Singing in the local church choirs as a boy, studying jazz and classical piano performance, composition, and arrangement, and singing and playing keyboards in the ska band Gangster Politics in high school. Watson left the band after graduating and began to explore other types of music, including electronica and ambient. In 2002, after returning from a trip to Vietnam, he decided to start a four-piece chamber pop group, bringing in bassist Mishka Stein, drummer Robbie Kuster (both of whom he had met at university), and former Gangster Politics guitarist Simon Angell. The group (which was technically a solo project with a backing band) released Just Another Ordinary Day (2003) independently.
In 2001 Watson released his first own solo debut, Waterproof9 and in 2006 his second, Close to Paradise. Early in 2007, Watson was nominated for a Juno Canada's music award in the New Artist of the Year category.
His band's song "The Great Escape" was featured on a third-season episode of Grey's Anatomy.
He co-wrote and performed on several songs on The Cinematic Orchestra's 2007 album Ma Fleur including the opening track "To Build a Home". His "Missing You" remix of Champion's "Guy Doune", from Champion's 2006 album The Remix Album, reached #1 on CBC Radio 3's R3-30 chart in early 2007.
Patrick Watson (the band) also won the prestigeous Polaris Music Prize (Canada) in 2007.
Website: www.patrickwatson.net
Mary
Patrick Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with her hair in the wind
she's my golden girl
In a beautiful world
with her hair in the wind
she's my golden girl
Passing right past all the girls* with a smile and a short remark (*girls might also be guys or boys, not sure)
She looks back once and she laughs out loud
She turns her head and she gets back to the original mission
There's a castle built on the corner
Just like mommy used to reach in her bed
She walks out to the door and a strange noise twists open
And her world will change, in a smile with precision
Then the man walks out the door
takes her hand, says he wanna see more
Shakes her hand and she turns away
Shakes another and she flies away
'Cause all she's looking for is a place
A place where everything is okay...
A place where she can rest her head
And all she's looking for is a place..
..to rest her head (x3)
The song Mary by Patrick Watson is a hauntingly beautiful ode to a mysterious woman, who seems to be on a quest to find a place where she can be at peace with herself. The first two stanzas of the song set the tone, as Mary is described as a "golden girl" walking in a "beautiful world" with her hair in the wind. The imagery is evocative of a dreamlike state, where Mary exists like an angelic figure, untethered by the mundane realities of life. She is at once both real and ethereal, the embodiment of a search for something elusive.
The lyrics then describe how Mary walks down a road to Heaven, passing people with a smile and a brief remark, but not really stopping to engage with anyone. The description of her journey is almost biblical, with echoes of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Mary is on a quest, but it is not clear what she is searching for. The lyrics suggest that she might be looking for a castle, a place where she can retreat to and find solace. The description of the castle as "just like mommy used to reach in her bed" adds a layer of nostalgia and longing to the song.
The second half of the song introduces a new character, a man who takes Mary's hand and wants to show her more of the world. Mary is hesitant, but eventually flies away, seeking the place where everything is okay and where she can rest her head. The song ends with the repetition of the line "all she's looking for is a place to rest her head", leaving the listener with a sense of wistfulness and longing.
Overall, the song Mary is a lyrical masterpiece that captures the essence of a search for meaning and purpose. It is a song that speaks to the soul, asking us to reflect on our own journeys and what we are searching for in life.
Line by Line Meaning
As she walks through the door
As Mary enters the scene
with her hair in the wind
With her hair loose, blown by the wind
she's my golden girl
She is someone very special to me
In a beautiful world
In a world filled with beauty
There goes Mary walking down on a sunny road to Heaven
Mary is walking down a sunny path that leads to a better place
Passing right past all the girls with a smile and a short remark
Mary goes past all the people with a smile and a quick comment
She looks back once and she laughs out loud
Mary glances back and laughs happily
She turns her head and she gets back to the original mission
Mary then quickly continues on her journey
There's a castle built on the corner
There's a castle at the end of the street
Just like mommy used to reach in her bed
The castle is similar to the one in a story Mary's mother used to tell her
She walks out to the door and a strange noise twists open
Mary opens the door and hears a strange sound
And her world will change, in a smile with precision
Mary's world begins to change as she smiles with purpose
Then the man walks out the door
A man then appears from the door
takes her hand, says he wanna see more
He takes Mary's hand and invites her to see something new
Shakes her hand and she turns away
Mary shakes the man's hand and then leaves
Shakes another and she flies away
She shakes another hand and then goes off on her own
'Cause all she's looking for is a place
Mary is searching for somewhere
A place where everything is okay...
A place where everything is peaceful
A place where she can rest her head
A place where Mary can feel safe and comfortable
And all she's looking for is a place..
Again, Mary is searching for somewhere
..to rest her head
A place to lay her head down and rest
Contributed by Gianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.