Along Comes Mary – English Lyrics

• By: Bloodhound Gang
• Album: Hooray For Boobies

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the Bloodhound Gang's iconic cover of "Along Comes Mary" – a track that takes the psychedelic folk-rock of The Association and injects it with their signature punk rock energy. This song is a masterclass in lyrical double entendre, where understanding the slang behind 'Mary' unlocks a completely new layer of meaning. Explore how musical styles can drastically alter a song's impact and delve into the clever use of language that challenges surface-level interpretation, making it a fascinating piece for anyone interested in linguistic nuances within music.

[English]

Every time I think that I'm

The only one who's lonely someone calls on me

And every now and then I spend

My time at rhyme and verse and curse those faults in me

And then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

Then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

And does she wanna give me kicks

And be my steady chick and give me pick of memories?

Or maybe rather gather tales from all the

Fails and tribulations no one ever sees?

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

Sweet as the punch

When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks

Whose sickness is the games they play

And when the masquerade is played and neighbor folks

Make jokes as who is most to blame today

And then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

Then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

And does she wanna set them free

And let them see reality from where she got her name?

And will they struggle much when told that such

A tender touch of hers will make them not the same?

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

Sweet as the punch

And when the morning of the warning's passed

The gassed and flaccid kids are flung across the stars

The psychodramas and the traumas gone

The songs are left unsung and hung upon the scars

And then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

Then along comes Mary

Mary, Mary

And does she wanna see the stains the dead remains

Of all the pains she left the night before?

Or will their wakin' eyes reflect the lies

And make them realize their urgent cry for sight no more?

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

Sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When we met I was sure out to lunch

Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

Sweet as the punch

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
rhyme /raɪm/ A2	noun - correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words verb - to compose or treat in rhyme
curse /kɜːrs/ A2	verb - to express anger or annoyance at something noun - a profane or offensive expression of anger
kicks /kɪks/ B1	noun - enjoyment or excitement
steady /ˈstɛdi/ A2	adjective - firmly fixed or supported
tribulations /trɪˈbjuːleɪʃənz/ B2	noun - a cause or state of great suffering or distress
vague /væɡ/ B1	adjective - not clearly expressed or defined
desire /dɪˈzaɪər/ A2	noun - a strong feeling of wanting something verb - to want or long for something
masquerade /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/ C1	noun - a false or misleading appearance or show
tender /ˈtɛndər/ B1	adjective - gentle and caring
flaccid /ˈflæsɪd/ C1	adjective - lacking firmness or stiffness
psychodramas /ˈsaɪkoʊdrɑːməz/ C2	noun - a therapeutic technique involving dramatic role-playing
traumas /ˈtrɔːməz/ B2	noun - a deeply distressing or disturbing experience
stains /steɪnz/ A2	noun - a discolored patch on a surface verb - to mark with a discoloration
reflect /rɪˈflɛkt/ B1	verb - to think deeply about something
realize /ˈriəlaɪz/ A2	verb - to become fully aware of something

Key Grammar Structures

• Every time I think that I'm the only one who's lonely someone calls on me

  ➔ Present Simple with 'Every time'

  ➔ The phrase 'Every time' is used to describe an action that happens regularly in specific situations. Here, it emphasizes the recurring nature of the speaker's loneliness being interrupted.

• And every now and then I spend my time at rhyme and verse and curse those faults in me

  ➔ Present Simple with 'Every now and then'

  ➔ 'Every now and then' indicates an action that happens occasionally. It highlights the speaker's sporadic engagement with self-reflection and criticism.

• And then along comes Mary, Mary, Mary

  ➔ Present Simple with 'Along comes'

  ➔ 'Along comes' is used to describe someone or something appearing unexpectedly. Here, it emphasizes Mary's sudden and significant arrival.

• And does she wanna give me kicks and be my steady chick and give me pick of memories?

  ➔ Question with 'Does she wanna'

  ➔ The phrase 'Does she wanna' is a colloquial way to ask a question about someone's desire. It is informal and reflects the speaker's curiosity about Mary's intentions.

• When we met I was sure out to lunch, Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

  ➔ Past Simple vs. Present Simple

  ➔ The contrast between 'When we met' (Past Simple) and 'Now my empty cup tastes' (Present Simple) highlights a change in the speaker's situation over time.