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.
I Figured You Out
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her every time she crosses the floor
So just go and talk to
The One you really adore
I'm getting pretty used to being
The one you always ignore
When somebody wants you
I've seen it before
You're every kind of color
There ain't nothing that you won't claim
Your ambition and promise
And your addiction to fame
Everyone's got a dollar
Sign after their name
When somebody wants you
You treat 'em just the same
So go on and pick up
You don't care what poison you choose
What person you Lose
It should've been me, yeah
Shouldn't it be?
A crushing quiet
Crawls in through your window
From someone who wants you
But you'll never know
I'll pick up around you
& clear everything out
Leave you where i found you
I figured you out
Leave You where i found you
I figured you out
Mary Lou Lord's song I Figured You Out is a sad reflection on the singer's unrequited love for someone who is more interested in another person. The singer has seen the object of their affection, watching another woman cross the floor; the inference being that he is not interested in her, and deems her unworthy of his pursuit. The singer is hurt by this realization, and has come to accept this as a usual occurrence in their relationship. The man in question is described through descriptions of his toxic personality traits that follow his self-serving need for fame and success, and his inability to choose the right person when it comes to love.
The lyrics suggest that the man has a lack of concern for the feelings of others, and is willing to use people for his own personal gain. The singer uses phrases like "every kind of color", "addicted to fame", and "everyone's got a dollar sign after their name" to depict a guy who is equally opportunistic and shallow. The singer's deep understanding of the man's personality leads to her depression, as she recognizes that no matter how much she tries, she will never be enough for him. The chorus section of the song hints at possible underlying thoughts, and questions whether it is fate for the singer to always be left behind while the man continues to search for someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen you watching
I've noticed that you've been watching her every time she walks across the floor.
Her every time she crosses the floor
The person this song is directed towards is constantly observing another woman's movements.
So just go and talk to
You should just go talk to the one you actually like instead of just staring at her from afar.
The One you really adore
This line implies that the person being addressed in the song has a secret crush on someone else.
I'm getting pretty used to being
I've grown accustomed to being ignored by you.
The one you always ignore
The subject of the song ignores the singer, even though she sees them always paying attention to someone else.
When somebody wants you
This line suggests that someone else will gain the attention of the person being addressed before long.
I've seen it before
The person being addressed seems to have a pattern of leaving people behind when someone new catches their eye.
You're every kind of color
This line refers to the person being addressed as a chameleon, someone who will change to fit any situation they're in.
There ain't nothing that you won't claim
You're willing to claim anything or anyone to suit your needs.
Your ambition and promise
The subject of the song tries to appear ambitious and promising.
And your addiction to fame
Although the subject wants to succeed, they also want recognition and attention from others.
Everyone's got a dollar
It seems as though everyone wants something from the person being addressed, whether it be their time, attention or resources.
Sign after their name
Money or social status seems to be the only thing that matters to those around the person being addressed.
You treat 'em just the same
No matter who comes into your life, you treat them all the same way.
So go on and pick up
You don't care who you hurt, so go ahead and continue on with your ways.
You don't care what poison you choose
It does not matter how toxic the interaction is, the person being addressed will continue down the harmful path.
What person you Lose
You'll eventually lose someone who was really interested in you, just like you've lost people in the past.
It should've been me, yeah
The singer believes that they should have been the one the person being addressed had shown their affections towards.
Shouldn't it be?
The singer is wondering why they weren't chosen by the person being addressed instead.
A crushing quiet
This line suggests that the atmosphere has become heavy and somber, with an awkward silence lingering.
Crawls in through your window
The uncomfortable feeling the artist is suggesting is similar to someone quietly and sneakily crawling into a room through a window.
From someone who wants you
This line implies that the crushing silence is coming from someone who is desiring a connection with the person being addressed.
But you'll never know
The person being addressed might be completely unaware that someone else around them wants to connect.
I'll pick up around you
The singer is suggesting that they have been tidying up after the person being addressed.
& clear everything out
They are also implying they will soon be removing themselves from the person's orbit completely.
Leave you where i found you
The singer is choosing to leave the person being addressed where they previously were, without trying to keep their attention.
I figured you out
The singer has come to the realization of who the person being addressed truly is and understands how they operate.
Contributed by Jordan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.