Within the alternative world, Seven Mary Three have often been compared to … Read Full Bio ↴Within the alternative world, Seven Mary Three have often been compared to the mainstream-sounding, garage/arena rock of post-Ten Pearl Jam, but the group insists that their refusal to alienate themselves from the rest of the world makes them different. Instead, Seven Mary Three offer songs concerning self-discovery and true outsiders isolated from society. Based in Virginia (where the bandmates attended the College of William and Mary), Seven Mary Three signed to the Mammoth label after releasing a self-produced album, Churn, in 1994. The album -- particularly its gritty lead single, "Cumbersome" -- generated a healthy buzz in Florida, and radio stations in Orlando began devoting significant airtime to the band. Seven Mary Three relocated to the Orlando area and re-recorded their old songs, which were packaged alongside two new cuts to round out the band's proper debut, 1995's American Standard. With "Cumbersome" enjoying national success, the album went platinum and won the group a contract with Atlantic Records. Rock Crown followed in 1997, and a year later Seven Mary Three returned with their third LP, Orange Ave. Neither record enjoyed as much recognition as American Standard, but the band continued to release albums into the following decade, issuing The Economy of Sound in 2001 and Dis/Location three years later. Seven Mary Three signed with New York's Icon Records in late 2007, and the following year saw the release of their sixth effort, DAY&NIGHTDRIVING. Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Bark No Bite
Seven Mary Three Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't let you go
Don't let the dark
Be the only place you see me
I'll try to find you something new
That pulls me back to your arms

Little towns are the way we're living
Little white crosses on dangerous curves

Everyone's just dying to get out
They got skills but forgot the nerve

Turns me on when you turn me down
Everything inside me turned around
You've been tried and you've been true
And I know that pulled me through

I don't mind you don't know where you're going
I want to go with you
All the things you thought you handed down
They don't shine like they shine for you

I remember your phoenix shut it's eyes
And scratched it into my shoulder
Like everything I wish would die
Repeats itself over and over

Have I tried?
Am I true?
Did the things I said I'd never do
All that faith and luck and trust
If it's not real it turns to rust
It turns me on when you say your mine
All the things I thought I'd never find
Your attention has it's price
But it's never bark no bite

I can't stand the way you tell it

Turns me on when you turn me down
Everything inside me turns around
Give me faith and love and trust
Or just crush me into dust

I'm not afraid to pay your price
Because you're never bark no bite

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Seven Mary Three's song "Bark No Bite" depict the desire to hold on to a relationship despite its troubles. The first verse describes the fear of losing someone and being forgotten, hoping that the darkness that has separated them won't always define their relationship. The second verse speaks to the limitations of small town life, how people want to escape but lack the courage to do so. The chorus highlights the singer's attraction to the one they are fighting to keep, even when they turn away or reject them. The bridge questions the singer's own motives and whether their devotion is genuine, or if they are just going through the motions to hold on to something that may already be lost.

The song is essentially about trying to maintain a connection with someone despite the odds, even when doubts creep in. The lyrics capture the fleeting moments of desperation in a tumultuous relationship, where both parties are unsure of where they stand. The term "bark no bite" refers to the idea that someone may seem tough or intimidating, but when it comes down to it, they may not have the power to follow through on their threats. It's a metaphor for how the person the singer is reaching out to may seem aloof or uninterested, but the connection between them runs deeper than that.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't let you go
I am unable to let go of you, unable to move on from you

Don't let the dark Be the only place you see me
Don't let the darkness or negativity be the only time you think of me

I'll try to find you something new That pulls me back to your arms
I will try to find something new that reminds me of you and brings me back to your arms

Little towns are the way we're living Little white crosses on dangerous curves Everyone's just dying to get out They got skills but forgot the nerve
We all live in small towns surrounded by danger, and everyone wants to get out but lacks the courage to do so despite their abilities

Turns me on when you turn me down Everything inside me turned around
It excites me when you reject me, makes me reconsider everything I thought I knew

You've been tried and you've been true And I know that pulled me through
You have been tested and have proven yourself reliable, and that has helped me get through difficult times

I don't mind you don't know where you're going I want to go with you All the things you thought you handed down They don't shine like they shine for you
I don't care that you're lost, I will still follow you wherever you go, and the things you thought you passed on to me don't mean as much to me as they do to you

I remember your phoenix shut its eyes And scratched it into my shoulder Like everything I wish would die Repeats itself over and over
I recall when you tattooed a phoenix closing its eyes onto my shoulder, a reminder that the things I wish to forget keep repeating themselves

Have I tried? Am I true? Did the things I said I'd never do All that faith and luck and trust If it's not real it turns to rust
Have I made an effort? Have I been honest? Have I done things I swore I never would? Faith, luck, and trust only mean anything if they are genuine, otherwise they fall apart

It turns me on when you say you're mine All the things I thought I'd never find Your attention has its price But it's never bark no bite
It arouses me when you claim me as yours, all the things I never thought I'd experience, your affection comes with a cost, but it is always backed up by action

I can't stand the way you tell it
I despise the manner in which you express yourself

Give me faith and love and trust Or just crush me into dust I'm not afraid to pay your price Because you're never bark no bite
Either give me genuine faith, love, and trust, or completely destroy me, I am unafraid of the cost to obtain your genuine nature

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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