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.

The Bridge
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come and see me I won't tell a soul
Cause people like to talk round here
I miss you so much I' ve been so down and out
And I know how she'd feel if she ever found out
I' ll take the chance I' m not after romance
Or your fortune and fame or part of your name
You put the friendship on hold and hung up the phone
But she holds the cards and she runs the show

And that's the way it has to be Have I lost a friend
You have a heart, you take a risk
Throw away the god that you've got strapped to your wrist
Block up your ears if she starts to bitch
Whatever you do, babe, don't burn down the bridge

Well, I' ve seen love come I' ve seen love go
I' ve seen friends disappear
Sometimes there's no goodbye and no reply
And there's just no point in questioning why
The changes life brings are like the songs that we sing
Freedom may ring through the notes and the strings
I have no regrets, never forget
The words that were spoken on the night we met

And whatever happens to dreams when they become reality...
Did you lose your direction lose your perception
Of the man that you wanted to be
Did she pass the torch of loneliness that burns up your desire
And how many friends will you lose in the end
Now that the bridge has caught on fire, fire....

So, will you have a heart you take a risk
Throw away the god that you've got strapped to your wrist
Block up your ears if she starts to bitch

Whatever you do, babe, don't burn down the bridge
Burn down the bridge, don't burn it down

Overall Meaning

The song "The Bridge" by Mary Lou Lord talks about a complicated relationship that the singer has with a friend. The singer misses and wants to see her friend despite the fact that her friend's significant other would not approve. The singer is willing to take the risk of meeting in secret just to see her friend again. However, despite their friendship, her friend's significant other controls their interactions and made it difficult for them to talk, leaving the singer questioning if she has lost a friend. The singer talks about how love comes and goes and how friendships disappear without explanation or warning. And in the end, the singer urges her friend not to burn down the bridge and end their friendship, no matter what.

Line by Line Meaning

Come and see me I won't tell a soul
The singer is inviting someone to meet her but promises to keep it a secret, aware that people in the area like to gossip.

Cause people like to talk round here
Explains why she is keeping the meeting a secret.

I miss you so much I' ve been so down and out
The singer is telling the person how much she misses them and how it has been affecting her.

And I know how she'd feel if she ever found out
Refers to someone else who does not want the artist to meet this person and hints at the possibility of it causing problems if they found out.

I' ll take the chance I' m not after romance
The artist is not looking for a romantic relationship and is willing to take a chance on a platonic one with this person.

Or your fortune and fame or part of your name
The singer is not interested in the person's money, status or popularity.

You put the friendship on hold and hung up the phone
Implies that the person has not been in contact with the singer for some time.

But she holds the cards and she runs the show
Refers to the aforementioned someone else who has a say in the artist's relationship with this person.

And that's the way it has to be Have I lost a friend
Acknowledges the situation and the possibility of losing the person's friendship due to external factors.

You have a heart, you take a risk
Encourages the person to take a risk and follow their heart, despite the potential consequences.

Throw away the god that you've got strapped to your wrist
Urges the person to let go of their fears and beliefs that could hold them back from taking that risk.

Block up your ears if she starts to bitch
Suggests that the person should ignore any negative comments from the aforementioned third party.

Whatever you do, babe, don't burn down the bridge
Advises the person not to deliberately sabotage their relationship with the singer, even if they have to take risks to maintain it.

Well, I' ve seen love come I' ve seen love go
The singer reflects on the transient nature of love and relationships.

I' ve seen friends disappear
Acknowledges how friendships can sometimes fade away without warning.

Sometimes there's no goodbye and no reply
Expresses the fact that sometimes people just disappear without explanation and there's no way to get closure or answers.

And there's just no point in questioning why
The artist suggests that there is no point in dwelling on unanswered questions and that it's better to let go and move on.

The changes life brings are like the songs that we sing
Compares the changes in life to the ever-changing melodies of songs.

Freedom may ring through the notes and the strings
Freedom can be found in the music, with the singer hinting at the idea of finding solace in art.

I have no regrets, never forget
The artist has no regrets about their past experiences and will not forget the good memories they share with this person.

The words that were spoken on the night we met
Refers to a significant moment between the artist and the person they are addressing that will always be remembered.

And whatever happens to dreams when they become reality...
The artist is reflecting on the idea that sometimes reality doesn't live up to our dreams, hinting at a possibility of disappointment.

Did you lose your direction lose your perception
The singer is questioning if the person they are addressing lost their way, their morals, or their view of the world.

Of the man that you wanted to be
Questions if the person lost sight of their goals or their sense of self.

Did she pass the torch of loneliness that burns up your desire
Refers to the aforementioned third party, hinting at their possible influence over the person's emotions and mental state.

And how many friends will you lose in the end
Questions how many people the person will end up losing as a result of their actions or the situation they find themselves in.

Now that the bridge has caught on fire, fire....
The bridge being on fire is a metaphor for the relationship between the singer and the person they are addressing being in grave danger of irreparable damage.

Burn down the bridge, don't burn it down
Reinforces the idea that it's better to let the bridge be burned down by circumstances beyond the artist's control, instead of deliberately destroying it.

Contributed by Hannah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS