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.
Fearless
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say you'd like to see me try, climbing
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
And I'll climb the hill in my own way
Just wait a while for the right day
And as I rise above the tree-line and the clouds
I look down hear the sounds of the things you said today
Merciless the magistrate turns round, frowning
And who's the fool who wears the crown
No doubt in your own way
And every day is the right day
And as you rise above the fear-lines in his brow
You look down hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
The song Fearless by Mary Lou Lord is a cover of a track by Pink Floyd from their Meddle album. The lyrics begin with someone challenging the singer, telling her that she won't be able to climb a hill because it's too steep. In the chorus, the singer responds by saying that she'd like to try in her own way, on her own time, asking her challenger to pick the location. In the second verse, the focus shifts to someone else, an "idiot," who faces an audience without fear. The "magistrate" who should be in charge looks "frowning" instead. The singer asks, sarcastically, who the real "fool" is. The song ends with the suggestion that facing fear, even in the face of adversity, is a way to triumph.
Line by Line Meaning
You say the hill's too steep to climb, chiding
You criticize me, claiming that the challenge is too great for me to overcome.
You say you'd like to see me try, climbing
You express a desire to watch me attempt to overcome the challenge.
You pick the place and I'll choose the time
You have control over the location, but I will decide when I am ready to face the challenge.
And I'll climb the hill in my own way
I will face the challenge on my terms, using my own unique approach.
Just wait a while for the right day
I will wait until the timing is right before attempting to overcome the challenge.
And as I rise above the tree-line and the clouds
As I conquer the challenge and overcome the obstacles in my way,
I look down hear the sounds of the things you said today
I will hear your words of doubt and criticism, and they will no longer hold power over me.
Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling
With courage and confidence, the fool confronted the people, smiling in the face of their disapproval.
Merciless the magistrate turns round, frowning
The judge looks upon the situation with disdain, unwilling to show any sympathy.
And who's the fool who wears the crown
Who truly holds power in this situation - the confident fool or the judgemental magistrate?
No doubt in your own way
Each person approaches challenges in their own unique way.
And every day is the right day
The timing of a challenge will never be perfect, but every day offers the opportunity for growth and progress.
And as you rise above the fear-lines in his brow
As you overcome your own fears and doubts,
You look down hear the sound of the faces in the crowd
You will hear the voices and opinions of those who once doubted you, but now see you in a new light.
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.