Old Mary
The Dead Weather Lyrics


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Old Mary, full of grease,
Your heart stops within you,
Scary are the fruits of your tomb,
And harsh are the terms of your sins,

Old Mary, sister of mine, mother to the world,
Carry this burden now until the moment of your last breath
Now 'till the moment of your last breath.





I lost my place

Overall Meaning

in the dark of the night,
And I saw something in the shadows
That made me feel right.


The lyrics to The Dead Weather's song Old Mary are highly metaphorical and open to interpretation. The song seems to be about a person - possibly a woman - who has lived a hard life and is now facing the end of it. There is a sense of regret and sadness to the lyrics, along with a feeling of acceptance of the inevitable. The "fruits of your tomb" and "terms of your sins" suggest that this person has done things that they regret, and they are now facing the consequences of those actions.


The line "Old Mary, sister of mine, mother to the world" is particularly interesting, as it suggests that this person is not just an individual, but a representative of all humanity. The burden they are carrying is not just their own, but the burden of all human suffering. The final line, "Now 'till the moment of your last breath," suggests that this person is resigned to their fate and is ready to face whatever comes next.


Line by Line Meaning

Old Mary, full of grease,
Old Mary, you are laden with the weight of impurities and sin.


Your heart stops within you,
You carry such a heavy burden of guilt and shame that it feels like your heart has stopped beating.


Scary are the fruits of your tomb,
The consequence of your actions have led to a deadly trap that you cannot escape from.


And harsh are the terms of your sins,
The punishment for your wrongdoing is severe and unforgiving.


Old Mary, sister of mine, mother to the world,
Old Mary, you are part of my family and connected to the world as a whole.


Carry this burden now until the moment of your last breath
You must bear the weight of your mistakes until the very end of your life.


Now 'till the moment of your last breath.
Until your dying moment, you must carry your heavy conscience and the consequences of your actions.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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