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.
Western Union Desparate
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of place and incomplete call it guilt
Call it what you will
Kissed good-bye the summer sky
Hollywood and Malibu tides
Through thick and thin you got a
Good friend in me
Just give me a beer and give me a bed
Play me a song and sing me to sleep
And meet me in the middle of my dreams
Well I've seen the sun rise from the cliffs at Point Reyes
And I've see it set upon Thunder Bay
But I always keep my compass set on you
When the night comes in and the stars come out
The highway lines start to wear me out
It'll be ok cause I'm coming back home to you
And distant salutations and silly souvenirs
Can't help your twilight loneliness
Or brush away your tears
I'll wire you some love today
There's so much more I want to say
But I'm Western Union desperate
In a pay phone in the rain
And it's so insane
I'm Rimbaud and you're Verlaine
So hey! California here I come
I got my old backpack and a sunburnt thumb
I hope my compass is tried and ture
'Cause when I need a friend it's still you
The song "Western Union Desparate" by Mary Lou Lord is a bittersweet ballad about feeling out of place and searching for a sense of home. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and desperation, as the singer tries to find a way to connect with the person they care for. The song begins with the singer reflecting on feeling uneasy on "easy street" and being haunted by a sense of guilt. They recall leaving behind the sunny skies of California for the rougher realities of life on the road. Despite this, they reassure their friend that they are always there for them, through "thick and thin."
As the song continues, the singer describes how they have traveled far and wide, but their "compass" is always set on the person they care for. They long for home and the comfort of their friend's company, and the chorus repeats the refrain "I'm Western Union desperate, in a payphone in the rain, and it's so insane," portraying a sense of urgency and desperation.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant, as the singer confesses that they have so much more they want to say to their friend, but they are limited by distance and circumstance. They wire their love through Western Union, hoping that their message will reach its intended recipient. The final lines of the song express a sense of hope and determination - no matter where they go, they know that their friend will always be there for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Felt a little uneasy on easy street
I felt out of place and uncomfortable with my current situation
Out of place and incomplete call it guilt
I feel guilty about not fitting in or belonging
Call it what you will
You can give it any name or label
Kissed good-bye the summer sky
The summer is over and it's time to say goodbye to the warm weather
Hollywood and Malibu tides
The ebb and flow of life in Los Angeles, including the beach communities of Malibu
Through thick and thin you got a Good friend in me
I am always here for you, no matter what, as a good friend
Just give me a beer and give me a bed
All I need is some basic comforts like a cold beer and a place to sleep
Chase the demons out of my head
I want to get rid of my negative thoughts and feelings
Play me a song and sing me to sleep
Music helps me relax and fall asleep
And meet me in the middle of my dreams
I want you to be with me in my dreams and fantasies
Well I've seen the sun rise from the cliffs at Point Reyes
I have experienced the beauty of nature at Point Reyes
And I've see it set upon Thunder Bay
I have also seen the sun set in Thunder Bay
But I always keep my compass set on you
No matter where I go or what I do, you are still my guiding light and inspiration
When the night comes in and the stars come out
At night, when everything is dark, the stars remind me of you
The highway lines start to wear me out
Traveling on the road for too long is exhausting
It'll be ok cause I'm coming back home to you
No matter how rough the road gets, I know I will eventually be back with you
And distant salutations and silly souvenirs
Sending gifts or mementos from afar can't replace the feeling of being together
Can't help your twilight loneliness
I know it's hard for you to be alone at night
Or brush away your tears
I wish I could make you feel better and stop you from crying
I'll wire you some love today
I'll send you a message to remind you how much I care about you
There's so much more I want to say
I have a lot of feelings and thoughts that I wish I could express to you
But I'm Western Union desperate
I am desperately trying to send you a message using Western Union, which shows how important it is to me to contact you
In a pay phone in the rain
I am standing in the rain, using a pay phone to try to reach you
And it's so insane
This situation feels crazy and ridiculous
I'm Rimbaud and you're Verlaine
I am the passionate and wild Arthur Rimbaud, and you are the more grounded and stable Paul Verlaine, in reference to a famous poet couple
So hey! California here I come
I am moving to California to be closer to you
I got my old backpack and a sunburnt thumb
I am traveling light and on a budget to get there
I hope my compass is tried and ture
I hope my plans and intentions are reliable and true, and that I will be successful in reaching you
'Cause when I need a friend it's still you
Even though I am coming to California to be near you, it's also because I know you are a great friend and support system for me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARY LOU LORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind