After a brief run as a recording-only project based in Austin, founding vocalist David Yow, bassist David Wm. Sims and guitarist Duane Denison relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1989, finding kindred spirits in recording engineer Steve Albini and the Touch and Go Records imprint. With the addition of drummer Mac McNeilly, they began operating as a live band, expanding their following beyond Chicago's alternative scene into an international audience. Drummer Jim Kimball replaced McNeilly late in 1996, and was himself replaced by Brendan Murphy two years later.
Despite releasing a split single with leading alt-rockers Nirvana and signing to Capitol Records, the band failed to find commercial success amid the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s, and disbanded in 1999. Their reunion from 2008 to 2010 and following tour enjoyed positive responses from audiences and critics.
In October 2013, The Jesus Lizard were set to play at the All Tomorrow's Parties event Release the Bats in Melbourne, Australia. They cancelled this show due to "unforeseen circumstances."
Members:
David Yow - vocals;
Duane Denison - guitars;
David Wm. Sims - bass;
Mac McNeilly - drums.
Former members:
Jim Kimball - drums;
Brendan Murphy - drums.
http://www.thejesuslizard.net
13 Bloody Mary
The Jesus Lizard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it makes me feel blank, it makes me feel blank like I missed
Lies in a bath with no water, and a bath full of blood
How happy are ya, to be alive
MARY, MARY, MARY, MARY
GET OUT
It makes me feel blank, it makes me feel blank like I missed
Read the words she wrote, she never lived
How happy are ya, to be alive
MARY, MARY, MARY, MARY
This song by The Jesus Lizard is an intense and jarring exploration of mental illness and the disorientation that it can cause. The lyrics describe a woman who is sitting in a bathtub, reliving stories that she never actually experienced. The singer is disturbed by this scene, and feels as though he has missed out on something important. The woman is lying in a bath that is full of blood but has no water, which suggests that her experiences and emotions are not rooted in reality. The repeated chant of "Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary" and the sharp command to "get out" add to the sense of confusion and frustration that the singer is feeling.
The song's repetition of phrases and aggressive guitar riffs create a feeling of unease and anxiety. The lyrics paint a picture of a woman who is struggling with her own mind, and the sense of discomfort that the singer feels seems to stem from his inability to connect with her experience. The line "read the words she wrote, she never lived" suggests that the woman is perhaps a writer, or at least someone who is grappling with the creation and communication of her own reality. The final question of "How happy are ya, to be alive" feels bitter and sarcastic, implying that the woman's existence is not one to be envied.
Overall, this song is a powerful and unsettling exploration of the ways that our own minds can betray us, and the disconnection that can arise when we struggle to find common ground with others who are experiencing different versions of reality.
Line by Line Meaning
She sits in a tub and relives, stories she never lived
Mary revisits stories that she never actually experienced while sitting in a bathtub.
And it makes me feel blank, it makes me feel blank like I missed
The singer feels a sense of emptiness, as if he has missed out on something important.
Lies in a bath with no water, and a bath full of blood
Mary rests in an empty tub except for the gruesome sight of blood filling it.
How happy are ya, to be alive
The artist questions Mary's mental state and how satisfied she is with being alive.
MARY, MARY, MARY, MARY
The artist repeatedly calls out Mary's name, possibly as a way to get her attention or to emphasize her importance in the song.
GET OUT
The singer commands Mary to leave, suggesting that her behavior is unsettling or dangerous.
It makes me feel blank, it makes me feel blank like I missed
The singer again expresses his sense of emptiness and regret for potentially missing out on something.
Read the words she wrote, she never lived
The artist suggests that the stories Mary revisits in her mind were not a part of her real life experiences.
Lies in a tub with no water and a bath full of blood
The image of Mary in an empty tub filled with blood is repeated, emphasizing its disturbing nature.
How happy are ya, to be alive
The artist once again questions Mary's state of mind and well-being.
MARY, MARY, MARY, MARY
The repeated call of Mary's name remains a prominent feature of the song.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Charles D'Ardenne
This sounds so amazing with a real drummer
copsondonuts
this is what i used to call 'adult punk rock'. bands like jesus lizard and most 'touch and go' artists had a more experimental and evolved sound than the regular fare of punk.
ERNIE TORRES
Pro-aggresive punk
Tralfaz666
one of the most consistently great live bands I've seen... I saw them about 12 times and they never disappointed.
Jay Johnson
Still one of my favorite Jesus Lizard tracks...
Fernando Pinto
i love the way Yow wrote songs about those dark thoughts every guy has at some point, there is something just deeply honest about them, especialy the ones about women.
Victor Buck
This song says to me that I am venturing towards insanity and I want you to join me for the ride. Freakin Awesome!!!
semilental
Oh my lordi, that was ace!!
Ole Olson
I was lucky enough to see The Jesus Lizard in their prime at a show at 1st Avenue in Minneapolis years ago. The security guards desperately tried to stop David Yow (iirc) from diving into the crowd (instead of keeping the crowd back from the stage). It was a futile effort of course, he was not to be stopped (and so drunk I think he pissed himself).
The Nile Ue Ue Fly
i love this song