Much of the music is vocal driven and includes a wide range of harmonies. Many have compared Pague's voice to that of Florence Welch. Jennifer Pague has been writing songs under the Vita moniker for the past two years. Her romantically tragic and adventuresome lyrics tie into her European travels to Belgium and the Netherlands.
The haunting harmonies and vocal layering combined with crazy instrumentation and simple drumming produce a sound that reflects R&B, soul, jazz, and powerful choral ballads.
Mary
Vita and the Woolf Lyrics
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I remember way back that long
When the cheerleaders would smile and kiss and laugh
Cause I was their superstar hanging from a flash
And I honestly thought champagne and glitter would float in the lights
Of the stage where I stood
Didn't behave
Couldn't behave
Especially with Mary there
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
That's it, I'm gone forever
Cause the glitter and the dust came at a price
And the one time I did fall from the stage
Into a bloody mess of hurt tears and torn dreams
And not even Mary's Satan-red eyes could stop me
Even though her hand was so damn comfy
Under the stage
Never behaved
Never behaved
Couldn't behave
All because of Mary there
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
My dancing days are gone
Even though Mary held my hand
The song "Mary" by Vita and the Woolf is a poignant reflection on the end of an era. The lyrics speak of the loss of the lead singer's dancing days and her fond memories of being a superstar on stage. She recalls the cheerleaders who would smile and kiss and laugh, and the feeling that champagne and glitter would float in the lights of the stage where she stood. Despite the glamorous facade, however, she admits that she never behaved and couldn't behave, especially with Mary around. Mary seems to be a force that pulls her towards recklessness and self-destruction. Even though Mary held her hand and provided some measure of support, the singer ultimately falls off the stage and suffers a bloody mess of hurt tears and torn dreams. The chorus repeats the refrain that her dancing days are gone, but the memory of Mary lingers on.
The lyrics of "Mary" are ripe with themes of nostalgia and regret. The lead singer is mourning the loss of a time in her life when she felt invincible and free on stage. She also recognizes, however, that this freedom came at a price. The glitter and the dust have taken their toll, and the singer is left with both physical and emotional scars. Mary represents a part of herself that she cannot control, a wildness that leads her towards self-destruction. Even though Mary holds her hand, she cannot stop the singer from falling. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the finality of this loss, but it also serves as a reminder that Mary remains a part of her past.
Line by Line Meaning
My dancing days are gone
I used to dance and perform, but I no longer do
I remember way back that long
I have a distant memory of my past as a performer
When the cheerleaders would smile and kiss and laugh
When I was on stage, I would receive adoration and attention from the audience
Cause I was their superstar hanging from a flash
I was a popular and beloved performer that everyone wanted to see
And I honestly thought champagne and glitter would float in the lights
I believed that fame and success would come easily to me
Of the stage where I stood
The stage was my home and my place of greatest success
Didn't behave
I misbehaved and didn't follow the rules
Never behaved
I was never one for following the rules and always did what I wanted
Couldn't behave
I was incapable of following the rules and doing what was expected of me
Especially with Mary there
I was particularly unable to behave myself around Mary
That's it, I'm gone forever
I have given up on my dreams of performing for good
Cause the glitter and the dust came at a price
The fame and success that came with performing had a dark side and came at a cost
And the one time I did fall from the stage
I had a major setback in my career when I fell off the stage during a performance
Into a bloody mess of hurt tears and torn dreams
The fall left me injured and heartbroken, and shattered my dreams of continuing to perform
And not even Mary's Satan-red eyes could stop me
Even Mary's disapproving looks couldn't keep me from doing what I wanted
Even though her hand was so damn comfy
Despite Mary's disapproval, her hand was comforting and familiar to me
Under the stage
I spent a lot of time under the stage, away from the spotlight
All because of Mary there
My behavior and choices were influenced by Mary's disapproving presence
Contributed by Levi R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.