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
Rare's Hill
Mary Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fell in with an old sweetheart and he being on a spree
His company I did accept and with him I did go
But to my sad misfortune it proved my poor 'through
We wandered east we wandered west we wandered through the lawn
He said he'd see me home that night but home I never saw
He kept beside me all the while resolved to have his will
And by and by we lost our way, at the back of Rare's Hill
For when we got to Rare's Hill, the laddie said to me
We can't go home tonight my dear, it's far to late you'll see
But the night is warm and in my bush, I've got another drill
And we can lie down here, content, at the back of Rare's Hill
For then he poured a nipper piece to quiet all alarm
When I awoke in the morning we were locked in each other's arms
He handed me the bottle, another glass to fill
And I drank his heath, in store o'wealth, at the back of Rare's Hill
And then the lad he said to me, "Oh lassie do not mourn"
"For while I draw the breath of life from you I'll never harm"
"If you will come to yonder town, my wedded wife you'll be"
"we'll be the happiest couple t'was ever in Dundee"
So it's may I never prosper, and may I never thrive
In anything I take in hand as long as I'm alive
If e'er I say I rue the day, my laddie had his will
Success to Lady Mary's fair, and the back of Rare's Hill.
In Mary Black's song, "Rare's Hill," the singer tells a story of a fateful encounter with an old sweetheart during Lady Mary's fair in Dundee. They decide to spend the night together, but as the night progresses, the situation takes a turn for the worse. The sweetheart becomes forceful, keeping the singer with him despite her protests. They become lost, finding themselves eventually at the back of Rare's Hill. There the lover plies her with alcohol and, as she falls asleep, promises that he would never harm her. When she wakes up the next morning, they are locked in each other's arms. The lover then proposes to the singer to marry him, being the happiest couple in Dundee. However, the singer dismisses the proposal and curses herself for taking such risks that led her to this moment.
This song perfectly captures the vulnerability and consequences of impulsive actions, especially in relationships. It tells of an ill-fated love that was thrust into a dark and uncertain affair. The singer regrets the encounter and laments her decision, even going as far as cursing herself for it. The song's melancholic tune matches the lyrics' somber tone, painting a vivid picture of heartbreak and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Last year at Lady Mary's fair when I was in Dundee
When I was at Lady Mary's fair in Dundee last year
I fell in with an old sweetheart and he being on a spree
I met up with an old boyfriend who was drinking heavily
His company I did accept and with him I did go
I went along with him and spent time with him
But to my sad misfortune it proved my poor 'through
Unfortunately, it ended up being a bad decision for me
We wandered east we wandered west we wandered through the lawn
We walked around in different directions, even through the lawn
He said he'd see me home that night but home I never saw
He promised to take me home but he didn't
He kept beside me all the while resolved to have his will
He stayed with me the whole time, determined to have his way with me
And by and by we lost our way, at the back of Rare's Hill
Eventually, we ended up getting lost at the back of Rare's Hill
For when we got to Rare's Hill, the laddie said to me
When we arrived at Rare's Hill, my boyfriend said to me
We can't go home tonight my dear, it's far to late you'll see
We can't go home tonight because it's too late
But the night is warm and in my bush, I've got another drill
But it's warm out and he had another idea in mind
And we can lie down here, content, at the back of Rare's Hill
He suggested that we stay there and be intimate with each other
For then he poured a nipper piece to quiet all alarm
He gave me a drink to calm me down
When I awoke in the morning we were locked in each other's arms
When I woke up in the morning, we were holding each other
He handed me the bottle, another glass to fill
He handed me the bottle and poured me another drink
And I drank his heath, in store o'wealth, at the back of Rare's Hill
I drank to his health and our future together at Rare's Hill
And then the lad he said to me, "Oh lassie do not mourn"
He told me not to be upset
"For while I draw the breath of life from you I'll never harm"
He promised that he would never harm me
"If you will come to yonder town, my wedded wife you'll be"
He proposed to me, saying I would be his wife if I came to his town
"we'll be the happiest couple t'was ever in Dundee"
"We will be the happiest couple in Dundee"
So it's may I never prosper, and may I never thrive
Now I hope to never do well
In anything I take in hand as long as I'm alive
In anything I do for the rest of my life
If e'er I say I rue the day, my laddie had his will
If I ever regret that my boyfriend had his way with me
Success to Lady Mary's fair, and the back of Rare's Hill.
Here's to Lady Mary's fair and the memories of Rare's Hill.
Contributed by Michael S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Maureen Smith
on Bruach na Carraige Baine
So beautiful!