Bragg lived in a number of Southern musical capitals—Athens, Atlanta, Nashville—before settling in New York in 2004. Her music is consequently a seamless hybrid of her Southern Americana roots and the downtown New York singer-songwriter community of which she has become a key member. Lee Alexander, one of the pioneers of this scene, produced Bragg’s album, Tattoos and Bruises, and together they recruited a number of their friends and frequent collaborators to contribute.
Writing for Tattoos and Bruises began in late 2008, continued during a residency at New York City’s great singer-songwriter launching pad, The Living Room, and was completed just moments before the final tracks were recorded. Writing or co-writing all ten of the album’s songs, Bragg invited Alexander to co-write four of them, while three more of her favorite songwriters, Adam Levy (another longtime collaborator of Norah Jones and Amos Lee), Colin McGrath, and her bassist/husband, Jimmy Sullivan, made additional co-writing contributions. The ten tracks that comprise the final album were recorded and mixed over 14 days at Jones’ East Village studio, The Coop, with Tom Schick (Wilco, Rufus Wainwright) engineering and co-mixing.
Backing Bragg on the album is the same accomplished band of players who perform in her live shows, including Rich Hinman, Steve Elliot and Adam Levy (guitars), Jordan Perlson and Brian Wolfe (drums), Jimmy Sullivan (bass), Mike Cassedy (piano, organ) and Marika Hughes (cello).
While Bragg has drawn comparisons to Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin—and does indeed bear some stylistic resemblances to them—Bragg comfortably inhabits her unique fusion of American musical forms on Tattoos and Bruises: folk, rock, pop, and country.
Tattoos and Bruises is Bragg’s third studio album. It follows Sugar (2007), which was produced by Darius Jones. Sugar has earned Bragg several industry nods including an Honorable Mention in the International Songwriting Competition and feature placements in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Emerging Artists Showcase) and the Wildflower! Festival, where she was a finalist in the Performing Songwriter Competition.
Bragg is especially beloved for her live performances. In addition to a record release residency at The Living Room in June, she will tour the U.S. in support of the album. An itinerary will be announced soon.
NEWS:
Featured in the 2009 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artists Showcase.
Finalist in the 2009 Wildflower Festival Performing Songwriter Competition.
Honorable Mention: 2008 International Songwriting Competition in the Americana Category for "Let Me".
Top DIY Album - Performing Songwriter Magazine, 2009.
Quarter-Finalist in the 2010 Songwriter's Beat Festival.
Instrumentation
Mary Bragg, Vocals and Acoustic Guitar, songwriting
Jimmy Sullivan, Upright and Electric Bass, cowriting
Adam Levy, Guitar, cowriting
Rich Hinman/Steve Elliot, Electric and Pedal Steel Guitars
Brian Wolfe/Jordan Perlson, Percussion
Mike Cassedy, Piano/Rhodes
Discography
Tattoos and Bruises, June 2011
Sugar, November 2007
Certain Simple Things, March 2004
Comet
Mary Bragg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the front seat
On a long long ride
It's getting late
And mommas tears are Diamonds in the light
Far from the snow
On a Carolina road
Surrounded by breakable things
The sky line is spreading out it's wings
We're taking flight
We are a comet in the night
Passing houses on the interstate
Full of families fast asleep
And tomorrow the sun will rise again on their own familiar street
We're still wide awake
Getting closer and counting exit signs
Trace my name
On the window
And take your hand In my without a sound
Flying over foreign ground
The lyrics to Mary Bragg's song "Comet" describe the experience of being on a long car ride with a loved one, likely a parent, as they travel across the country. The singer is in the front seat, surrounded by their belongings and the illuminated sights of a Carolina road. As they pass by houses and families asleep, the singer is wide awake, feeling the thrill of being on the road and watching the world go by. The car becomes a symbol of freedom and possibility, and the singer likens themselves to a comet in the night, blazing through the darkness with a sense of purpose and adventure.
The opening lines, "So this is how it feels / In the front seat / On a long long ride," set the tone for the rest of the song. There's a sense of wonder and anticipation in the singer's voice as they describe the journey they're on. The reference to "momma's tears" being "diamonds in the light" suggests a bittersweetness to the experience – perhaps she is sad to see the singer go, but proud of them for embarking on this journey.
As the song progresses, the imagery becomes more expansive – the "skyline is spreading out its wings," and the singer feels like they're "flying over foreign ground." There's a sense of escape and adventure here, of breaking free from the familiar and venturing into the unknown. The song captures the feeling of being both small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but also powerful and free in a way that comes from moving forward and exploring new territory.
Overall, "Comet" is a beautifully written and evocative song that captures the sense of wonder and possibility that comes with being on the road. It's a celebration of the human spirit and the urge to break free and explore, even when it means leaving behind the familiar and facing the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
So this is how it feels
The singer is reflecting on the feeling of being on a long road trip.
In the front seat
The singer is sitting in the front seat of the car.
On a long long ride
The road trip is very lengthy.
It's getting late
The time is moving towards night.
And mommas tears are Diamonds in the light
The car's headlights are making the tears in the mother's eyes look like diamonds.
Far from the snow
The trip is taking place in a location that is far from any snow.
On a Carolina road
The road they are driving on is in Carolina.
Packed to the brim
The car is filled with many things.
Surrounded by breakable things
There are fragile items present in the car.
The sky line is spreading out it's wings
The sky is vast and expansive.
We're taking flight
The group is feeling as though they are flying through the night.
We are a comet in the night
The group feels as though they are a speeding comet flying through the darkness.
Passing houses on the interstate
The group drives past various homes on the highway.
Full of families fast asleep
The families living in the homes are sleeping, unaware of the travelers passing by.
And tomorrow the sun will rise again on their own familiar street
Life for these families will continue on as normal in their own homes.
We're still wide awake
The travelers are still very alert and awake.
Getting closer and counting exit signs
The group is getting closer to their destination and keeping track of the exit signs.
Trace my name
The singer is drawing something on the window, perhaps her name.
On the window
The singer is drawing on one of the car windows.
And take your hand in my without a sound
The singer takes someone's hand without speaking out loud.
Flying over foreign ground
The group is traveling over brand new land to them.
Contributed by Juliana O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.