The Real Thing
Mary Mary (Holiday) Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

What is a gift
Is it something you give when no else is around
What is a gift
Is it something you take from someone you feel you found
I need a love
that goes beyound just the seasons
Its always there to share
I need a love
that sheds your light on the reason why in this time time we all care
Its called the real thing
And you are that thing to me
Its more than a holiday
You are the real thing

What is a gift
Is it something you dream of when what you earn goes away.
What is a gift
Is it someting you hope for when you couldn\'t possibly pay
Do you need a gift that gives right when you need it
Always there by your side
Do you need a gift that opens right when you ask it
if you seek it you will find
That he is the real thing

Joy to the world
Every boy and girl
Have a wonderful day
And when the day is done
And out goes all the fun
What can we do to make the love we feel stay.

What is a gift
Is it something you give to those who mean the more
And how can you give when al lthat you have has been taken by those you given to before

You need the real thing
You need the real thing
Not just a holiday, not just a holiday
A gift that is always
Yes he is the real thing




He is the real thing, He is the real thing
He is the real, the real thing.

Overall Meaning

In Mary Mary's song The Real Thing, the lyrics explore the notions of giving and receiving gifts, and how the true gift is a love that goes beyond just the seasons. The song opens with the question "What is a gift?" and poses scenarios where gifts are given and received: when no one else is around or after you've lost everything you've earned. The song seems to suggest that gifts can be temporary and fleeting, but what is needed is something more permanent, more substantial. The chorus declares that "it's called the real thing" and that the person being addressed in the song is "that thing to me."


The second verse continues with the theme of gifts and asks "how can you give when all that you have has been taken by those you've given to before?" In a way, the song is suggesting that the best gift is not something that can be easily taken away, but rather a love that endures and persists. The song closes on a more hopeful note, with the singers wishing for joy and love to stay beyond just the holiday season.


Overall, The Real Thing seems to be a song about love that is enduring and beyond the material. It suggests that the true gift is not something that can be easily taken away, but rather a love that is always there to share.


Line by Line Meaning

What is a gift
The artist is questioning the true definition of a gift


Is it something you give when no else is around
Are gifts just given when there is no one to witness it?


Is it something you take from someone you feel you found
Or is it something you take from someone you feel is obliged to give it to you?


I need a love that goes beyound just the seasons
The artist is yearning for a love that transcends time and is not limited to certain seasons


Its always there to share
The love the artist desires is ever-present and can be shared


I need a love that sheds your light on the reason why in this time time we all care
The artist desires a love that illuminates the reason why we care in this present time


Its called the real thing
The love that the artist desires is what is referred to as the real thing


And you are that thing to me
The artist has found the person who embodies the real thing in her life


Its more than a holiday
The real thing is more than just a fleeting feeling experienced during holidays


You are the real thing
The person mentioned is the embodiment of true love that the artist needs


What is a gift
The artist reiterates her earlier question about the definition of a gift


Is it something you dream of when what you earn goes away.
The artist wonders whether a gift can be something one dreams of when they have lost all they have earned


Is it someting you hope for when you couldn't possibly pay
Or is it something you hope for when you don't have the means to pay for it


Do you need a gift that gives right when you need it
The artist asks whether one needs a gift that is presented at the exact moment they need it


Always there by your side
Such a gift would be ever-present and available when needed


Do you need a gift that opens right when you ask it
Alternatively, the artist asks if one needs a gift that comes in response to a specific request


if you seek it you will find
The gift in question is seemingly attainable upon seeking it out


That he is the real thing
The person referred to earlier embodies the definition of the real thing


Joy to the world
The artist expresses joy to the world


Every boy and girl
All children, irrespective of gender, are included in the joyous message


Have a wonderful day
The artist wishes everyone a wonderful day


And when the day is done
However, once the day has ended


And out goes all the fun
The fun that was experienced earlier fades away


What can we do to make the love we feel stay.
The artist ponders on what can be done to keep the love one feels from fading away after a day of fun


What is a gift
The artist returns to the topic of the true meaning of a gift


Is it something you give to those who mean the more
The artist wonders whether a gift is something that is given to someone who holds a significant place in one's life


And how can you give when al lthat you have has been taken by those you given to before
However, the artist questions how one can give a gift when everything they have has already been taken by those to whom they gave in the past


You need the real thing
The artist asserts that what one needs is the real thing


Not just a holiday, not just a holiday
The real thing is not just a fleeting feeling experienced only during certain holidays


A gift that is always
The real thing, in essence, is a continual gift


Yes he is the real thing
The person in question is indeed the embodiment of the real thing


He is the real thing, He is the real thing
The artist reiterates that the person in question embodies the true definition of the real thing


He is the real, the real thing.
The final line reiterates that the person in question represents the true definition of the real thing




Contributed by Kaylee K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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