Mary Lou Lord (born March 1, 1965 in Salem, Massachusetts) is an indie/folk… Read Full Bio ↴Mary Lou Lord (born March 1, 1965 in Salem, Massachusetts) is an indie/folk rock musician, busker and recording artist.

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.

Someone Always Talks
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Keep your secrets to yourself
Or they're not secrets anymore
Don't go tellin' no one else
Or everyone will know the score

Hey yeah
Doesn't matter what they say to you
They could swear a vow of silence to your face

But someone always talks

Make your promises alone
Keep the blueprint in your mind
Don't discuss it on the phone
You never know who's on the line

Hey yeah
Let them call you Mr. Paranoid
It won't be you who gets destroyed by careless words
When someone always talks

Hey yeah
Don't you worry what they think of you
'cause there is nothing that they'd rather do
Than share your thoughts with anyone Who has the time
But someone always talks

Someone always talks
Someone always talks

Overall Meaning

Mary Lou Lord's song Someone Always Talks is about keeping secrets and being careful with whom you share confidential information. The first verse establishes the importance of confidentiality, stating that if you tell someone your secrets, they are no longer secret. The second verse advises against discussing important things on the phone, as you never know who else might be listening in on the conversation. The song's refrain emphasizes the inevitability of someone choosing to share sensitive information with others, regardless of their promises to keep it to themselves.

The lyrics suggest that the consequences of revealing secrets can be devastating, both for the person who trusted you and for yourself. As the song says, "It won't be you who gets destroyed by careless words, when someone always talks." The chorus encourages the listener not to worry about other people's opinions or judgments, as others will always find a way to discuss your thoughts with anyone who has the time.

In summary, Someone Always Talks is a cautionary tale about the importance of keeping secrets and being mindful of whom you share confidential information. The song highlights the harsh realities of trust and the potential dangers of revealing sensitive information.

Line by Line Meaning

Keep your secrets to yourself
Don't reveal your secrets to others

Or they're not secrets anymore
If you tell someone your secret, it's not a secret anymore

Don't go tellin' no one else
Don't tell anyone else about your secrets

Or everyone will know the score
If you reveal your secrets, everyone will know about it

Hey yeah
A phrase used to draw attention to the statement being made

Doesn't matter what they say to you
It doesn't matter what others say

They could swear a vow of silence to your face
Even if someone promises not to reveal your secret

But someone always talks
Someone will always reveal your secret

Make your promises alone
Make a promise to yourself and keep your word

Keep the blueprint in your mind
Keep your plan in your thoughts

Don't discuss it on the phone
Don't talk about your plan on the phone