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.
Sunspot Stopwatch
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You said take your chances
Or else you break your branches as you climb
To that top shelf tuna melt buckle up your seat belt Rickie Lee Jones
And everything you think you own
Is fools gold and ancient fossils stones
You got more than you need but you need a lot more than some do
Look at your cigarette burn friend
Well that's tough luck chicken butt Daffy Duck never got old babe
They'll bury you with gold yay
If that's enough to hold you for today
And I've gotta hand it to you You do what you do
It's times like this I'm glad that I ain't you
You think you've got the devil on retreat
But he's back up on his feet and he's lookin' for you
With your monkey wrench and dig a trench
And don't you see the lights are very shinin'
Shut up and quite your whinin'
Four star restaurants, dinin' in the shade
Well then your miniskirt'll hit the dirt
And baby you'll be crying and bleeding
You'll bite the hand that's feedin'
And you'll be back and you'll be pleadin' for your soul
And I've gotta hand it to you You do what you do
It's times like this I'm glad that I ain't you
You think you've got the devil on retreat
But he's back up on his feet and he's lookin' for you
He's lookin' for you yeah he's lookin' for you
In "Sunspot Stopwatch," Mary Lou Lord sings about a person who is seething with hubris and delusion but is ultimately rotting away from the inside. The song portrays a character who is obsessed with accumulating wealth and power, fueled by the belief that they are invincible and that their status will protect them from any misfortune. They see themselves as renegade saviors with superior knowledge, while viewing others as inferior.
The lyrics describe the character as being reckless in their pursuits, not considering the consequences of their actions. They are climbing the ladder of success, but with each rung they step on, they compromise a part of themselves until they are left alone and full of regret. The line "And everything you think you own is fools gold and ancient fossils stones" implies that the character's material possessions are worthless and that they are wasting their time accumulating them.
The song's chorus and the line "You think you've got the devil on retreat, but he's back up on his feet and he's looking for you" suggest that the character is under the illusion that they have power over the devil and that they are untouchable. However, this too is a delusion, and the devil will come back to claim what is his.
Line by Line Meaning
With your sunspot stopwatch renegade savior stances
With your unconventional methods of measuring time and your rebellious persona that aims to save others
You said take your chances
You advised to take risks and not play it safe
Or else you break your branches as you climb
Otherwise, you might face setbacks and obstacles as you try to progress in life
To that top shelf tuna melt buckle up your seat belt Rickie Lee Jones
To reach the peak of success, prepare yourself and your resources, just like how Rickie Lee Jones sang about eating a fancy tuna melt sandwich
And everything you think you own
All the possessions you have
Is fools gold and ancient fossils stones
Are worthless and outdated
You got more than you need but you need a lot more than some do
You have excess while others have less, but you still have unmet desires
Look at your cigarette burn friend
Observe your friend with cigarette burns
The things that you can't undo if you tried
The irreversible mistakes you've made
Well that's tough luck chicken butt Daffy Duck never got old babe
That's unfortunate, but it happens to everyone, including cartoon characters like Daffy Duck
They'll bury you with gold yay
You might gain wealth and success, but it won't matter after you're dead
If that's enough to hold you for today
If that temporary satisfaction is sufficient for you right now
And I've gotta hand it to you You do what you do
I give you credit for doing what you do
It's times like this I'm glad that I ain't you
I'm relieved that I'm not in your position
You think you've got the devil on retreat
You believe you've overcome your personal demons
But he's back up on his feet and he's lookin' for you
But your struggles and challenges have resurfaced and are causing you distress
With your monkey wrench and dig a trench
Using unexpected tools, and putting in the effort to create a path forward
And don't you see the lights are very shinin'
But you're blinded by the glamorous appearances of success
Shut up and quite your whinin'
Stop complaining and take action to improve your situation
Four star restaurants, dinin' in the shade
Indulging in luxury meals and comfort
Well then your miniskirt'll hit the dirt
But eventually, your image and reputation will suffer
And baby you'll be crying and bleeding
And you'll experience emotional and physical pain
You'll bite the hand that's feedin'
You'll turn against those who helped you
And you'll be back and you'll be pleadin' for your soul
And you'll regret your actions and seek redemption for your mistakes
He's lookin' for you yeah he's lookin' for you
Your internal struggles and challenges are catching up to you
Contributed by Sarah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.