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.
Turn Me Round
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sink the raft
Lose the plot
Dodge the draft
Build me up
Tear me down
Take me on
Turn me round
And fly the flag
And lay the ghost
And hit the town
Clear the coast
Steel away
Without a sound
Buy me up
Turn me round
And place your hands
Across the stream
And fire these engines
In-between
Roll the dice
Raise the stakes
And don't be scared
To make mistakes
Plant your seed
In holy ground
Watch it grow
And turn me round
And put your love
Where there was none
And lie with me
Till daylight comes
And save my soul
Mend my heart
And dream of me
When we're apart
Give your all
And drink it down
Fill me up
Turn me round
Fill me up
Turn me round
Mary Lou Lord's song "Turn Me Round" is a poetic and evocative expression of the ups and downs of love and relationships. The lyrics describe a desire for transformation and renewal, asking the listener to "burn the bridge" and "sink the raft" in order to break from the past and embrace a new path. There is a sense of urgency and passion in the words, urging the listener to take action and not be afraid to make mistakes.
Lord's use of metaphors to describe this transformative journey is particularly effective. Burning bridges and sinking rafts suggest a complete break from the past, while the idea of clearing the coast and stealing away without a sound hints at a more secretive and perhaps dangerous journey. The lyrics also reference planting seeds in holy ground and watching them grow, suggesting a desire for a deeper connection and a sense of purpose. The repetition of the phrase "Turn me round" throughout the song emphasizes the desire for change and the hope for a better future.
Overall, "Turn Me Round" is a powerful and lyrically rich song that expresses the desire for transformation and renewal in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Burn the bridge
Destroy any means of retreat
Sink the raft
Eliminate any backup plan
Lose the plot
Let go of the set plan
Dodge the draft
Avoid being drafted into something one does not want to do
Build me up
Make me feel good about myself
Tear me down
Criticize and bring me down
Take me on
Challenge me
Turn me round
Change the direction of my life
And fly the flag
Show pride for something
And lay the ghost
Put to rest the past
And hit the town
Go out and have a good time
Clear the coast
Get ready for something big to happen
Steel away
Sneak away quietly and secretly
Without a sound
Silently
Buy me up
Acquire and possess me
Place your hands
Get involved and work hard
Across the stream
Overcome barriers
Fire these engines
Get charged up and ready to take on the challenge
In-between
In the midst of something important
Roll the dice
Take a risk
Raise the stakes
Increase the level of risk
And don't be scared
Be brave and fearless
To make mistakes
Acknowledge and learn from errors
Plant your seed
Invest in something that will grow
In holy ground
In a special or sanctimonious environment
Watch it grow
Observe the progress
And turn me round
Change my life's direction
And put your love
Show love and affection
Where there was none
Make up for the absence of love
And lie with me
Spend intimate time together
Till daylight comes
Stay together until it is morning
And save my soul
Rescue me from harm and danger
Mend my heart
Heal me emotionally
And dream of me
Think of me while apart
When we're apart
During times of separation
Give your all
Put in maximum effort
And drink it down
Enjoy the fruits of your labor
Fill me up
Make me feel complete
Turn me round
Redirect my life towards a better path
Contributed by Alice V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.