Mary Lee
Rose Polenzani Lyrics

She was running,
She ran with such intensity and determination that she blended into nature itself.

running so hard,
Her sprint was extremely fast and powerful.

you couldn't tell her apart from the grass.
Her pace and surroundings were so in sync that it was hard to distinguish where she ended and the ground began.

She seemed so small,
Despite her strength and speed, she appeared diminutive at first glance.

but really she was larger
However, in reality, she was bigger and more impactful than most others.

than anybody you've seen.
She was larger than life itself and left an unforgettable impression on anyone who witnessed her in action.

In Momma she found
She discovered her comfort, support, and nurturing from her mother figure.

the right surrounds.
The environment that she resided in was conducive to her happiness and well-being.

In preschool they singled her out for her hat.
During her early educational years, they noticed her specific fashion accessory as it stood out among the rest.

In elementary
During her primary school days,

she met her friend Mary
She befriended a girl named Mary and established a connection with her.

and from her she learned many things...
Mary taught her several valuable lessons.

Like you're never as big as you seem.
One of the lessons that she learned was that people are often not precisely what they appear to be and might hide a more complex reality.

But I've got everything backwards,
The singer admits to a confusion and misinterpretation in their life.

I do what I do.
They engage in actions with a certain irrationality or inconsistency.

I am what I'm not.
Despite having a defined image of oneself in their head, their outward persona contradicts those beliefs.

If I wasn't growing my hair out again,
If they did not spend their time on trivial things, like growing their hair long, they may have remembered the important lessons and not arrived in their current state.

I would have forgot
They forgot much about their past that has proven vital to their present state.

All these things.
Many important memories and lessons from their past escape them currently.

He said she was gross,
Someone commented that Mary Lee was unattractive or plain.

She said "what does that mean?"
Mary Lee was unaware of the meaning of the word spoken against her friend.

And she answered herself in time.
With time, she learned the meaning and interpretation of the insult levied against her friend.

It was a long walk to the back of the bus
The distance she traveled to confront her critic was vast and considerable.

Just to spit in the young boy's eye.
Her retaliation was to spit in the eyes of the boy who made the unkind comment.

Aw, didn't they warn you about her?
People cautioned not to cross her or get too close.

The kids all get naked when she comes to play.
When Mary Lee was around, people exposed their vulnerabilities and true selves.

I wouldn't even leave her alone with herself,
Mary Lee ran the risk of succumbing to her own inner demons and thus should be watched over.

she could get hurt that way.
If left all by herself, she would end up harming herself or succumbing to a dark internal place.

Hey, Mary Lee, I was on your street,
The artist encounters Mary Lee in her residential location.

and the Ice Cream Shoppe was as stylist as you.
The ice cream shop that they crossed had a vibe and style that matched Mary Lee's aesthetic.

I'll never be hip enough to eat the things that you do.
The singer admits to not being able to keep up with Mary Lee and her unique interests.

You were the first in a long, long line
Mary Lee was the first in a sequence of girls they emulated criteria.

of girls I pretended to be.
The artist modeled themselves after Mary Lee, among others.

You started me off and I owe you for that,
Mary Lee was instrumental in setting them on the path that led them here and for that they are beholden to her.

but you've already collected your fee.
The debt owed was already repaid.

I've got everything backwards.
The artist repeats their previous admission to misunderstanding.

I've got everything backwards.
They reiterate how their mental state and persona do not match their beliefs or priorities.

I've got everything backwards.
They continue to self-reflect and convey their confusion and lack of clarity.

I've got everything backwards.
The singer concludes with repetition of their original point about disorientation and confusion.