Formerly of championed folk-rock band Dry the River , who decided to go th… Read Full Bio ↴Formerly of championed folk-rock band Dry the River , who decided to go their own separate ways in 2015 after almost a decade, Peter Liddle moved back to Bristol, went to law school, started work and quietly crafted a solo album. That’s more than most people do in their lifetime. But for P.D. Liddle, he’s in the best place he’s been in for years. Settled, stable and with no set musical goals, Peter simply wrote songs for six months in a box room while studying law. Shorn of the expectations of a record deal, of having to make a living writing and touring, Peter got on with the business of making music. For all the relaxed posture, PD Liddle’s first solo album reels from spectral sonics and haunting melodies to rustic warmth and hearth strumming, streaming with theatrical scope. For all the lack of pressure on having to make a living from music, it spills its desire to be heard and understood by listeners. For all the effort that was buoyed by simplicity, its emotional depth is hard to believe. And all risk has been neutralised by reward as Liddle’s solo career builds and builds.

Mary
PD Liddle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was here before it was
A place where lovers meet
Mary I witness love as time you know
Never as a place you go
Somewhere we could leave

Anybody else would be
A better kind of company
Everyone needs someone to love them
The one with eyes of green
The great Olympic swimming queen
Who lies beside other peoples' husbands

Mary I had to lose war for us
I was here before it was
A place where lovers meet
Mary I witness love as time you know

Never as a place you go
Somewhere we could leave

Overall Meaning

In this song, PD Liddle sings about a woman named Mary who he is in love with, but he has fears and insecurities about their relationship. He describes himself as "dumber than a magazine" and expresses his fear when Mary calls his name, even though the water is only ankle-deep. He worries that Mary might dream of other men who have more social confidence than him, and he notes the fire escapes through the window frame.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Mary I had to lose war for us," suggesting that the relationship is challenged in some way, and that Liddle had to make sacrifices to keep it going. He also speaks about how he witnessed love over time, rather than as a physical location that people go to, and how this love is somewhere that they could leave if they needed to.

Overall, the song is a reflection on love, insecurity, and the challenges that come with maintaining a relationship. It speaks to the idea that love requires work and sacrifice, and that it is not always easy to navigate.

Line by Line Meaning

Dumber than a magazine
You're not very intelligent.

The water's only ankle-deep
The situation seems simple, but I'm scared of it.

But I'm afraid when you call my name, yeah
I'm nervous around you, even though I want you to call out to me.

Don't you dream of other men
I'm worried that you might be thinking about other guys.

With greater social confidence
Men who are more confident in public.

The fire escapes through the window frame, there
The passion between us is growing stronger.

Mary I had to lose war for us
I had to fight hard to be with you, Mary.

I was here before it was
I've always been dedicated to being with you.

A place where lovers meet
A special place where we can be together and express our love.

Mary I witness love as time you know
I've learned about love through time spent with you, Mary.

Never as a place you go
Love is not a physical place you can go to, but rather an experience.

Somewhere we could leave
A place where we can escape from our worries and just be together.

Anybody else would be
Other people would be more suitable.

A better kind of company
They would be better to spend time with than someone like me.

Everyone needs someone to love them
Everyone deserves to be loved.

The one with eyes of green
Referring to a specific person who has green eyes.

The great Olympic swimming queen
Referring to someone who is a successful athlete.

Who lies beside other peoples' husbands
Referring to infidelity and a lack of loyalty.

Writer(s): Peter Liddle

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

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

No Related Genres

More Genres

No Artists Found

More Artists Load All

No Albums Found

More Albums Load All

No Tracks Found

01Mary4:34

PT4M34S

PD Liddle

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Mirm-ist

5y↑4

Dumber than a magazine
The water's only ankle-deep
But I'm afraid when you call my name, yeah
Don't you dream of other men
With greater social confidence
The fire escapes through the window frame, there

Mary I had to lose war for us
I was here before it was
A place where lovers meet
Mary I witness love as time you know
Never as a place you go
Somewhere we could leave

Anybody else would be
A better kind of company
Everyone needs someone to love them
The one with eyes of green
The great Olympic swimming queen
Who lies beside other peoples' husbands

Mary I had to lose war for us
I was here before it was
A place where lovers meet
Mary I witness love as time you know
Never as a place you go
Somewhere we could leave

All comments from YouTube:

@SuperbFairy

20w↑1

Love this song, and no matter where you are and what you're doing now Peter - your lyrics and vocals in Dry the River and beyond are widely adored. And even if things didn't go the way everyone hoped, the world is a better place for your mind having been shared with it