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.
Sayonara
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
mune ni tsumaru natsukashii omokage
shiawase datta dakedo ima wa
nukegara mitai ni muri ni heiki na furi shiteru no
anata wa itoshii koibito
e ni kaita you na hito
naze wakare eranda
mune ni kakushite sayonara
atarashii kanojo dekita mitai de
shoujiki donna hito ka ki ni natte
sonna koto chittomo kikitakunakatta
watashi wa mou kako no hito
nankai kizudzukeba ii n' da
hontou ni ai shita hito to wa musubarenai unmei
dareka ga itte ita
wasuretai wasuretakunai yo
utsukushisugiru ai no hi
nani yori ai shita hatsukoi wa
awa no you ni hakanaku kanata kiete shimatta
moshikashitara subete yume datta kamo shirenai
dakedo kitto watashi wa anata no koto wasurenai yo
nee anata ni omoi todokimasu ka
hakanaku chitte yuku hanabira no you ni
amari ni utsukushisugiru koi yo
mune ni kakushite sayonara
dare ni mo iwanaide
zutto anata wo wasurenai
The lyrics of Mary Lou Lord's song "Sayonara" tell a story of heartbreak and loss. The song describes a person who is struggling to come to terms with the end of a relationship. They are reminiscing about the past, holding onto memories of their former love, but are also trying to move on and appear strong on the surface, like a discarded memento. There is a sense of regret and pain as the person reflects on their lost love and wonders if they will ever forget.
The song is full of conflicting emotions, as the person acknowledges their pain and sadness but also tries to appear strong and make peace with their situation. The lyrics also touch on themes like the fleeting nature of love and the difficulty of letting go of someone you once cared deeply for. Ultimately, the person says goodbye to their former love and promises never to forget them, suggesting that their memories will continue to haunt them in the future.
Overall, "Sayonara" is a moving and emotional song that captures the complex feelings that come with lost love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
nakushita mono wo tsunagu you ni
In order to cling onto things lost,
mune ni tsumaru natsukashii omokage
memories flood my heart
shiawase datta dakedo ima wa
Though I was happy, now
nukegara mitai ni muri ni heiki na furi shiteru no
I'm pretending to be fine, just like an empty shell
anata wa itoshii koibito
You were a beloved lover
e ni kaita you na hito
Someone I would draw in my paintings
naze wakare eranda
Why did I choose to part ways
amari ni utsukushii koi yo
Love too beautiful
mune ni kakushite sayonara
Hiding it in my heart, saying goodbye
atarashii kanojo dekita mitai de
As if I can create a new self like a new girlfriend
shoujiki donna hito ka ki ni natte
Honesty, having an effect on whoever
sonna koto chittomo kikitakunakatta
I absolutely didn't want to hear such things
watashi wa mou kako no hito
I'm already a person of the past
nankai kizudzukeba ii n' da
It's alright to hurt myself countless of times
hontou ni ai shita hito to wa musubarenai unmei
Someone I truly loved, our fate cannot be connected
dareka ga itte ita
Someone once told me
wasuretai wasuretakunai yo
I want to forget, but I don't want to
utsukushisugiru ai no hi
Days of love too beautiful
nani yori ai shita hatsukoi wa
My first love that I cherished the most
awa no you ni hakanaku kanata kiete shimatta
As fleeting as bubbles, it vanished into the distance
moshikashitara subete yume datta kamo shirenai
Perhaps it was all just a dream
dakedo kitto watashi wa anata no koto wasurenai yo
But surely, I won't forget about you
nee anata ni omoi todokimasu ka
Hey, can my feelings reach you?
hakanaku chitte yuku hanabira no you ni
Like petals drifting away so quickly
amari ni utsukushisugiru koi yo
Love too beautiful
mune ni kakushite sayonara dare ni mo iwanaide
Hiding it in my heart, saying goodbye, without telling anyone
zutto anata wo wasurenai
I won't forget you for always
Writer(s): Shane Patrick Mac Gowan Copyright: GEMA
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@allentonderby
i love this version of this song you really sing it well im sure every pogues fan would agree
@Macnaughton
"This was our happy ever after, (so motherfucker kiss the ground)" Sayonara 2010. Thank you Pogues & Mary Lou Lord : )
@czarkhasm
Thanks for posting this! I sold Mary Lou's merch that night... it was a great show and crowd.