a shot in the dark
You made a decision without any clear direction or purpose.
Went your hallowed ground
You took control and tried to exert your power over me.
Had you taken too much
You overstepped your bounds and went too far in your actions.
Kept me well out of touch
You kept me isolated and unaware of what was truly happening.
And refused to let me go
You held onto me and refused to allow me to leave or escape this situation.
I cannot see to you pain
I am unable to understand or empathize with your suffering.
I do not hear you complain
You do not express your difficulties or concerns to me.
You are now but a dot in the pouring rain
You have become insignificant and unimportant in the midst of this overwhelming situation.
You created this mess now I'm bent to your stress
You caused this problem and now I am forced to deal with the stress and consequences of your actions.
And it seems to suit you well
You are content with the power and control that you have gained in this circumstance.
One and only two can be lonely
Being alone with just one other person can be a lonely experience.
I'm my own child blessed and unholy
I am a complex and unique person, both blessed and flawed in my own way.
I your eyes the storm surely rising up
You see the anger and frustration building in me.
Do do do do
This is simply a musical interlude.
You cannot turn this around
You are unable to fix or change the situation you have caused.
Like a walk in the dark
Navigating this problem is like trying to find your way in the dark.
You have weighed me down
Your actions have burdened me and made it difficult to move forward.
I can't stand in your place
I cannot take responsibility for your actions or take your place in this situation.
Can't take this away
I am unable to rid myself of the stress and suffering caused by this problem.
It was all good to be true
This situation seemed promising at first, but it has now turned negative and difficult.
Oh you never talk about it
You refuse to discuss or address the issues at play here.
No you never scream about it
You do not express your anger or frustration outwardly.
You took a spirit young and whole
You have taken away my sense of hope and optimism.
You turned this child into an old soul
You have caused me to become jaded and cynical beyond my years.
You covet things that you don't own
You desire and pursue things that do not belong to you.
Old soul
This is just a repeated phrase to emphasize the line that came before it.
I your eyes a storm surely rising up
You see the growing intensity of my emotions and the approaching turmoil.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SCOTT CUTLER, ANNE PREVEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Hassett
Love this!❤ brilliant n beautiful vocals and love the guitar 🎸 so melodic 😃
Ivan Oranrof
"I'm my own child, blessed and unholy..." Thanks so much for this song.
Clariot Reyes
oh yess i can remember growing up with this song in those days, they were the best and I will never forget it!
braindeadtoo
Pop or not, Mary's still got a great voice.
Hank Hicks
"You never talk about it. You never scream about it."
But I still cry about it. After 40+ years.
Emily Sanchez
I was the little kid in the music video. I was trying to remember what the song was called and finally found it. So crazy!!!
Rose Thorn Collective
Nice! Just today I figured out that my mother was cast as one of the extras (can't see her really) in this.
Rose Thorn Collective
Good song! Just today, I found my sweet mom's (who can no longer speak due to dementia) AFTRA work list & seems like she was cast as one of the people walking in the rain around Mary.
John Campbell
one of my favourite mary black's CDs
Abra Brayman
We Love You Mary! 🎼🍀💚🍀🎼