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

The Urge for Going
Mary Black Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I woke up today and found frost perched on the town
It hovered in a frozen sky and gobbled summer down
And when the sun turned straight and cold
And shivering trees are standing in a naked row
I get the urge for going, but I never seem to go

I had someone in the summertime with summer-colored skin
And not another one in town my darling's heart could win

And when the leaves fell tumbling down
And bully winds did rub their faces in the snow
He got the urge for going, and I had to let him go

Well, he got the urge for going
When the meadow grasses are turning brown
Summertime is a-falling down
Winter's closing in

And the warriors of winter gave a cold, triumphant shout
All that stays is dying, and all that lives is getting out
You see the geese in chevron flight
A-flapping and a-racing on before the snow
They've got the urge for going and they've got the wings to go

They've got the urge for going
When the meadow grasses are turning brown
Summertime is a-falling down
Winter's closing in

I'll pile the fire with kindling and pull the blankets to my chin
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and bolt my wandering in
I'd like to call back summertime
And let her stay for just another month or so
But she's got the urge for going, and I'll have to let her go

She's got the urge for going
When the meadow grasses are turning brown
Summertime is a-falling down
Winter's closing in

Well, she's got the urge for going
When the meadow grasses are turning brown

All her empires are falling down
Winter is closing in

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mary Black's song "The Urge for Going" describe the arrival of winter and the accompanying desire to escape or migrate to warmer climates. The frost that is "perched on the town" signifies the beginning of winter, as the singer observes summer being consumed by the cold. The shift in temperature is emphasized by the "shivering trees" that stand "in a naked row", symbolizing the barrenness of winter. However, despite the urge to escape, the singer never manages to follow through on this desire.

The second verse of the song is about a lover that the singer had during the summertime. This lover, who had "summer-colored skin", was the only one in town who could win the singer's heart. However, when the leaves fell and the bully winds started, the lover got the urge for going and had to leave. This sense of impermanence and the inevitability of change is a recurring theme in the song.

The third verse of the song describes the geese as they migrate away from the cold weather. The geese are said to have the "urge for going" and the wings to follow through with their desire. Meanwhile, the "warriors of winter" proclaim their dominance over the land, as everything that stays behind is dying. Finally, the singer expresses their desire to call back summertime for one more month, but recognizes that she too has the "urge for going" and must let summer go.

Overall, "The Urge for Going" is a beautifully crafted song that captures the bittersweet feeling of change and the longing for something that is no longer there. The lyrics are rich with symbolism and imagery, detailing the arrival of winter, the departure of a loved one, and the migration of the geese. The song's message is one of impermanence and the inevitability of change – something that we all face in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I woke up today and found frost perched on the town
I woke up to a cold beginning of winter

It hovered in a frozen sky and gobbled summer down
The frost had taken over the warmth of summer

And when the sun turned straight and cold
The sun shone but it felt cold

And shivering trees are standing in a naked row
The trees are bare and cold

I get the urge for going, but I never seem to go
I want to go somewhere else to escape the winter but I never do

I had someone in the summertime with summer-colored skin
I had a lover with a summer tan

And not another one in town my darling's heart could win
None of the other men in town could win my lover's heart

And when the leaves fell tumbling down
When the leaves fell from the trees

And bully winds did rub their faces in the snow
The strong winds blew the snow in the leaves' faces

He got the urge for going, and I had to let him go
He wanted to leave and I had to let him

Well, he got the urge for going
He wanted to leave

When the meadow grasses are turning brown
When autumn is turning to winter

Summertime is a-falling down
Summer is ending

Winter's closing in
Winter is coming

And the warriors of winter gave a cold, triumphant shout
Winter elements are taking over and announcing with cold triumph

All that stays is dying, and all that lives is getting out
Anything that is not prepared for winter is not going to survive

You see the geese in chevron flight
Flying geese

A-flapping and a-racing on before the snow
Flying away quickly before the snow comes

They've got the urge for going and they've got the wings to go
The geese want to leave and they have the means to do so

I'll pile the fire with kindling and pull the blankets to my chin
I will make a fire and wrap up warm

I'll lock the vagrant winter out and bolt my wandering in
I will keep the cold winter out and stay inside

I'd like to call back summertime
I wish I could bring summer back

And let her stay for just another month or so
I wish I could extend summer

But she's got the urge for going, and I'll have to let her go
But summer is ending and I have to let it go

All her empires are falling down
Summer's glory is ending

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O CAPASSO, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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