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.
She Had You
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
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We used to meet there - doing our whiz and blow
I had a friend there - she was a wasted space
She tried to match me - she couldn't stay the pace
She was a no one
She was a loser
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
I never told you - how much it really hurt
I went to college - I got a fancy car
Drop dead apartment - now I'm a shining star
But she never made it
She's selling Avon
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
I have respect now - I always knew I would
'Cause I had a passport - out of the neighborhood
And when I go back - I always see her there
I ask how she's doing - not that I really care
She's still on the corner
She's still going nowhere
But she had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
The song "She Had You" by Mary Lou Lord is a poignant reflection of the past and comparison with the present. The lyrics revolve around the singer's initial memories of the place she used to go, where she and her friends would meet to indulge in drugs. The singer highlights how one of her close friends was not able to keep up with the pace of the drugs they did and eventually lost everything in life. The friend was not able to make anything out of her existence, and the singer has now become a star. The chorus is a reminder of how the friend had something that the singer could never have, which was the person she loved, and it hurt her deeply to see them together.
The singer then speaks about how she went on to college, got a good car and was living her best life. However, her friend who she used to indulge in drugs with never made anything out of herself and is now selling Avon. When the singer goes back to visit her old neighbourhood, she always finds her friend at the same old corner, where she used to be. Finally, the singer acknowledges that she has respect now because of her achievements, but her friend always had something she never had, which she had the person the singer loved.
Overall, the lyrics of "She Had You" tell a compelling story of how friends can take very different paths in life and how even the success of one cannot bring happiness when there is regret over a past love.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a corner - it was the place to go
In the neighborhood, there was a certain corner where people went to hang out.
We used to meet there - doing our whiz and blow
We used to meet there and do drugs together.
I had a friend there - she was a wasted space
I had a friend in that corner who had a wasted life due to drug addiction.
She tried to match me - she couldn't stay the pace
My friend tried to keep up with my drug use, but couldn't handle it.
She was a no one
My friend was insignificant in society.
She was a loser
My friend had no accomplishments in life and was a failure.
She had you ooo ooo - she had you
Despite being a failure in life, my friend had a romantic relationship with you.
I couldn't stand it - seeing you there with her
It hurt me badly to see my friend with you.
I never told you - how much it really hurt
I kept my feelings to myself and never let you know how much it hurt me to see you with my friend.
I went to college - I got a fancy car
I went to college and now have a luxury car.
Drop dead apartment - now I'm a shining star
I now live in a luxurious apartment and am successful.
But she never made it
My friend never achieved success in life.
She's selling Avon
My friend now works as a sales representative for Avon.
I have respect now - I always knew I would
I have earned respect because of my success and knew I always would.
'Cause I had a passport - out of the neighborhood
I was able to leave the neighborhood and succeed because I had the resources, including a passport.
And when I go back - I always see her there
Whenever I return to the old neighborhood, I see my friend still on the corner.
I ask how she's doing - not that I really care
I inquire about my friend's well-being, but am not genuinely concerned.
She's still on the corner
My friend is still a drug addict and spends her time on the same corner.
She's still going nowhere
My friend has made no progress in life and will stay stuck in the same place forever.
But she had you ooo ooo - she had you
Despite her lack of success, my friend had you and that was something she had that I never did.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NICK SALOMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind