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.
Ontario Quebec and Me
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This has been a holiday romance, right from the very start
For we know how to spend the time, who cares about the weather
We'll dance in the town till the sun goes down and push our beds together
From the land of the midnight sunglasses to the mountain of the moon
You could never stay in bed too long I'll never come back soon
For we know how to spend the time, who cares about the weather
You know how fool I am with my short attention span
Flying in the really season too Nothing can keep me away from you
For we know how to spend the time, who cares about the weather
We'll dance in the town till the sun goes down and push our beds together
The lyrics of Mary Lou Lord's song Ontario Quebec and Me seem like a love letter to a significant other who lives in another city or even another country. The opening line, "You don't need my Christmas card, you already have my heart," implies a deep emotional connection with the person. The next line, "This has been a holiday romance, right from the very start," suggests that their relationship may have started during a holiday season, perhaps a vacation or a trip.
The song is filled with the anticipation of seeing each other and spending time together. The line, "From the land of the midnight sunglasses to the mountain of the moon," could be interpreted as the distance they have to travel to be with each other. The anticipation of their meeting is further described in the line, "You could never stay in bed too long; I'll never come back soon."
The chorus of the song, "For we know how to spend the time, who cares about the weather, we'll dance in the town till the sun goes down and push our beds together," showcases their carefree nature and willingness to make the most of their time together. The song ends on a sweet note with the lines, "You know how fool I am with my short attention span, flying in the really season too nothing can keep me away from you," which highlights the strength of their connection.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't need my Christmas card, you already have my heart
I don't need to send you a Christmas card because you already have all my love
This has been a holiday romance, right from the very start
Our love story started during the holiday season
For we know how to spend the time, who cares about the weather
We know how to enjoy each other's company regardless of what's happening outside
We'll dance in the town till the sun goes down and push our beds together
We'll have a great time dancing and then sleep together
From the land of the midnight sunglasses to the mountain of the moon
From one place to another, our love remains strong
You could never stay in bed too long I'll never come back soon
You always want to stay in bed with me, and I never want to leave you
You know how fool I am with my short attention span
I get distracted easily, but nothing can keep me from being with you
Flying in the really season too Nothing can keep me away from you
Even when it's a busy time of year, I'll make sure to be with you
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.