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.
Baby Blue
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept you waiting there too long, my love
All that time without a word
Didn't know you'd think that I'd forget
Or I'd regret
The special love I had for you
My baby blue
Did you really think I'd do you wrong
Dixie, when I let you go
Thought you'd realize that I would know
I would show
The special love I have for you
My baby blue
What can I do, what can I say
'Cept I want you by my side
How can I show you, show me a way
Don't you know the times I've tried
Guess that's all I have to say
'Cept the feeling just grows stronger every day
Just one thing before I go
Take good care, baby, let me know
Let it grow
The special love you have for me
My dixie dear
The lyrics to Mary Lou Lord's song "Baby Blue" seem to be about regret and longing for a lost love. The singer acknowledges that they have gotten what they deserved after keeping their lover waiting for too long without any communication. The singer seems to be reflecting on how they underestimated the depth of their lover's feelings, assuming that they would forget or move on. It's clear that the singer had a special love for their lover, which they refer to as "my baby blue."
The singer admits that all the days became long while they were apart, and they didn't intend to do their lover wrong. They seem to be addressing their lover, Dixie, directly and hoping that she would realize that they would never intentionally hurt her. The singer clearly emphasizes the special love they have for Dixie, which seems to be the root of all their regret and longing.
The singer is almost pleading with Dixie by asking "what can I do, what can I say" to show their love and have her by their side again. It's clear that they have tried before but have not been successful. The singer is truly sorry for losing their love and hopes that Dixie takes good care of herself, and in the end, lets the love they share grow once again.
Overall, the lyrics to "Baby Blue" are beautiful and poignant, capturing the heartbreak of lost love and the eternal longing that follows.
Line by Line Meaning
Guess I got what I deserved
I know that I'm experiencing the consequences of my actions
Kept you waiting there too long, my love
I made you wait for a long time, my dear
All that time without a word
I didn't communicate with you for all that time
Didn't know you'd think that I'd forget
I didn't realize that you would think I forgot about you
Or I'd regret
Or that I would feel sorry for my actions
The special love I had for you
The unique and cherished feelings I held for you
My baby blue
My beloved partner and friend
All the days became so long
The time apart felt endless
Did you really think I'd do you wrong
Do you really believe that I would betray you?
Dixie, when I let you go
When I said goodbye to you, my dear
Thought you'd realize that I would know
I hoped you would understand that I was aware of our love
I would show
I would demonstrate
The special love I have for you
The enduring affection and devotion I hold for you
What can I do, what can I say
I don't know how to express my feelings
'Cept I want you by my side
Except that I desire your companionship
How can I show you, show me a way
I don't know how to prove myself to you; can you help me?
Don't you know the times I've tried
Don't you realize how many times I've attempted to reconcile?
Guess that's all I have to say
That's everything I wanted to share
'Cept the feeling just grows stronger every day
Except that my emotions for you only intensify
Just one thing before I go
There is one more thing I need to say before I leave
Take good care, baby, let me know
Please take care of yourself, dear, and inform me
Let it grow
Let our love continue to prosper and develop
The special love you have for me
The unfeigned love and fondness you possess for me
My dixie dear
My cherished partner and friend
Contributed by Keira I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.