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 Lucky One
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Walkin' to the bus stop
Couldn't wait to get off
I know I am the lucky one
Hmm, hmm
Walking in the twilight
Cold Nevada twilight
I know I am the lucky one

On the wheels
On the tabletop
On the handles where the 7's stop
On the floor
On my hells again
I know I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one

Standing on the corner
If I could find a dollar
I know I'd be the lucky one
Hmm, hmm

Standing in the last night
Artificial daylight
I know I am the lucky one, hmm, hmm
On the wheels
On the tabletop
On the handles when the lemons stop
On the floor
On my heels again
I know I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
On the wheels
On the tabletop

On the handles when the lemons stop
On the floor

Overall Meaning

Mary Lou Lord's song "The Lucky One" appears to be about a woman who is grateful for the small blessings in life. She walks to the bus stop, eager to leave wherever she is, but takes a moment to appreciate her fortune. She feels lucky to be alive and able to experience both the beauty of the twilight and the neon light of the city at night. She is also lucky to be able to play games of chance, like slot machines, and take risks.

The song's chorus, "On the wheels, on the tabletop, on the handles where the sevens stop, on the floor, on my heels again, I know I'm the one," suggest that she feels in control of her life and circumstances, even when the odds may not be in her favor. She recognizes that many people may not feel as lucky as she does, and that she is grateful for her blessings, no matter how small they may seem.

Overall, the song encourages listeners to appreciate what they have, instead of always striving for more. The woman in the song has a positive attitude and a sense of gratitude that allows her to experience joy even in difficult circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

Walking to the bus stop
Excitedly heading to the bus stop

Couldn't wait to get off
Eager to start the journey

I know I am the lucky one
Feeling fortunate and grateful

Walking in the twilight
Walking during sunset

Cold Nevada twilight
Cold weather in Nevada during sunset

On the wheels
On the slot machine

On the tabletop
Playing games on the table

On the handles where the 7's stop
Pulling the slot machine handle for lucky 7s

On the floor
Coins or tokens dropped on the floor

On my heels again
Continuing to stand and walk around the casino

I know I'm the one
Confident in winning at the casino