Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston subway stations (particularly on the Red Line, as noted by the name she chose for her music and lyric publishing company, On the Red Line Music.)
She has claimed that she had a romantic relationship with Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain before the group's rise to mainstream fame. This claim was disputed by some, including Cobain himself, though it has been suggested that Cobain's wife Courtney Love made him publicly lie about his past relationships to prove his devotion to her. In 1994, Lord showed up uninvited at a party for Courtney Love's band Hole, which ended with Love chasing Lord down Sunset Strip.
Lord toured three separate times with Elliott Smith during the 1990s. He also wrote and helped Lord record a song called, "I Figured You Out", in 1997. Smith would later say that, "I gave that song away 'cause I thought it sounded like The Eagles and that it sucked."
Her recordings have been a mixture of covers (including songs by Elliott Smith and Richard Thompson) and original material, with a number of songs written by, or in collaboration with, Nick Saloman of the British band The Bevis Frond.
Her recording of Daniel Johnston's "Speeding Motorcycle" (which was originally featured on her self-titled 8-song Kill Rock Stars release) was featured in commercials for Target stores, after which her label reissued the song as the lead-off track of a CD single which also included two demo recordings from the sessions for Got No Shadow.
In 2001, Lord released Live City Sounds. This was a self-released disc of Mary Lou playing live in the Boston subway. The disc was later re-released after Mary Lou signed to Rubric Records.
She announced in 2005 that she suffered from a rare vocal chord affliction known as spasmodic dysphonia. She thereafter became more involved in A&R work and started Jittery Jack Management with her husband, Kevin Patey.
Aim Low
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
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The fast cars and the handmade shirts
It saves dreaming about the boy who ignores you
You aim low and you'll never get hurt
It saves reaching for the level up above you
It saves crawling to the company's scout
It saves trying to improve on your surroundings
It never fails to avoid disappointment
You'll never wind up with a broken heart
You got no target, it's impossible to miss it
You can't lose if you don't take part
I never asked you if you'd like to go dancing
It saved hearing that you might decline
I never told you that I long to be with you
I aimed low and you walked on by
It never fail to avoid disappointment
You'll never wind up with a broken heart
You got no target, it's impossible to miss it
You can't lose if you don't take part
I never asked you if you'd like to go dancing
It saved hearing that you might decline
I never told you that I long to be with you
I aimed low and you walked on by
I aimed low and you walked on by
I aimed low and you walked on by
The lyrics to Mary Lou Lord's song "Aim Low" seem to speak about a sense of resignation and self-protection. The singer suggests that aiming low in life is a way to avoid disappointment and heartbreak. She talks about how it saves you from dreaming big and potentially being crushed when things don't work out. The singer believes that aiming low will ultimately lead to a less painful existence.
The song also touches on the idea of missed opportunities. By aiming low and not trying too hard, the singer suggests that she may have missed her chance with a potential love interest. She seems to regret her decision to aim low in this situation, wishing she had taken a chance and expressed her feelings.
Overall, "Aim Low" is a cautionary tale about the potential risks of playing it safe in life. While there is some wisdom in avoiding disappointment and heartbreak, the song suggests that there can also be a cost to never taking risks and reaching for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
It saves thinking about the things that you want
By not thinking about the things that you really want, you can avoid the disappointment of not achieving them.
The fast cars and the handmade shirts
Examples of material possessions you might want, but not thinking about them can spare you from disappointment if you don't attain them.
It saves dreaming about the boy who ignores you
Daydreaming about a boy who doesn't reciprocate your feelings can be a source of emotional pain, so not dreaming avoids that pain.
You aim low and you'll never get hurt
If you don't set your sights too high, you can avoid getting hurt by failure or rejection.
It saves reaching for the level up above you
Not aiming too high can spare you from disappointment when you're not able to reach the top.
It saves crawling to the company's scout
By not trying too hard to advance in a company, you can avoid the pain and frustration of rejection when you're not picked.
It saves trying to improve on your surroundings
Not trying too hard to improve your situation can save you from the pain of failure or not being satisfied with the results.
You aim low and you'll never miss out
By not aiming too high, you can avoid the pain of missing out on something that was unattainable to begin with.
It never fails to avoid disappointment
Aiming low can be a reliable way to avoid being disappointed.
You'll never wind up with a broken heart
By not taking risks or trying too hard to form relationships, you eliminate the risk of emotional pain or heartbreak.
You got no target, it's impossible to miss it
Without a goal or target, there is no way to fail or miss it. Aiming low can mean that you lack specific targets.
You can't lose if you don't take part
Not participating or trying means that you can't lose, but it also means you can't win or gain anything either.
I never asked you if you'd like to go dancing
The fear of rejection or embarrassment can keep you from taking a chance and asking someone to dance.
It saved hearing that you might decline
Not taking a risk avoids the potential pain of being rejected or embarrassed.
I never told you that I long to be with you
Fear of rejection or awkwardness might keep you from admitting your feelings to someone you desire, sparing you from possible rejection.
I aimed low and you walked on by
Not taking a risk or trying to form a relationship may keep you from being hurt, but it also ensures you miss out on the possibility of a positive outcome.
I aimed low and you walked on by
By not taking a chance and aiming low, you may avoid being hurt or rejected, but you also miss out on opportunities and connections with others.
I aimed low and you walked on by
Not taking risks or trying in life can prevent you from experiencing the highs and lows of life, but it can also mean you miss out on memorable experiences.
Contributed by Grace A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.