Mary
Matisse Lyrics


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Mary, can't you see?
How tired, I feel the summer sun is burning
When there's a winter in me
Mary, let's go away
I am dying in this city
I can't stand it
Mary, I will fade to grey
Mary...
Oh baby don't you say that you love me
Take me to a plane I want to be
Mary...
Oh baby I am so torn with all these lies
Take me to the sky I can disguise
Mary...

'Cos Mary I want to go
Miles away from home
Dying in this hole

You got to take me away tonight
I want to go, run away from home
I'm dying this world
You got to take me away tonight
Mary

Mary, can't you see?
Me tears are like the rain that's falling
Falling on me
Mary...
Mary, I am dying tonight
The stars are trembling as the earth is turning
And there's no me I can find





(With the stars in the sky)

Overall Meaning

The song "Mary" by Matisse is a heartfelt plea to the eponymous character to take the singer away from the troubles of his life. The lyrics beautifully intertwine images of both summer and winter to express the exhaustion and terminal loneliness the singer is feeling. As the song continues, the lyrics reveal that the singer is in a city that is suffocating him; he is dying in this hole. "Mary, I want to go. Miles away from home. Dying in this hole." These lyrics express how the singer wants to escape to a different environment, to breathe fresher air while he still can.


The chorus evokes a strong sense of urgency and frustration; how the singer is crying out for Mary to take him away: "You got to take me away tonight. I'm dying in this world. Mary..." The singing becomes earnest, as if the singer is on the brink of tears. He continues to plead with Mary to make him feel better and to take him away from where he is. Finally, the song ends with a lament: "Mary, I am dying tonight...and there's no me I can find." These words express how the singer is truly lost.


Line by Line Meaning

Mary, can't you see?
The singer is pleading with Mary to understand and empathize with his feelings.


How tired, I feel the summer sun is burning
The singer is fatigued and worn out, and the warmth of the sun is exacerbating this feeling.


When there's a winter in me
Inside the singer there is a sense of emptiness and coldness, despite the warmth of the season.


Mary, let's go away
The artist is begging Mary to leave the current situation and find a new place to be.


I am dying in this city
The artist feels like he is slowly losing himself in the urban landscape.


I can't stand it
The singer is unable to tolerate the current environment.


Mary, I will fade to grey
If the singer remains in this state, he will become depressed and listless.


Oh baby don't you say that you love me
The artist is uncertain of Mary's love and doesn't want to hear it if it isn't genuine.


Take me to a plane I want to be
The artist wants to escape his current reality and travel to a new place.


Oh baby I am so torn with all these lies
The artist feels like his life is filled with deceit and dishonesty.


Take me to the sky I can disguise
If the singer can leave this situation, he can start fresh and fool others into thinking he is someone else.


Mary...
The artist is continuing to appeal to Mary for help and guidance.


'Cos Mary I want to go
The singer is emphasizing his desire to leave this place, invoking Mary's name to give the statement greater weight.


Miles away from home
The singer wants to travel an enormous distance from his current location.


Dying in this hole
The singer feels like he's stuck in a metaphorical pit or grave and is slowly dying from within.


You got to take me away tonight
The artist is pleading with Mary to act quickly and help him tonight.


I'm dying this world
The artist feels like this world is killing him and he's slowly fading away.


Mary...
The singer is ending the song the same way he began: with a call to Mary for help and understanding.


Mary, can't you see?
The imagery of tears falling like rain conveys the depth of the singer's despair and sadness.


The stars are trembling as the earth is turning
The upheaval the artist feels in his life mirrors the upheaval he perceives in nature and the universe.


And there's no me I can find
The artist feels lost and disconnected from himself, unable to find any sense of purpose or identity.




Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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