Mary's Song
Taylor Swift Lyrics

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She said
"I was seven, and you were nine
I looked at you like the stars that shined
In the sky, the pretty lights"
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
Growing up and fallin' in love
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
And said, "Oh, my, my, my"

Take me back to the house in the backyard tree
Said you'd beat me up, you were bigger than me
You never did, you never did
Take me back when our world was one block wide
I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried
Just two kids, you and I
Oh, my, my, my, my

Well, I was sixteen when suddenly
I wasn't that little girl you used to see
But your eyes still shined, like pretty lights
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
They never believed we'd really fall in love
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
And said, "Oh, my, my, my"

Take me back to the creek beds we turned up
Two AM, ridin' in your truck
And all I need is you next to me
Take me back to the time we had our very first fight
Slammin' of doors 'stead of kissin' goodnight
You stayed outside 'til the morning light
Oh, my, my, my, my

A few years had gone and come around
We were sittin' at our favorite spot in town
And you looked at me, got down on one knee

Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle
Our whole town came and our mamas cried
You said, "I do," and I did too
Take me home where we met so many years before
We'll rock our babies on the very front porch
After all this time, you and I

And I'll be eighty-seven, you'll be eighty-nine

I'll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky
Oh, my, my, my

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Mary’s Song” tell the story of a young couple’s love, from childhood to old age. The song begins with Mary, the singer, reminiscing about her childhood with her lover, who was two years older than her. The two children grew up together, with Mary looking up to her older love interest “like the stars that shined,” as their parents joked about them growing up and falling in love. Despite their parents’ teasing, the two kids were just that - innocent kids who liked to play and spend time together. They had their first kiss when Mary dared her older crush to kiss her and then ran away.

The lyrics then fast forward to their teenage years when Mary was 16 when she realizes that she has grown up and is no longer a little girl. Nevertheless, she still loves the boy with the same intensity as before, and their parents still do not believe that their friendship can turn into a relationship. The song continues to tell the love story of the couple from their first fight to their wedding day, and finally to their old age when they sit on their front porch after having raised their children.

Overall, the song tells the story of a love that has endured through the years, starting as innocent childhood crush and growing into a lifetime of love and commitment.

Line by Line Meaning

She said
The singer is relaying a conversation she had with someone else.

"I was seven, and you were nine
The singer and the other person first knew each other when they were very young children.

I looked at you like the stars that shined
The singer saw the other person as a beacon of hope and admiration.

In the sky, the pretty lights"
The other person was looked up to as a radiant figure.

And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
The artist and the other person were close enough that their fathers commented on their relationship.

Growing up and fallin' in love
The fathers entertained the idea of the singer and the other person falling in love as they grew up together.

And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
The mothers were tolerant of the playful interactions between the singer and the other person.

And said, "Oh, my, my, my"
The mothers found the artist and the other person's relationship amusing.

Take me back to the house in the backyard tree
The artist wants to revisit a specific memory from their childhood.

Said you'd beat me up, you were bigger than me
The other person had teased the artist in the past, but never hurt her.

You never did, you never did
The teasing was ultimately harmless and never escalated to actual violence.

Take me back when our world was one block wide
The artist wants to go back to a time when their surroundings were small and uncomplicated.

I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried
The singer and the other person engaged in playful teasing during their childhood friendship.

Just two kids, you and I
Despite growing up, the singer and the other person remained close by heart.

Well, I was sixteen when suddenly
The singer experienced a shift in her relationship with the other person when she reached the age of sixteen.

I wasn't that little girl you used to see
The other person's perception of the artist changed as she grew up.

But your eyes still shined, like pretty lights
Despite the change in their relationship, the other person still held a special place in the artist's heart.

And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
The fathers continued to tease the singer and the other person about their relationship, now with a different undertone.

They never believed we'd really fall in love
Despite the fathers' jovial teasing, they did not actually believe that the singer and the other person would one day fall in love.

And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
The mothers' reaction to the artist and the other person's shifted relationship was one of playful acceptance.

And said, "Oh, my, my, my"
The mothers still found their children's relationship amusing.

Take me back to the creek beds we turned up
The artist wants to revisit a specific memory from her teenage years.

Two AM, ridin' in your truck
The memory involves the other person driving the singer around late at night.

And all I need is you next to me
The artist felt content and safe with the other person by her side in the memory.

Take me back to the time we had our very first fight
The singer wants to revisit a significant moment in their love story.

Slammin' of doors 'stead of kissin' goodnight
The significant moment involved the singer and the other person arguing instead of expressing affection.

You stayed outside 'til the morning light
Despite the argument, the other person was committed and stayed by the singer's side through the night.

Oh, my, my, my, my
The artist reflects on the various memories with fondness.

A few years had gone and come around
The artist and the other person had grown older together.

We were sittin' at our favorite spot in town
The singer and the other person have a special place that they enjoy together.

And you looked at me, got down on one knee
The other person proposed to the singer.

Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle
The artist wants to revisit the day that she married the other person.

Our whole town came and our mamas cried
The wedding was a big event that was significant to the artist and their families.

You said, "I do," and I did too
The artist and the other person confirmed their commitment to one another through their wedding vows.

Take me home where we met so many years before
The singer wants to revisit the place where she first met the other person as a child.

We'll rock our babies on the very front porch
The artist imagines growing old with the other person, starting a family, and spending time together on their front porch.

After all this time, you and I
Despite growing older, the singer and the other person have remained committed to one another and their love has endured.

And I'll be eighty-seven, you'll be eighty-nine
The singer imagines growing very old together with the other person.

I'll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky
The other person will always be a radiant figure to the singer, even in old age.

Oh, my, my, my
The artist reflects on the powerful love story that she shares with the other person.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Brian Dean Maher, Elisabeth Wagner Rose, Taylor Alison Swift

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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