blrbmw
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« on: June 15, 2007, 03:08:56 PM » |
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I was really bored at work today and I was playing all the songs off Exile in my head and scribbling things on notepads. My office is right next to a church and it got me thinking... perhaps the song Help Me, Mary was Liz channeling the intervention of the Virgin Mary to help her deal with hectic life circumstances. I know it seems like a stretch, but with Liz being the stoner she was back in the day I think it's entirely possible. Certainly, she has used religious/metaphysical imagery throught all of her records, so perhaps this is the case here. When in dire straights, people of certain faiths often turn to "Mary" for help.
These lines especially made the connection seem plausable:
"I'm asking you, Mary, please
Temper my hatred with peace"
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« Last Edit: June 16, 2007, 12:36:51 PM by blrbmw »
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JeremyEngle
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« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2007, 07:52:25 PM » |
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I always thought it was a given that she was appealing to the Virgin. Is there any other Mary?
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blrbmw
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« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2007, 08:58:57 PM » |
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Mary is such a plain-sounding name that I simply assumed it was utilized much in the same vain "Johnny" and "Joe" are emblematic of males individuals on other parts of the record. I always thought of “Mary” as one of Liz’s trusted old friends who she would spend hours talking to on the phone about life. Divinity or prayer was never plainly obvious to me, but perhaps that was Liz's intention. It's remarkable how she can be so straightforward, but still leave one guessing. I wonder how many other people realized such a connection and if Liz ever spoke of it in the past.
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JeremyEngle
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« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2007, 11:45:31 PM » |
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I think if I had any doubts about who Mary was supposed to be when I first heard this song, I was persuaded by the line "Weave my disgust into fame" -- which sounds a lot more like an appeal for divine intervention than it ought to if Liz were merely asking Mary-next-door for a li'l help.
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harkrider
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« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2007, 06:00:16 AM » |
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Her vocal delivery sounds, to me, like she's praying for the wisdom to overcome the transgressions of her shithead college roommates. She's got her eyes closed, teeth clenched, with rosary in hand. But like and good Cathoholic, she secretly wants to destroy her enemies, and bides her time.
Yeah, I'd say it's the virgin mother. Either that, or Divergent Mary. <= that's a great title.
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« Last Edit: June 16, 2007, 07:13:09 AM by harkrider »
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wooden and alone
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« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2007, 01:40:21 AM » |
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i always thought she was playing with the word marry, mary, marriage in that song, like in some weird way she was asking someone to marry her so she could get the fuck out of the situation. sorry, i snif glue.
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harkrider
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« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2007, 09:41:36 AM » |
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There's also Mary Jane -- which can definitely assuage roommate anxiety.
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PantherCageCode
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« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2007, 04:22:53 PM » |
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Yeah, I think the flame references and Mary means MARIjuana. We know that Liz Phair smoked a ibt during her Exile days, so that's what I always figured. If only we could ask her...
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harkrider
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« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2007, 10:45:37 AM » |
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Yeah, I think the flame references and Mary means MARIjuana. We know that Liz Phair smoked a ibt during her Exile days, so that's what I always figured. If only we could ask her...
If ONLY we could ask her. Yes, that would be nice. She really ought to come hang out. |
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