Quite Contrary
The Uncontrollable Few Lyrics
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She wants another one for tomorrow
Oh ah oh
She wanted to be different
Just like everybody else
Oh ah oh
Mary Mary quite contrary
Mary Mary quite contrary
She said look at me now just leave me alone
She wanted to really love a man
So she could feel her heart be broken
Oh ah oh
She wanted to live forever
So she could die a million times
Oh ah oh
Mary Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow
Mary Mary quite contrary
She said look at me now just leave me alone
And when the sun went down at night
She would turn off every light
She would sleep with her eyes open
And when the sun came up at dawn
She would turn all the lights back on
And be b-b-blinded
Mary Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow
Mary Mary quite contrary
She said look at me now just leave me alone
Look at me now just leave me alone
Look at me now just leave me alone
The Uncontrollable Few's song "Quite Contrary" is a commentary on society's obsession with material possessions and the need for validation through conformity. The first verse describes a woman who is constantly buying new things, preordering items for tomorrow even though she just received something yesterday. She wants to be different but ends up just like everyone else, highlighting the contradiction in her desires.
The second verse addresses the woman's desire for love and the pain that comes with it. She wants to love and be loved but fears being hurt. She also wants to live forever but acknowledges the inevitability of death. These conflicting desires further emphasize the theme of contradictions in society.
The chorus refers to the nursery rhyme "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" which is about a woman who is contrary and likes to do things her own way. In the song, the woman is saying "look at me now just leave me alone", indicating that she is tired of trying to conform and just wants to be left alone to be herself.
Overall, the lyrics of the song criticize the pressure to conform and the lack of individuality in society.
Line by Line Meaning
She preordered another yesterday
She ordered something in advance yesterday
She wants another one for tomorrow
She desires to order something else for tomorrow
She wanted to be different
She desired to be unique and not like everyone else
Just like everybody else
Yet she still desired to be like everyone else
Mary Mary quite contrary
Addressing Mary with an expression of disbelief and confusion
How does your garden grow
Wondering about the state of her life and growth
She said look at me now just leave me alone
She wanted to be left alone to live her life the way she wants
She wanted to really love a man
She desired to experience love with a man deeply
So she could feel her heart be broken
Even if it meant getting her heart broken, she still was willing to love
She wanted to live forever
She wished to have eternal life
So she could die a million times
To experience different things and emotions again and again, like dying and living
And when the sun went down at night
At nighttime
She would turn off every light
She would turn off all the lights in her room
She would sleep with her eyes open
She would sleep with her eyes still awake
And when the sun came up at dawn
At sunrise
She would turn all the lights back on
She would turn all the lights back on again
And be b-b-blinded
She would be dazed or confused with brightness
Look at me now just leave me alone
She strongly expresses her desire to live her own life and be left alone
Contributed by Jackson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.