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Talking to Mary, you know you don't have to shout
She can hear what you're thinking like you're saying it right out loud
She sees behind that dirty look
It was her that followed down every every stupid turn you took
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
Saw the one big problem you keep under your hat
And its pretty unlikely that anyone else is cool with that
You got a bus fare in your pocket and more money down in your sock
But I can't tell you how to find her if you won't listen to her talk
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
Its no problem, I'll just keep quiet if its easier for you
To make believe in that I don't love you as much as I do
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
I told you so, I told you so
She can hear what you're thinking like you're saying it right out loud
She sees behind that dirty look
It was her that followed down every every stupid turn you took
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
Saw the one big problem you keep under your hat
And its pretty unlikely that anyone else is cool with that
You got a bus fare in your pocket and more money down in your sock
But I can't tell you how to find her if you won't listen to her talk
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
Its no problem, I'll just keep quiet if its easier for you
To make believe in that I don't love you as much as I do
One day she'll go, I told you so
One day she'll go, I told you so
I told you so, I told you so
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"you got bus fare in your pocket, more money down in your sock But she can't tell you how to contact her if you won't listen to her talk"
If he wasn't talking in third person, he would have used "you" instead of "she" therefore eliminating the possible prostitution reference. Yes the lyrics are similar to "pretty mary k" but elliott smith didn't like writing the same song over again.
puts his money in his sock cause he's going to a bad area and doesn't want to get jacked.
the big problem under his hat is his addiction but she's ok with it cause she's an addict too.
he's in denial about it, that's what 'make believe i don't love you as much as i do' means.
poor elliot. :(
gonebutnotforgotten
You got bus fare in your pocket
And more money down in your sock
i really think that line is about copping drugs.
I'll just keep quiet if it's easier for you
To make believe then
That I don't love you as much as I do"
Beautiful.
Another song of his that is about faith to me is "I can't answer you anymore." That song is more about doubting to me, while "Talking to Mary" is more about believing.
And I just want to make clear that the part I wrote about how I think questioning my faith has been for the better is not congruent to altogether rejecting my faith. I just want to be the best social worker I can be.
"Talking to Mary
You know you don't have to shout
She can hear what you're thinking
Like you were saying it right out loud"
Here clearly Mary knows him well and maybe the reason he's shoulting is because he's drunk.
"She sees behind
That dirty look
It was her that followed down
Every stupid turn that you took"
She sees through his rough shell to the person inside and has stuck by him through all of his mistakes
"Saw the one big problem
You keep under your hat
And it's pretty unlikely
That anyone else will be cool with that"
But there is some big problem that maybe he had been hiding from her and Elliot is telling him that she'll probably leave because of this.
"You got bus fare in your pocket
And more money down in your sock
But she can't tell you how to contact her
If you won't listen to her talk"
This one is kind of obvious, one of them is leaving, possibly for good and she's trying to work things out parpahgs but he's still not listen to her talk, the part after this has me a bit confused, but overall I would say this song was about Elliot looking in on somebody else is relationship and possibly being annoyed by the way his friend is treating his girlfriend,
He always said Talking to Mary was my song. Bc I was there every stupid turn (getting busted, rehab, overdosing, detoxing, domestic drama) His selfishness had the best of him. I have not seen or spoken to him in 6 months and I wont let him know how to contact me.
first verse being about how she knows you better than anyone, and her being there for you always.
chorus is about how one day she'll pass away, because i think most moms have a habit of telling their son or daughter that they won't be around forever to take care of them.
2nd verse continues with her knowing about your secrets and problems, of which other people might not accept if they found out
next is about becoming a man with the bit about money, and not listening to her when you should
chorus, again a reminder
last verse is about being stubborn and fighting with her, saying things you might regret, pretending you hate her, because we all know sons and daughters "hate" their parents at some point in their lives. and ultimately, accepting that she has lived longer than you and knows more about life.
chorus, one last reminder
that's how i interpret it